Deadly Intuition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

in Romeo last year.”
    “That’s the guy who was dating a sixteen-year-old, right?” Finn asked.
    “That’s the scumbag,” James said, nodding. “It looks like, at least for the last three months or so, she’s been torturing the sheriff’s department with a series of stories about missing funds and prisoner mistreatment.”
    Grady leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. “The guy I saw didn’t look like he was a cop, so I think we can rule out the sheriff’s department there.”
    “What if he’s related to one of the prisoners who was supposedly mistreated at the county jail, though?” Finn asked.
    Grady considered the question. “I guess that’s possible. What do the stories say about the missing money?”
    James read further. “It looks like more than $600,000 is missing from the county coffers. The county commission is blaming the sheriff’s department. The sheriff’s department is saying that they never received the funds.”
    “And there’s no paper trail?” Finn asked. “That doesn’t sound likely. I thought there were checks and balances in place for stuff like this.”
    “People fake the checks and balances,” James said. “That’s why there’s always so much corruption in government. It looks like she’s put a lot of time in on this story. It’s supposed to be addressed at tomorrow night’s county commission meeting. It looks like it will be a real madhouse.”
    “Why haven’t we heard more about this?” Grady asked.
    “I don’t know,” James replied, shrugging. “Maybe we just weren’t paying attention. We’ve been busy with other stuff.”
    “Still, this is a big story,” Grady said. “I can’t imagine how we missed it.”
    “Missed what?”
    Everyone’s attention shifted to the doorway where Mandy had suddenly appeared. She was a beautiful woman, bright blue eyes and a welcoming smile usually gracing her sculpted face. Right now, though, all that beauty was hidden under pale features and sunken eyes.
    “Hey, kid. Don’t take offense at this, but you look awful,” Grady said. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
    Mandy’s hair was pulled away from her face into a messy ponytail, which jostled back and forth as she shook her head. She was wearing fuzzy Hello Kitty pajama pants, and one of James’ oversized T-shirts, making her look younger than her twenty-five years. “I just wondered where everyone was. I woke up and the apartment was empty.”
    “I just came down to get some work done,” James said. “I didn’t want to wake you.”
    Mandy didn’t look angry about being abandoned during her time of need. “It’s not like I want you to watch me puke – or dry heave now – every hour,” Mandy countered. “I was just curious what was going on. I feel like I’m disconnected from the real world.”
    James smiled. “It’s okay to be sick, baby. You don’t have to be Wonder Woman all the time.”
    Mandy smiled dully. “You’re wasting your charm right now,” she said. “You have no chance of getting laid, and I don’t have the energy to muster any enthusiasm for anything heavier than General Hospital .”
    James cocked his head to the side. “Do you want to try and eat something? I’ll go and get whatever you want.”
    “I’d rather not throw up again,” Mandy said. “I’ll try eating something tomorrow.”
    “You should at least try drinking something,” James prodded.
    “Thanks, Dad.”
    Finn and Grady laughed. “At least your head is in a good place,” Grady teased.
    Mandy leaned against the doorframe, resting her forehead against the cool, metal bar. “What were you guys talking about when I came in?”
    “Do you know anything about this county corruption scandal?” Finn asked.
    Mandy furrowed her brow. “The money missing from the sheriff’s department? Yeah. It’s a big deal. Everyone is talking about it.”
    “How come we don’t know about it?” Grady asked.
    “I don’t think they’re talking about it in the circles you run