Sunday Snippet: Tangled Web

We had a crazy week of weather. Rain, rain, rain, followed by wind, wind, wind. Lost power for a couple of hours and returned some of the neighbor's stuff that ended up in our backyard. Something tells me we're going to pay for a fairly mild winter with a chaotic and wild spring. Can't wait.

Good week on work projects and I finally made headway with clearing out my inbox on my old PC and I'm starting the transfer of files to my new computer. I can't wait to get this project done so I can go back to having one desktop instead of two in my workspace. Up next, tackling my laptop to see if I can get the graphics card to function again. Or, the issue could be related to a Windows update. Either way, I'm hoping I won't have to invest in a new laptop. Fingers crossed.

Not a bad week of television viewing. I didn't get quite as much watched as I did last week, but I got a few shows in.

I finished up the Classic Who episode I started last weekend and I'm kind of interested in how this one plays out. Hoping to get to the next part this week.

Watched the season twenty-one opener of Silent Witness. Nice to see some fallout from Nikki's Mexico trip. Jack is a little off and I'm curious to find out why. Love to see Clarissa out in the field because she's become a favorite character and shouldn't always be relegated to the lab.

Enjoyed another episode of Strangest Things. The items they discuss are always interesting and I love the speculative aspect when they really don't know exactly what they have.

Caught another episode of The Mandalorian. Bo Katan's introduction piqued my interest. I like how a different sect of Mandalorians are out there giving a different perspective.

Watched another episode of Only Murders in the Building. Thoroughly enjoyed discovering the building has secret passageways and tunnels. Loved the introduction of Lucy. I haven't changed my theory quite yet on who the killer might be, but we'll see what happens. Also nice to see Oliver show up for his son. Much needed character growth there.

Got to return to my Battlestar Galactica rewatch this week. While the episode doesn't rank as one of my favorites from season one, it's still a solid watch. Frankly, season one doesn't have a bad episode. It's probably the best first season of television I've watched.

Enjoyed another episode of Pennyworth. A few unexpected twists turned up and I'm here for those. I'm quite enjoying the slow discovery of how Alfred became Batman's butler. There's not a wasted moment on the screen.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Tangled Web, a novella that puts a little noir into the romantic chase between the characters.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Ruby Ire is bad for men—every time she falls for one he ends up dead, so she doesn't get tangled up with them anymore. But a series of near miss accidents makes her think she's become a target and she hires Jordan Riceman to track down her attacker. And she absolutely will not let Jordan get too close, no matter how damned attractive he is.

And a preview snippet…

Jordan Riceman jogged up the steps to a brownstone in an old neighborhood of the city. He twisted the knob and entered then made his way to the study. The old place needed some work, but the classic lines couldn't be missed.

He rapped on the door. "Granddad?" He opened the door and ducked inside the stately room. "Sorry I'm late." He paused when he caught sight of his grandfather and a distant cousin sitting beside the fire.

Frank Riceman stood and greeted Jordan. "Hello, my boy. You remember Doug, don't you?"

Douglas R. Barclay, son of Jordan's grandmother's sister. Jordan remembered Doug even if it had been at least five years since they'd interacted. Doug lived in a small burg about an hour away and tended to stick close to his home.

Jordan lifted his chin in Doug's direction. "Hi, Doug. Hope you've been well." He motioned for his grandfather to retake his seat. "Again, sorry to keep you waiting."

Frank waved a hand. "Not a problem. I asked Doug to come here to save time." He got up again and crossed over to a maple desk. "I have something for both of you." He withdrew an envelope and a set of keys from the top drawer.

Jordan stayed silent, wondering what his grandfather had in mind for this meeting.

Frank came back around the desk and handed Doug the envelope. "This contains the deed to the hunting cabin your grandpa and I used to use anytime your grandma and my Minnie wanted to redecorate." His lips twitched. "The fact they always chose hunting season seemed awful convenient."

