An Ex to Grind in Deadwood (Deadwood Humorous Mystery Book 5) Paperback – September 4, 2014 by Ann Charles Read Free Book Online Page A

my phone and came up empty.
    “Hello?” he answered, his eyes locked onto me. “Yeah, she’s here.” Another pause. “Sure.” He walked over, his phone held out for me to take, and mouthed the name Cooper .
    Crap, right. In my haste to escape without having to take a trip to the police station, I’d forgotten he’d pocketed my cell. “You stole my phone, Detective.”
    “I confiscated it. There’s a big difference.”
    “I call bullshit.”
    “What a coincidence, because I called you, and time and again you’re full of it.”
    He was turning into a real comedian. “I want my phone back, Cooper.”
    “I figured you might. By the way, Natalie called and left a message for you.”
    I pinched the bridge of my nose, wishing I could pinch him instead. “Don’t you need a warrant to go through my phone records?”
    Harvey snickered, which earned him a glare from me.
    “All I did was answer a ringing phone.”
    I growled at him. Doc placed his hand on my shoulder, squeezing slightly.
    “Are you up on your rabies shots, Parker?”
    “What did Nat want?” I cringed in anticipation, wondering if Natalie had had the sense not to let on to Cooper that I’d told her about Ms. Wolff’s creepy call this morning. I imagined having Cooper answer my phone had knocked her back a step.
    “She wanted to check in and see if you had called on her mother like you two had discussed earlier.”
    Whew! She’d gone into code mode. Quick thinking on her part. “When can I get my phone back?”
    “Did you?” Cooper asked.
    “Did I what?”
    “Check in on Natalie’s mother?”
    I hesitated, trying to figure out if he were seriously concerned or being a nosy detective. “Why do you care? Are you working part-time for a nurse hotline now?”
    “Answer the question, Parker.”
    “I don’t know that it’s any of your concern.”
    “It’s a simple question.”
    “Not when it’s coming from you, Detective.”
    “Jesus, Violet.” His voice sounded tired this time, not so barky. “Why do you have to make every conversation we have a battle?”
    I hated it when he let his human side show through. It was hard to be snappy with him when I knew he’d been working day and night on these unsolved cases and probably needed his binky and a nap. “Maybe if you’d use the words ‘pretty please’ every now and then, I wouldn’t feel the need to come out swinging.”
    “You push your luck with me and then bitch when you end up in my jail. You’re so damned hard-headed. How does Nyce put up with your mouth?”
    “Doc’s quite fond of my mouth.” That earned me a wink from the man in question. “Funny, Cooper, I didn’t hear a ‘please’ at all in there.”
    He sighed through the line, sounding more pained than frustrated. “Would you please tell me how many people besides Nyce and your buddy, Natalie, know about this morning’s phone call from Ms. Wolff?”
    “To be fair, when I told Nat I didn’t know anyone was dead.”
    “I need names, Parker. Not excuses.”
    “Natalie, Doc, and Harvey. That’s it.”
    “You’re sure this time?”
    It was my turn to sigh. “Yes, Detective. I’m positive.”
    “Good. Let’s keep it that way then.”
    “You actually think you can keep the town of Deadwood from finding out Ms. Wolff was murdered?”
    “No, but if I can keep you from being connected to her in the public eye, both of our careers may still have a future.”
    Good point. “I’ll be by to get my phone in a few minutes.”
    “Don’t bother. I’ll send it by this evening. Your aunt’s place or Nyce’s?”
    “Aunt Zoe’s.”
    “Before you hang up, I have a couple more questions.”
    Harvey waved at me to hurry up. I pointed at the phone and shook my fist. “I’m waiting with bated breath, Detective.”
    “Is there anything else I need to know about today’s events? Anything you’ve withheld … by accident, of course?”
    I thought about the phone call, the apartment, my conversation with Freesia,