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

chose the house special while Elijah ordered a large steak.  He seemed so at ease.  I was able to study him as he navigated through his meal.  Nothing seemed to bother him.
    “You’re so relaxed. I envy you,” I said.
    “I think it’s the company.  I think we ‘clicked.’ It’s a rare thing. I’m glad you decided to take this case, Cin.”
    “I hope we can sort all of this out, so you can tour in peace.  I enjoy performing, and I imagine you do too.”
    “Yes, I do.  It can be a pain at times, and it’s exhausting.  I used to lose so much weight,” Elijah confessed.
    “Sign me up!”
    “I imagine, on this go round, I won’t be drinking my meals, Cin, but you’re welcome.”
    “Wow, another good line.  Mind if I copy that one down?”
    “Sorry, that’s copyrighted.”
    He reached across the table and took my hand.  “Life on the road is a hard one, but I do so love meeting people.  I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of people .”
    “People as in women,” I interpreted.
    “You’re very observant.”
    “It’s a talent.  Well, I certainly am glad we had this time together.  I will treasure it,” I said, backing out of the flirtation gracelessly.
    “Plus, you got to grill me.”
    “You heard,” I said, embarrassed.
    “I have excellent hearing,” he said.  “There are a lot of excellent things about me if you care to find out.”
    I frowned.  “Don’t use that line; it’s a stinker.”
    “Damn, how about…” he proceeded to try out line after line after line until I laughed so hard I got the hiccups.
    The evening continued to be easier after that.  The romantic veil had lifted, and I saw Elijah more as a person.  We got along well, and I didn’t feel I had to impress him with witty conversation or observations.  On the car ride home, he put on an oldies station, and we sang to songs from our youth.  It didn’t matter that I didn’t know all the words or sang flat.  It was just fun.  After, I would brag to my friends that I once spent a night singing duets with Elijah Broadhurst.
     
    ~
     
    Harry was waiting up.  He sat in the living room, in his pajamas, reading a book upside down.  I looked at the title and was surprised to see it was one of Alex’s old music theory books.
    I reached down and turned the book the right way up before walking into the kitchen to pour myself a rather large glass of wine.
    “I thought you didn’t like wine?”
    “Tonight, I like wine,” I said.  “Want some?”
    “Sure, why not,” he said.  “Was it a bad evening?”
    “No, I just didn’t drink during the meal.  I wanted to keep my head.”
    “He’s not all that handsome, Cin.”
    I almost did a spit-take.  “Yes, he is, but he’s not for me. I admit being attracted to him - who wouldn’t be - but he’s a client, Harry.  We have to act professional if we want to be regarded as professionals.”
    “I’m surprised that you’re not fighting me on taking this case,” Harry admitted.
    “I think it’s a pretty straightforward example of coincidence with a smattering of revisionist history.”
    “I don’t know if I can agree with that.  I think a lot of history has been covered up. I did a little research.”
    “Really?” I asked, pulling off my perfectly-sound pair of shoes.  “Let me sit down before you burst my bubble.”
    It was at that moment, Alex decided to turn up the volume on the stereo and his bass amp in his room.  I launched myself and caught Harry’s empty glass before it vibrated off the counter.  “Let’s go outside,” I shouted, grabbing the wine bottle.
    Harry opened the slider, and he and I retreated to the pool deck away from the driving beat of “Redheaded Stepchild . ”
    I eased down on the deck and stuck my feet in the warm water of the pool, ignoring that the hem of my pants were getting wet.  Harry rolled up the legs of his pajamas before pouring himself a small serving of wine.  He sat down beside me.
    “Elijah