Doug accepted the envelope with a frown. "Uh, thanks. Not sure what I'll do with it." He tucked the deed into the pocket of his jacket. "I hate to cut this short, but I have an appointment to make." Raising a hand, he started for the doors.

Frank added a reminder. "The key to the cabin is under the porch. It's all spelled out in the letter your grandpa included. Call if you have any questions."

Doug grunted and left the room.

Jordan's brows arched. "Not exactly thrilled with the gift, was he?" He didn't remember Doug being quite so rude the last time they'd attended a family function.

Frank rolled his eyes. "I blame Nellie. After Ralph died, she and their daughter Ellen had a falling out and that usually kept Doug firmly on his mom's side." He shook his head. "Doug didn't start coming to family gatherings until after his mom passed. And your grandma is convinced it's only to remind Nellie how poorly she treated her daughter." He waved a hand. "Bah. You didn't come here for a family history lesson." Pressing the keys into Jordan's hand, Frank smiled. "The brownstone is yours. Don't forget the secrets of the old place. Should help you with your work."

Jordan operated a private investigation and security company. The old building had three secret entrances and myriad passageways between floors. So, yeah, the privileged information could definitely help with anything covert.

Jordan gave a nod. "It will. I'll use the lower level for my office and live up here. Be nice to have a couple of shortcuts I can use." Not that he'd share any of those with anyone.

Not even his—if he eventually hired one—assistant. He liked to work alone and had a few key clients that usually kept him busy. But he'd have to bring someone else on board if he wanted to stay relevant.

Frank nudged Jordan's shoulder. "I anticipated your plans. I've got a guy coming over tomorrow morning to put your name on the door downstairs. You tell him what you want and he'll make sure you're good to go."

Jordan hugged his granddad. "Thank you. Can I stop by for dinner next week so I can thank Grandma, too?" After all, the brownstone had been their home after they got married.

Frank smiled. "You bet you can. She'll be happy to see you, my boy." Starting for the doors, he turned back. "Make it Wednesday, if you're free. We're leaving for a cross-country train tour on the weekend."

Jordon walked his grandfather to the main entrance. "Wednesday it is. I'll be there unless I have work to do." He grinned when a black sedan pulled up to the curb.

He'd given his granddad a silent communication device over the holidays last year. Looked like Frank put it to good use. Once the car pulled away, Jordan turned and headed back into the brownstone.

Shaking his head, he huffed out a laugh. "Guess I gotta start thinking of this as my brownstone."

I love writing a small bit of mystery into a romance. The noir feel is one of my favorite things.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Gotta Make a Living

Apparently, the week before last ended up being bizarre not only because Mercury is in retrograde but two other planets are squaring up. I'm kind of glad I made it through the insanity. The past week had some challenges but things finally started coming together and smoothed out. Whew.

My youngest kiddo returned from Alaska where she had a great time. She graduated high school last year and she and my dad finally got to take a trip this summer. They had great weather and got to do a ton of fun sightseeing events.

Had a slightly slower than usual television viewing experience. I started out with a new episode of No Offence. Viv had quite the revelation at the end of the episode and I'm interested to see where things go from here.

Enjoyed another episode of Silent Witness. This one has some quirky undertones and I'm interested in the second part to see how everything plays out.

Caught another episode of Blue Heelers and started a new one. Since my new washing machine arrived, I've been catching up on laundry and getting some quality time in on my Australian show.

Watched a full arc of Classic Who. For some reason, I thought they only needed to find four pieces of the key, but it's actually six. Should be interesting to see how the final three play out.

Enjoyed another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This one focused on UFO tech, which I find fascinating. The theories that come out of the woodwork regarding why and how the technology is used always makes me smile.

Caught two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Guest stars were Madeline Kahn and George Burns. Both were shows I didn't remember.

Watched a great episode of The Hardy Boys. Things are starting to come together and I'm really interested in where things will end up. I'm ready for the tall guy to get served. Just saying.

Enjoyed a new episode of Peak Practice. I have a feeling the next one will have a tragedy but I rather liked the new doctor they introduced. Looking forward to more from him.

