Bed of Bones (A Sloane Monroe Novel, Book Five) by Cheryl Bradshaw Read Free Book Online Page A

came here, so I could sweet-talk your father on your behalf?”
    She grinned. “I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t think you could help me.”
    “I can’t help you.”
    “Yes, you can. Ever since you left, you’re all he talks about.”
    Was she turning on the charm, or was there a shred of truth in her words?
    Except for the occasional text message, I hadn’t spoken to her father in over two months. And even then, we kept things civil—asking how one another were doing, what cases we were working on, the usual. Every once in a while I thought back to the awkward moment we shared while working on the missing children’s case together. We had been at the table contemplating our next move. He went in for a kiss, and I backed away, admitting I had another man in my life.
    At present, I didn’t know what I had anymore.
    I sat on a chair next to the sofa. “I get it. Right now you think this guy, Jason—”
    “Jace,” she corrected.
    “ Jace is your whole world. Nothing I say will convince you he’s not. So, here’s the deal. I’ll let you stay for a few nights if you call your father.”
    She opened her mouth. I raised a finger. She clamped it shut again.
    “You will call him,” I said. “You’ll tell him you’re here with me so he’ll know you’re safe.”
    She crossed her arms. “And if I don’t?”
    “There’s the door,” I gestured. “You can use it anytime.”
    She squinted. “You won’t kick me out.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “You won’t.”
    “Why wouldn’t I?” I asked.
    “You’re too nice.”
    If she really believed that, she didn’t know me at all.

CHAPTER 10
    Cade McCoy answered on the first ring. His breathing was frantic, agitated. “Sloane, I can’t talk right now. Shelby’s—”
    “Here,” I said. “Your daughter’s here. And she’s fine.”
    “What? What the hell’s she doing—”
    “She’s in the shower. I’ve talked her into calling you when she gets out, but I’d rather she didn’t know I spoke to you first. I think it’s best if she handles it on her own, or at least thinks she’s handling it on her own.”
    “Of all the places she could have run off to, I never thought she’d show up there. Look, I’m sorry. I never meant to get you involved.”
    “Don’t be.”
    “Wait just a minute. How’d she get there?”
    It was a question I had no desire to answer. She was in enough trouble already.
    “Why don’t you talk to her about that when she calls?” I said.
    This way, I figured, he’d yell into the phone at her, instead of me.
    “Shelby’s just goin’ through some stuff right now, and without her mother here, I’m at a loss. No matter what I do, she hates me.”
    “She doesn’t, trust me. You’re a good father, Cade. She’s just a hormonal teenager.”
    “Yeah, well, I don’t do ‘hormonal teenager’ very well.”
    I didn’t know of any parent who did.
    “I’m glad she came to me instead of putting herself in danger somewhere else. There’s a lot going on right now, but if being here keeps her away from this Jace guy, it might be best for her to relax here for a few days while she works through everything.”
    “You’d do that—really?”
    “I might not have a lot of experience with kids, but I have plenty in the wrong-kind-of-guy department.”
    “Sounds like things have…changed since we talked last?”
    He was fishing. He must have detected my disgusted tone.
    “I don’t know,” I said. “I’m too busy dealing with what’s happening here.”
    “I saw it on the news. Are you involved?”
    “Two people I care about were in the theater when it happened. One lost an eye, the other, his life. I’d like to think the police or the feds or whoever else they bring in will find the person responsible, but you know me—hard to sit back and do nothing.”
    “It’s only been one day. Have some faith in the system.”
    Spoken like a true officer of the law.
    “Don’t take this on yourself, Sloane. Promise me.”
    The