If the Shoe Kills Read Online Free

most days to stay out of my “fat” jeans.
    â€œI like you curvy.” Greg’s voice dropped and I felt him staring at me. “Amy’s built like a stick.”
    I laughed. “Don’t tell her that. She’ll find a stick to hit you with.” Amy had been a little sensitive around men lately since her breakup with Hank the Loser a few months ago. Greg and I both hoped she realized that Justin, her surfing buddy, was a much better match. We’d gone out with the couple on several double dates since the summer but Amy was still hesitant to give her heart away.
    We ate in silence for a few minutes, then Greg paused. “Hey, did you see some kind of accident out in front of your shop today?”
    I swallowed and cocked my head toward him. “Not an accident.”
    â€œAbout ten?” Greg pushed his plate away, all business now.
    â€œTed, the mayor’s friend, almost hit Marie Jones as she darted across the street.” I held my hand up to stop him from talking. “She ran in front of him and the car stopped in time. So no accident, no need to report. I bet Marie’s a little shaken up by the narrow escape. Why? Who told you?”
    Greg picked his fork up again. “Small town, who didn’t tell me?” He peeked at me sideways, then added, “Oh yeah, my girlfriend.”
    I pursed my lips together, trying not to smile. “Like I said, no harm, no foul. Besides, Marie was the one who didn’t watch for traffic. If anyone had been hurt, I would have called nine-one-one.”
    â€œIf you say so.” He shook his head. “I didn’t take you for a blame-the-victim kind of gal.”
    I felt my eyes widen. “I’m not blaming . . .” Then I saw his body shaking. “You’re messing with me, King. And I don’t appreciate it.” I slapped his shoulder for emphasis.
    â€œYou’re too easy of a target.”
    I took a sip of my iced tea and checked the big black cat clock on the diner’s wall over the hostess stand. “You’re the second man to tell me that today.”
    This time his eyes widened and I grinned. “Toby said the same thing when I only wanted a mocha after dealing with Ted the Jerk.”
    â€œWait, you didn’t tell me you had a run-in with this guy. Maybe I should look into him, for the safety of our citizens.”
    I grabbed my purse and leaned over the table to give him a kiss. “Slow your roll, big guy. Nothing happened. Besides, Toby already agreed to take over further contact as the liaison from South Cove’s business community. I think he wants to take care of the issue. I gotta go.”
    â€œSure, eat and run. Leave me with the check.” He tucked a wayward curl behind my ear. “Maybe I’ll stop by later?”
    â€œI’ll close at nine. You want to drive me home?”
    He kissed me. “I’ll be the one in the police cruiser.”
    â€œEither bring your truck or I’ll walk.” I paused at the table. Last summer Toby had made me ride in the backseat of his cruiser because the two of them were concerned someone was trying to kill me. Which apparently had been true. Still, silly me, I wasn’t a fan of the backseat of a police car.
    He grinned. “Just seeing if you were listening.”
    I turned around and waved over my shoulder. “Don’t be late, Detective.”
    By the time I walked back to the shop, the ten interns had arrived. They had a bus that would bring them to South Cove for each shift and then transport them back to the Work Today office in Bakerstown. I threw my purse in my office, introduced Sasha Smith, our intern, to Toby, and rounded up the other nine to do a quick tour of the town as we dropped people off. First stop, Antiques by Thomas.
    Josh was standing guard in his doorway when I introduced him to Kyle. The man almost had a heart attack. Kyle’s black leathers and pink spiked hair made him look like