Caught another Master Class on graphic design. This one focused on life as a working designer. I didn't think I'd get much out of that lesson, but I actually did. Even if I don't want to pursue graphic design as a career, the concept of what's important in the career you choose provided some good information.

Finally, I'm watching another episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. This is set around Thanksgiving and there are some great character reveals. I like this show but I'm not champing at the bit to get to the next one … yet. This episode does have an awesome guest star in Michael Hogan and I'm happy to see him in the mix. Reminds me to send positive vibes out and hope his recovery is going well.

That's pretty much it for television and life updates. Tonight's post is from Gotta Make a Living, a novella with a noir flair.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Niles finds Claire standing over a dead body and can't decide if he should call the cops or haul her into his arms. Claire makes the choice easy by asking him if he sees any smoking guns. They decide they better work together to find the killer before Claire is framed for a murder she didn't commit.

And a preview snippet…

The things he wanted to know had nothing to do with Conrad's death. He'd have to put his libido in check and focus on the pertinent information. But…

He straightened. "Not here. How about Blinky's? I could use some good coffee." And time to regroup.

Her eyebrow rose. "Lovely choice." Her gaze slid toward Conrad. "What about him?"

Niles reached for his phone. "I'll call it in." He pressed the send button. "Yeah, Kovach? Niles here. Send a unit down to C&P BioTech, and get my brother out of bed. Conrad Pesterson has been murdered."

Kovach repeated the information then added, "I don't think Nelms is in his bed, Niles. He met that new lawyer lady, Cera Springfield, after shift."

Niles rolled his eyes. "Then get him out of her bed, Kovach. He needs to be on this one from the beginning." Nelms would pitch a bitch fit for being pulled away from his latest female companion, but he'd throw a bigger one if he didn't get first dibs on the crime scene.

Kovach snorted. "He's not gonna be happy, but I'll get him." He wanted a beat. "I don't have to tell you to stick around until the beaties get there, do I?"

Niles sighed. "Inform the beat cops I'll be here exactly five minutes. If they're not here, it's on your head." He ended the call before Kovach could wheedle more time.

Claire flashed a cheeky grin. "You've got this down to a science, don't you?" She tilted her head to one side. "Something tells me poor Conrad isn't the first stiff you've stumbled across." She didn't wait for a reply, instead stooping down to the floor.

Niles watched her move, gathering her purse and its contents from the carpet. "Is it your first?"

She shot him a sultry look. "Most of the stiffs I come across are attached to living, breathing men." She lifted a shoulder. "Lame humor aside, yes, it's the first dead body. I've dealt with bullet holes, knife wounds, and more messed-up faces than I can count. Stands to reason I'm overdue for a corpse." She grimaced.

Niles remembered his first and the gut-wrenching heaves of his stomach. Then again, he'd been with Nelms on the hunt for a missing girl and by the time they found her, she no longer resembled the picture they had. Claire handled Conrad's demise much better than Niles would have expected.

Niles waited until she got to her feet. "Do you want to skip the coffee?" They could meet the following day if needed.

She shook her head. "No, but I'd like to be clear before the police get here." She started for the door. "I'll submit to whatever tests they want and give a statement, but not right now." She paused with her hand on the knob. "Can we meet at Blinky's?"

Niles waved her off. "I'll be right behind you." He checked the time … the beaties had three minutes before he headed out.

I love this story! Niles and Claire are evenly matched and headed for a big adventure to get to the bottom of Conrad's death.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Tangled Web

April 19, 2020

Crazy weather in Ohio this week. Warm, then cold and rainy, and then a little slushy snow mix thrown in. I can honestly say I'm kind of ready for spring to get here in full. At least having the option to go outside and enjoy some sun breaks things up a bit.

Not a big week for television but I got a few shows watched. I started with an episode of Arrow and I'll be getting ready to start the Crisis Crossover soon.

