The Wages of Cin (Cin Fin-Lathen Mysteries Book 4) Read Online Free

here.”
    I nodded.
    After Alex and Elijah left, I let out the air I was holding.  “Harry, what have you gotten me into?” I asked weakly.
    “Ply him with alcohol and get as much background as you can.  Ex-wives, ex-girlfriends, groupies, stalkers,” he listed.  “Find out if he stepped on anyone’s toes on the way up or down.”
    “I’m dressed for the hospital not dinner.”
    “You look great.  Sidney seemed to think so,” he teased.
    I blushed.  “I was shocked that someone would remember me from that long ago,” I said.
    “Take it from me, Cin. No one who meets you can ever forget you.”
    “Gee, thanks, Harry.”
    “It’s not your looks, mind you.  But you are one of a kind.”
    “I withdraw my thanks,” I said and added, “Ouch.”
    “Yikes, I didn’t mean.  What did I mean?  I guess I’m trying to say that you’re more than the physical; you’re the whole package.  To know you is to…”
    “Stop while you’re behind.  Where are we with this investigation?”
    “I think we need more data.  So far everything that has happened can be explained.  I think we need to look deeper.  Me, to the internet, and you, to grilling Broadhurst.”
    “Don’t expect too much.  I get a bit befuddled when I’m around Elijah.”
    “I noticed,” Harry said.  “Try to think of him as your brother.”
    I angled my head and thought about it.  “Nope, not brotherly material.”
    “A priest.”
    “I have enough problems with a certain priest.”
    “Well, do your best. Eli’s coming,” Harry said.
    “Oh, hardy har har.”
    “Ahem,” Elijah said from behind me.
    I whirled around and almost lost my balance.  He reached out and steadied me.  His hands sent shockwaves to parts of my anatomy that had been ignored for quite a long time.  I was doomed.
    “Whoops, sorry, I’m not very graceful,” I stammered.
    “No problem, I’m used to women falling into my arms.”
    “I bet.”
    “Shall we?” he said, holding out a hand.
    I took it and said over my shoulder, “See you, Harry. Don’t wait up.”
    Elijah and I walked to his car.  He opened my door for me and walked around and got in.  In my head, I knew I was doing the right thing.  We needed information.  But in my heart, I knew I was going to dinner with this sexy man for all the wrong reasons.
    “I know a place where we can sit and watch the water while we dine.”
    “I hope it isn’t too fancy,” I said, moving an arm to display my outfit.
    “This is Florida; you can go anywhere dressed however you want as long as you have a pretty woman on your arm.”
    “Does that line work for you?” I asked.
    “Every time,” he said and pulled out into traffic.

Chapter Three
     
    “The divorce from Caroline didn’t come as a surprise.  We’ve been at odds with each other for years.  My ex is very possessive and suspicious.  Harmless things and incidents out of my control would get her back up, and all hell would break out at home.  We stayed together for Mandy.  But once she graduated from high school, there really wasn’t any point in staying together.”
    I listened to Elijah carefully.  I took note of his tone and suspected that it was a relief when Caroline finally served the papers.
    “Did your professional lifestyle get in the way of your relationship?”
    “Writing music is pretty solitary.  I did that mostly at home.  Recording involved long days and nights at the studio, but touring, that was the straw that broke the happily ever after.  Your turn.”
    “A bevy of flight attendants, and finally, a pickle heiress broke my happily ever after. But you know what?  I think I’m much happier.  The freedom of making decisions for myself and controlling where I want to go, when I want to go is so, well, freeing,” I said and started laughing.  “I’m sure that sounded more confusing than it actually is.”
    “No, I understand.  I’m enjoying my freedom too.”
    The waiter arrived with our entrees.  I