Lying Eyes Read Online Free Page A
He'll be back for your party, but before he leaves would you mind letting him take your photograph? I think I'll snap one, too."
Allison posed for the photos, and shook Bob's hand again as he prepared to leave. "Thank you for offering to help bring this unpleasant situation to a satisfactory conclusion for everyone involved."
Stonewall smiled widely, exposing two rows of straight teeth. "No problem, that's my job. Nice meeting you. I'll be back at six."
With bells on, Carlo thought grimly. Like bees to honey, he'd soon find himself having to fight off every heterosexual man who entered the Caprice.
He clenched his fists and groaned.
"Something troubling you?" Allison asked as Carlo closed and locked the door with more force than necessary.
"Surely you're not planning to parade around in front of a bunch of undercover cops wearing that."
She caressed a well-defined hip. "What's wrong with this dress?"
Carlo let his gaze linger on her sexy shoes, and travel back to her hemline before murmuring, "For one thing, there's not enough of it."
"Relax, Detective. This is what I always wear to openings and press parties. As soon as your Captain walks into this room I expect to have him eating out of my hand."
And loving it, too. "That's what I'm worried about."
"We're attending a convention, so get over it, and while you're at it, please try to blend in with the crowd. You're so uptight any minute I expect those shiny uniform buttons to start popping off your muscular chest."
He glanced uncertainly at his clean, crisp shirt, and squared his shoulders. "My orders are to keep you safe, woman, not win a popularity contest."
Reaching up, she attempted to run her fingers along his beginning to bristle cheek and lowered her voice seductively. "You could do both."
Like his grandpa's nervous mare, he shied away. "I plan to shave before your party. Will that please you?"
A knock sounded at the door. "I'll get it. This should be your visiting conference friends." He checked the peephole and opened the door. "Miss Marble, some ladies are here to see you," he said, tongue in cheek, and whispered to the undercover officers, "Thanks for coming so quickly."
"Hi," Miss Marble said as if she were greeting good friends. "I couldn't wait for you to get here. Are you all checked in?"
"I've been here for ages. We just came from the goody room. Have you been there yet? Take a gander at all the free books we latched onto and weep."
"I hope you left some for me." Allison peered into their shopping bag. "Oh, Karen Robards. I adore her romantic suspense novels."
"I'll take it from here," Carlo muttered. "You can cool it a while," he said to Allison. She glared at him.
Ignoring her, he dumped the contents of the shopping bag on the second bed. He didn't care if he had upset her. Miss Marble's constant chatter rattled his nerves.
She turned on the TV, loud, to cover their hushed conversation.
Officer Mullins grabbed the empty evidence bag now visible on top of the pile of books. "Why don't I tie an evidence tag on this gym bag while you enter the tag number in the evidence log?" she whispered.
When he finished, he opened the evidence bag, stuffed the tagged gym bag inside and sealed it tight.
The quiet, blonde, undercover officer he barely knew moved to his side, tossed Miss Marble the Karen Robards book, and piled the other books back into the shopping bag.
"Guard this bag like you would a Brink's truck," Carlo instructed quietly and thanked the officers again as he walked them to the door.
"We will. We know the drill," Officer Mullins assured him.
"Thank you," Allison whispered to her pretend friends. "You don't know how glad I am to see that bag leave my room."
"Love your shoes," the no longer quiet blonde said.
Miss Marble tapped one pointed toe. "Aren't these to die for?"
Not if I have my way, Carlo thought.
"I'll look for you at the Welcoming Party," she said as the officers stepped out into the hall and her door swung shut
Allison posed for the photos, and shook Bob's hand again as he prepared to leave. "Thank you for offering to help bring this unpleasant situation to a satisfactory conclusion for everyone involved."
Stonewall smiled widely, exposing two rows of straight teeth. "No problem, that's my job. Nice meeting you. I'll be back at six."
With bells on, Carlo thought grimly. Like bees to honey, he'd soon find himself having to fight off every heterosexual man who entered the Caprice.
He clenched his fists and groaned.
"Something troubling you?" Allison asked as Carlo closed and locked the door with more force than necessary.
"Surely you're not planning to parade around in front of a bunch of undercover cops wearing that."
She caressed a well-defined hip. "What's wrong with this dress?"
Carlo let his gaze linger on her sexy shoes, and travel back to her hemline before murmuring, "For one thing, there's not enough of it."
"Relax, Detective. This is what I always wear to openings and press parties. As soon as your Captain walks into this room I expect to have him eating out of my hand."
And loving it, too. "That's what I'm worried about."
"We're attending a convention, so get over it, and while you're at it, please try to blend in with the crowd. You're so uptight any minute I expect those shiny uniform buttons to start popping off your muscular chest."
He glanced uncertainly at his clean, crisp shirt, and squared his shoulders. "My orders are to keep you safe, woman, not win a popularity contest."
Reaching up, she attempted to run her fingers along his beginning to bristle cheek and lowered her voice seductively. "You could do both."
Like his grandpa's nervous mare, he shied away. "I plan to shave before your party. Will that please you?"
A knock sounded at the door. "I'll get it. This should be your visiting conference friends." He checked the peephole and opened the door. "Miss Marble, some ladies are here to see you," he said, tongue in cheek, and whispered to the undercover officers, "Thanks for coming so quickly."
"Hi," Miss Marble said as if she were greeting good friends. "I couldn't wait for you to get here. Are you all checked in?"
"I've been here for ages. We just came from the goody room. Have you been there yet? Take a gander at all the free books we latched onto and weep."
"I hope you left some for me." Allison peered into their shopping bag. "Oh, Karen Robards. I adore her romantic suspense novels."
"I'll take it from here," Carlo muttered. "You can cool it a while," he said to Allison. She glared at him.
Ignoring her, he dumped the contents of the shopping bag on the second bed. He didn't care if he had upset her. Miss Marble's constant chatter rattled his nerves.
She turned on the TV, loud, to cover their hushed conversation.
Officer Mullins grabbed the empty evidence bag now visible on top of the pile of books. "Why don't I tie an evidence tag on this gym bag while you enter the tag number in the evidence log?" she whispered.
When he finished, he opened the evidence bag, stuffed the tagged gym bag inside and sealed it tight.
The quiet, blonde, undercover officer he barely knew moved to his side, tossed Miss Marble the Karen Robards book, and piled the other books back into the shopping bag.
"Guard this bag like you would a Brink's truck," Carlo instructed quietly and thanked the officers again as he walked them to the door.
"We will. We know the drill," Officer Mullins assured him.
"Thank you," Allison whispered to her pretend friends. "You don't know how glad I am to see that bag leave my room."
"Love your shoes," the no longer quiet blonde said.
Miss Marble tapped one pointed toe. "Aren't these to die for?"
Not if I have my way, Carlo thought.
"I'll look for you at the Welcoming Party," she said as the officers stepped out into the hall and her door swung shut
Readers choose
The Duke's Return
Ryan Field
Christa Wick
Amy Fellner Dominy
Charlaine Harris
Carol Plum-Ucci
Cat Clarke
Jennifer Weiner
Rika Lewis