Caught the penultimate episode of Murdoch Mysteries. I'm sad about the death of a character I liked. I loved George's side story. I have no earthly clue what Julia is doing but I'm rolling along with the character arc to see where things go. I do like seeing the ups and downs of William and Julia.

Watched an episode of Riverdale and, wow, the batshit ramped up to double digits, which I love. I still hate Hiram with the burning passion of a thousand suns and gotta say the character kind of ruins the show for me. We'll see how this season shakes out but I honestly can't stand it when he's on the screen. I'm not sure how I feel about the Charles / Chick development but we'll see how that one plays out also.

Had a virtual watch party with a good friend and we rolled out The Rise of Skywalker. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie to bits. I'm hoping we'll get more of those in soon.

Started the second episode of Roswell, New Mexico's new season. So far, I'm enjoying but I really want Maria to finally be aware of the aliens. The fact she isn't really bugs me. So far, I'm not a huge fan of having Rosa back either.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Tangled Web, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jordan gave her a slow once-over and interest flashed in his gaze.

Ruby shook her head. "You don't want to get tangled up with me." Her inner self screamed her frustration.

Jordon tilted his head to one side. "Why not?" His lips curved in a sweet, sexy smile.

Ruby gave him the straight answer. "I'm toxic. Burned every damn bridge I ever crossed." Okay, more like had every one burned for her, but she'd fill him in later on that part.

Jordan quirked a brow. "So? Leave one untouched for once."

Ruby snorted. "Can't."

He prompted. "Because…"

Show or go time. "Every guy I've dated, shown an interest in, or hell, greeted in a nice manner is dead." She met his gaze head-on. "And I need to find out why."

Jordan gave her a long, considering look. "And you want me to help." He made it a statement.

Right. Because why else would she have contacted him?

He continued. "That's why you messaged me and asked to meet here, isn't it?"

She nodded. "I come here every Tuesday, so it's nothing out of the ordinary or a change in habit." She lifted a shoulder. "I honestly didn't know if you'd show." But holy crap. Relieved didn't begin to describe her gratefulness he had.

He laughed. "Are you kidding? Who could resist a request to meet at a beauty parlor?" He leaned in closer. "I've never seen the inner workings of such a female-dominated place before. Truth told, I was a little terrified to enter."

Ruby smiled. "Nothing too scary." She glanced around the back area of Curl-a-Whirl. "Just a bunch of coloring dyes and perm solutions."

He scanned the room. "I had no idea so many different shades existed."

She chuckled. "I just brought the latest colors in. Purple is a big trend this fall." She shook her head again. "Sorry. I'm rambling a little. Thelma's place is my last stop on Tuesday and I sometimes stay and have tea and scones with her. That's why I picked this shop."

His head bobbed up and down. "Smart. Truly. Gives us some time to discuss what you're looking for."

Ruby sighed. "I'm looking for a miracle. I'm so tired of being an object of destruction." She snorted. "Or, I guess I should say being used as an instrument of one."

Jordan questioned. "Are you sure that's what's going on?" He settled back in the seat when Thelma entered the room, carrying a tray with tea, scones, and two mugs.

Ruby got up and took the items from Thelma. "I'm not sure about anything, Mr. Riceman, but my gut says—"

He corrected. "Jordan. And you don't have to say more. Gut instinct has saved my life more than once." He waited until she sat back down before going on. "So, people, men in particular, drop like flies around you and you'd like to know why, right?"

Hell, yes.

Since he'd nailed it on the head, she poured two mugs of tea before responding. "Wouldn't you?" She placed a cup in front of him.

He lifted the tea and blew across the top. "Absolutely." He took a tentative sip then let out a blissful sigh. "Earl Gray, one of my favorites."

Ruby's lips curved. Knowing a brew by taste raised her respect for him a notch. She hoped like hell he'd take her case.

She toyed with the spoon beside her mug. "Mr. Rice—sorry. Jordan, knowing what you do now, about the men I've been associated with, are you willing to find out what's going on?" She sprinkled some sweetener in her tea and stirred, anticipating yet dreading his response.

