Under Cold Stone A Constable Molly Smith Mystery Read Online Free Page A

take a day for themselves. Rent a car, drive into the mountains, admire the scenery, get off the main road, maybe see some wildlife. They were dressed in expensive outdoor gear bought specifically for this trip, clothes their tour company had told them would be appropriate for the Canadian wilderness. The wife’s earrings were gold hoops, the chain around her neck also gold. She had a nice-sized rock on her finger and her pink nails were freshly groomed. The man looked like he’d had a manicure too. Tom didn’t have much time for men who visited spas.
“Five hundred dollars,” Tom said. He shrugged, trying to look sympathetic. “Sorry, that’s what it costs for a new windscreen.”
“Five hundred dollar!”
“You got insurance, right?”
“Insurance, yes.” The man’s head bobbed in agreement. The wife continued flipping through her phrase book.
“Claim it from them.”
“Small,” the man said. He held his hands close together as if trying to indicate the size of the chip. “Small.”
Tom could see the size all right. That was kinda the point. “Sorry,” he said again.
The man continued to argue, a stream of broken English amongst the rapid Japanese. He could argue till he was blue in the face, didn’t matter. Tom had the credit card details, a signature taking responsibility for the vehicle.
Enough of this. Tom turned and headed back to the building that housed the Banff office of Global Car Rental. The Japanese man began to follow, but his wife grabbed his sleeve. She said something, sounded pleading. Telling him to drop it. He argued for a moment and then stomped away, the wife scurrying after.
“What was all that about?” Tracey asked as she put her purse under the counter. She was a nice girl, Tom thought, and young. Could even be pretty if she bothered to put on some makeup and wore clothes that didn’t look like they were bought at the secondhand shop. He might have considered screwing her, just to get one up on Matt, but he had a good thing going with Jody, and right now Tom didn’t feel like upsetting that particular apple cart.
“They got a stone in the window. Didn’t want to pay.”
“It won’t be much, right?” Tracey said. “Looks like a small chip.”
“Right,” Tom said. “Twenty or thirty bucks.” Leaving four hundred and seventy dollars pure profit for him and the boss to split with Barry the mechanic who’d provide a receipt for the cost of an entire windshield replacement.

Chapter Seven
     
BANFF SPRINGS HOTEL AND LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER RESTAURANT. BANFF, ALBERTA. SATURDAY MORNING.
“I,” Paul Keller announced to Lucky Smith, “am in the mood for a full greasy-spoon breakfast.”
“Breakfast,” she groaned. “After that dinner, how can you even think about breakfast?”
“Man’s gotta keep his strength up.” He pulled her close.
She tucked her head into the crook of his arm, and ran her fingers across his chest. “You’re a dirty old man.”
“Not unless I get some breakfast into me.” He threw off the covers.
“Neither one of us,” Lucky said, “needs the calories.”
Paul crossed the room to open the drapes, and then headed for the bathroom. “We’ll work it off on the trails.” His head popped back around the door. He gave her an exaggerated wink. “And in the bedroom.”
Lucky stretched across the king-sized bed, delighting in the lingering warmth from Paul’s body. Sunlight streamed through the windows. She ran her fingers across the crisp sheets, enjoying the feel of the rich, smooth fabric.
Yesterday, she’d had a perfectly delightful afternoon tea in the hotel’s Rundle Lounge, sipping Earl Grey, munching on light-as-air blueberry scones covered in jam and clotted cream, thin sandwiches, and delicate pastries. All while she tried to ignore the outrageous price of forty dollars, never mind the unnecessary calories. She’d paid with her credit card, too guilty to put it on the bill for Paul to take care of. She’d brought her book to read while