For Love of Money Read Online Free Page A

want to be a complete bitch. “I do appreciate your staying.”
    He got the rest of the message and dropped his hands.
    “I wanted to make sure you weren’t too freaked out.” His expression disgruntled, he stepped over to her painting supplies, picked up the masking tape and spun it around his fingers.
    From a purely selfish perspective, having him—anyone—in the house would be good. Someone to talk to. Someone to keep the images of Marcy’s body away.
    He tossed the tape back onto the pile. It rolled across the floor, gathering dust and cat hair. He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “I should head out. Check on the restaurant. I still have to open it tonight.”
    Oh, since he wasn’t getting any, it was time to bail? Nice.
    She retrieved the tape and brushed at the debris. Thanks a bunch. “Your family can handle the restaurant if you’re upset about Marcy.”
    “My mother knows Mrs. Ramirez.” He gave a small shrug. “She’ll worry.”
    About Marcy, Mrs. Ramirez, or Alex? Not that it mattered—Alex’s mother micromanaged both his life and his restaurant. “She’ll have heard about Marcy. She’ll want to know you’re okay,” she said, giving him an out.
    “She gets bossy when she’s worried. If she runs off any more staff, I’ll have to start recruiting my cousins to work as busboys.”
    The irritating brittz of the doorbell—another item on her long list of Things To Replace—interrupted.
    “You expecting anybody?” Alex asked.
    “I hope it isn’t a reporter.” Shaking her head, she crossed the room. “If my mom heard about this…”
    She pushed the curtain aside, peeked through the long sidelight window and rocked back half a step.
    No reporter.
    No mother.
    JC Dimitrak stood on her doorstep.
    She didn’t know why she was surprised. She’d known he’d show up eventually, but now ? This soon?
    He dipped his head in greeting. Even tired and grim-faced, he still looked better than sex on a stick.
    Where did that come from? She scrambled to pull her thoughts together and opened the door.
    Wait a minute, her inner teenager shrieked. I’m not ready.
    “May I come in?”
    “What are you doing here? I mean, at my house?”
    “Remember the ‘Can we do this later?’ part?”
    Stepping back, she widened the opening. JC wore the same dark slacks and heavy coat he’d had on at the game management area. He unbuttoned his overcoat, revealing the huge pistol clamped to his belt beside his badge. This man—this stranger , she reminded herself, because she didn’t know him anymore—was definitely a leader. He had a commanding presence, backed by more than a hint of sex appeal.
    He’d always had it.
    Only now he was armed. And undoubtedly dangerous.
    “I take it this is an official visit,” she said.
    He ignored the observation, and instead gave her yoga pants, T-shirt, and wet hair a slow inspection. The twitch of his eyebrow and assessing glance told her he knew she wasn’t wearing a bra.
    Alex moved into the foyer. “Why are you here?”
    JC glanced at Alex. Sex assumptions hung like a cartoon balloon over his head. For a moment, something that might’ve been anger or jealousy tightened his face. Then it vanished. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
    She said, “No” at the same time Alex said, “Yes.”
    “Glad we cleared that up.” JC’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I need to get your statement, Holly. Before you take off again.”
    She propped her fist on her hip. “You know, the way I remember things, you walked out.”
    “Don’t go there, Holly. You don’t know the first thing about me.”
    “I know everything that matters.”
    Alex stepped up. “We’ve both done everything we can to cooperate, but quit hiding behind your badge. If you have a problem with Holly, you should bow out of the investigation.”
    JC gave him a cool examination. “I need to talk to each of you. Alone. We can do that at the station, if you’d prefer.”
    “No way. I’m not