He snagged a scone from the serving tray. "Oh, I'm in, Ms. Ire. If for no other reason than to clear a path for you and me to get better acquainted." He bit into the pastry and gave another bliss-filled sigh.

Oh, she liked him. A lot.

Ruby stuck out her hand. "Please … call me Ruby." When he grasped her fingers, she added. "And thank you. I think you might be a little insane, but after two years of handling this alone, it feels good to have someone on my side … aside from Thelma."

Jordan grinned. "If the woman throws in a dozen of these on a weekly basis, I might just work for free."

Ruby laughed, a true, honest release of mirth.

Jordan winked. "Feels good, doesn't it?" He leaned forward, taking her hand again. "Be prepared for more, Ruby. We will figure out what, or who, is plaguing you. I promise."

She squeezed his fingers in response but didn't speak. She couldn't. Finally. Finally.

She had hope.

I love writing what I've dubbed as Urban Noir. Combining the feel of underlying intrigue and danger with a slightly paranormal edge, the characters get to act and react in different ways.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Judge a Book by Its Cover

We're past the halfway mark of October already? Geez, this month is flying by fast. Then again, it's been a somewhat difficult month for me workwise. Brain-draining would be an apt description.

So… television has been an important escape this week. Sunday night shows Doctor Who and The Last Ship ended up being terrific. I'm so happy to be excited for New Who again. The Last Ship kept things interesting. I'm a little confused why the guy got executed at the end, but I have a suspicion it'll be a turning point of some sort.

Arrow's premiere actually blew my mind a little. The fight scene juxtaposition of Oliver in the prison and Felicity in her apartment with Diaz is probably the best choreographed scene I've witnessed to date. Seriously, it's amazing. And, honestly, the rest of the show followed suit, leading right up to the surprise end. I'm excited to see what happens next.

The Flash remained good. Nice to see Cisco, Kaitlyn, and Ralph bonding and helping each other out. Looking forward to more of that. Riverdale… well… went full-on batshit with a whole new twist that I actually can't wait to watch unfold. The thing with Archie in detention isn't bad. I love the whole Veronica getting around her dickhead dad with Cheryl's help. Speaking of Hiram the 'Hole. Does anyone else want to smack the smarm out of him? Every time he's on screen I want to punch him in the face. That's some good acting by otherwise nice guy Marc Consuelos.

In other show news, I caught the first episode of Underbelly Files and enjoyed it. Caught Babylon 5, The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Birds of Prey, and Lexx in sci-fi fare. Pensacola Wings of Gold had a great episode where I wanted to bitchslap the billionaire dude who wanted his daughter saved at all costs. I also caught Strike Back, which had a great episode featuring Grace and her badass skills. And finally, I caught another episode of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. I have a lot of love for that show.

That's it for television this week. Here's hoping my work and sleep schedule get back on track and I can enjoy even more during the near future.

Tonight's post is from Judge a Book by Its Cover, a novella that started with a writer's community prompt of "think high school mystery with a cheating scandal". Definitely a fun prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Zeth Herrickson has to catch the culprits in a cheating scandal at the academy. Coorah Blair normally sits at the top of his list when things aren't right—except she's the one who brings the matter to his attention. They work together to track down the participants and go after the ringleader, who is much closer to both than they'd believe.

And a preview snippet…

Coorah Blair grabbed another exam and placed it in front of her. "This is my least favorite part of the job." Teaching, she loved and the fae academy gave her an open forum to share her knowledge.

Grading tests, though… bleh.

Her lips curved. "Figures I'm totally there for the physical testing of skill but not so much for the learned angles." She had reputation for flash and flair and she worked hard to keep it intact.

She finished the second class exams and started on the third group. By the third final, she discovered a pattern. Going back, she thumbed through the first two files, pulling the questionable documents. By the time she completed the other four folders she found several more.

Putting the exams side by side on the desk, she carefully examined each. "Son of a bitch." Fifteen tests had the exact same answers.

Anger churned in her gut. She liked to push the envelope and question authority on a regular basis—especially when Zeth Herrickson, the academy's magistrate got involved—but she didn't agree with cheating in any form.

As much as she hated the idea, Zeth needed to know about the tests and he needed to fix the situation. Right freaking now. Gathering up the offensive pages, she filed them in a folder to make copies later. The other exams went to their appropriate class file and awaited a return during the next session.

Bile rose in her throat, anger mixing with disgust. She swallowed it down. Giving rein to her temper wouldn't help. Not now.

Rising, she steeled her back and shoulders. "Brace for impact, Mr. Magistrate." She exited her classroom and marched over to the teacher's wing to confront Zeth about the entire situation.

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. I love adding suspenseful elements to the story and having my main characters work out what's going on.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Tangled Web

Another great week of TV even if a few of my shows were on break for the election night coverage. Gotta take a moment to mention Arrow. Seriously, this show keeps improving on itself. The pacing is perfect and the interweaving of past with present stays flawless. I love this show!

Finally started seeing previews for the new season of Orphan Black. It's just a small little spot with 'You Don't Own Me' playing in the background. Honestly, though? Perfection. And hopefully a small hint of what we'll be seeing early in 2015.

Last mention of television related stuff… Doctor Who. I'll be completely in the minority, but eh, I'm just not feeling the new doctor at all. I did enjoy the season finale and I always watch the Christmas special, but I can't disconnect from the fact Capaldi has played two other roles in the Whoverse. Don't get me wrong, he's a great actor, but the inability to move past his other roles seriously harshes my enjoyment of the show. This saddens me greatly. L

Anyway, enough TV. Tonight's post is from Tangled Web, a novella with an urban noir feel.

Here's the tagline:

Ruby Ire is bad for men—every time she falls for one he ends up dead, so she doesn't get tangled up with them anymore. But a series of near miss accidents makes her think she's become a target and she hires Jordan Riceman to track down her attacker. She won't let Jordan get too close, no matter how damned attractive he is.

And a preview snippet…

Ruby entered Jordan's office, glancing over her shoulder when she closed the door.

"You don't have to do that. No one but my grandfather and I know about the underground access tunnel." Jordan rose and came around his desk to greet her.

Ruby shrugged. "I can't seem to get out of the habit, even here, where I'm somewhat safe." She pulled off her jacket and hung it on the coat tree then turned and almost bumped into Jordan.

She backed up against the door, needing a little space. The man looked too damned good. And smelled heavenly. Soap and clean linen worked like a magical talisman for the guy.

At least whenever she got within ten feet of him.

Blinking away the thought, she shivered a little. "It's miserable out there. The rain's coming down in buckets." Scooting sideways, away from his gaze, she took a seat on the side chair closest to the radiator.

Jordan followed and dropped down on the arm of the loveseat. "You're spooked. What happened?" He reached out and took hand, still chilled from the brisk walk through the tunnel.

She shook her head. "Nothing. But I have the creeped out feeling of being watched all the time again."

Gotta say, I love writing my brand of noir. I'm hoping it comes across well with readers when I finally finish the stories.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Gotta Make a Living

Hello!

It's been a rather trying week on the personal front. It's funny how that happens. Little annoyances pop up when least expected and sometimes snowball into raging nightmares. LOL

Seriously, not quite that bad, and thankfully nothing with immediate family. J

Tonight's post is from what I'm calling Urban Noir. It's sort of contemporary, but has a noir feel. At least I hope it does. Gotta Make a Living features Neal and Claire trying to solve a murder while playing a cat and mouse game of their own. Fun stuff.

Here's the tagline:

Niles finds Claire standing over a dead body and can't decide if he should call the cops or haul her into his arms. Claire makes the choice easy by asking him if he sees any smoking guns. They decide they better work together to find the killer before they frame Claire for a murder she didn't commit.

And the preview snippet…

Niles shoved the woman, face first, against the wall, and jammed his thigh between her legs, effectively cutting off any chance of escape. "Give me a reason not to call the cops and turn you in murdering Conrad Pesterman."

A low throaty chuckle escaped before she answered. "Do you see any smoking guns lying around, detective? Because I sure don't." She glanced at the body on the floor. "And he was definitely shot. Twice."

Her cool demeanor threw him. She had trouble written all over her, but she hadn't offed the chairman of C&P BioTech. His gut never steered him wrong.

Easing his hold, he stepped back and she turned, her cobalt blue eyes raking over him with frank assessment. She'd take a man's measure and cut him off at the knees.

If he let her. Niles didn't plan to give her the opportunity.

He leaned in, nuzzling her lips with his. "Like what you see, Miss…" He struck first.

Her mouth curved upward, sexy and sultry. "Claire Thorpe. No Miss, Mrs, or Ms. Just Claire." She flicked her gaze toward Conrad. "Doesn't matter if you're easy on the eyes. I've got too much respect for the dead to dance this close to them." Her hand shot out and pushed him back.

Niles lifted a brow. "Respect for a mark? There's a twist I didn't see coming."

Claire sighed. "He's not a mark, you ass hat. I did a little work for the guy." Meeting his gaze, she continued. "Hush hush stuff. Hence the late meeting way after hours."

Niles snorted. "Yeah, the kind of job where you dress up and bump into some poor schmuck at the cocktail lounge and get him to tell you all about his new product or revolutionary production method, right?" Industrial espionage had become rampant in the city.

His disappointment she engaged in the clandestine activity got shoved aside. He needed answers. Conrad had known someone wanted him dead. And he hired Neal to find his killer…but he'd been too late.

Claire shrugged. "Gal's gotta make a living and it the pay's very good."

He huffed out a breath. "I'll just bet it is."

Taking in the tailored cut of her clothes, the silk stockings—probably held up by a lace or satin garter—the trendy, short and cropped hairstyle, and the scent of expensive perfume, he had no doubt her compensation for services rendered probably matched his.

Hell, she might even earn more than he did.

Claire arched an eyebrow. "Do you always judge a book by its cover?" Her eyes rolled. "How sadly disappointing."

Niles frowned. "I make assessments, not jump to conclusions." He glanced toward the phone on the desk. "If I did, you'd already be on your way to the nearest precinct."

Claire nodded. "Don't you mean I'd be on my way to the one-twelve? Because you're Niles Chesterfield, and the lieutenant happens to be your brother, Nelms."

Niles blinked. She had him pegged. Made him wonder where she got her information. And why she knew so much about him.

Niles shrugged, but didn't deny her words. "Saves time. They know me over there and trust I won't get them involved in anything less than legit."

Claire tsked. "So I'm legit now? You get I didn't kill Conrad?" She ducked around Niles and strode toward the body.

Oddly, Niles did get it, but he also realized Claire would be in danger. Someone had lured her here for the meeting and Conrad couldn't have made that call.

Claire turned—the same understanding clear in her gaze. "Well, damn. There's not a very long list of people who knew about my arrangement with C&P." She stepped over the prone form and sank down onto the chair behind the desk, careful not to disturb anything lying on top. "But one of them wants to see me go down for this and I'm not gonna go easily." Raising her gaze, she met and held his. "You wanna help? Maybe work together to find the real killer?"

Niles studied her for a moment. He liked to work alone, but Claire would need protection. He didn't doubt she could handle pretty much anything, but every once in a while brute force accomplished more than subtle subterfuge. He'd become pretty versed in kicking down doors and throwing punches.

He slowly inclined his head. "We'd probably get more done that way." He moved forward, sticking hand out. "For the duration of the investigation, consider me your partner."

Claire smiled and shook on it. She went to pull away but Niles held tight. Her eyes narrowed.

He leaned in close. "Let's get a few things straight, first. Okay?"

Niles thinks he has the upper hand, but Claire won't take long to prove otherwise. Seriously? This couple if fun to write. J

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye