Blood of the Pride by Sheryl Nantus Read Free Book Online Page B

knew that was about as much foreplay as he was going to get away with. Bran took a deep mouthful of beer before continuing. “So you’re working on the cat woman case.”
    “Her name was Janey Winters. She was married and had two kids.” I impaled the last dumpling on my fork. “She was a school teacher and didn’t deserve to die in a Parkdale alley.”
    “There’s not many people in this world who deserve to die.” His eyes were on the doughy bundle swimming in the wasabi-boosted soy sauce. “However, it always makes news.”
    “I want to know who gave you those pictures.” I waved the empty fork at him.
    Sitting back as much as he could without tipping the chair, Bran smiled. “That’s business. Photos sell the story and without a good picture there’s nothing to sell. My job is to sell papers.” The single chair leg squeaked in annoyance. “And I’m not giving up my source just to make you happy.” Another ear-splitting twitch of the leg. “And what’s up with the hair, anyway?”
    “Janey Winters had a medical disorder. She didn’t deserve to be immortalized in a trashy rag like the Inquisitor as the ‘cat woman.’ Your mother must be so proud.” Finally satisfied that the dumpling had fully drowned, I retrieved it from the pool and popped it into my mouth.
    The redhead nodded in silence, watching me chew. A single bead of sweat rested on his forehead. I had hit a nerve. Dang. And on my first try.
    “Now, you know the cops aren’t going to be happy about someone trashing the crime scene before they got there.” I cleaned my mouth out with another swig of beer. “So, tell me who started this and I’ll turn him over to my contacts, they’ll put the fear of God into him and we’ll all go home happy.” I didn’t make mention of the fact there was still a killer out there.
    “Problem is, sweetheart,” one eyebrow waggled at me in a seagull’s wave, “I don’t know. Envelope was slipped under my door while I was at work. When I saw the picture, well…” He shrugged. “Can’t blame a man for doing his job.”
    “Sure I can.” I leaned forward and plucked his bottle away. “You don’t know who it was?”
    “I get lots of anonymous submissions.” The way his lips curled around the glass sent a hot rush through my veins. “Some people like to shine flashlights into the shadows, see what jumps out.” He tilted his head to one side and smiled. “Some of us like to play in the dark and take our chances on what we’ll find.”
    Damn. Smart, sarcastic and sexy as hell. In another time, another place I’d be buying him drinks and making sure I had enough cab fare to get home early the next morning.
    Instead I kept to business. The personal angle would have to wait for later. “And he didn’t leave his contact information, want any money for it.”
    A smile curled around the bottle edges. “Believe it or not, there’s plenty of people who believe in freedom of speech and all that.”
    I swallowed, feeling the first bit of a beer burp threatening to break free. “It was taken before the cops arrived and secured the scene.”
    “That it was, sweetie.” Bran leaned forward. “But I’m not sure why you want the photographer.”
    “Because if he was there at the right time he could have seen the killer. Or maybe he is the killer. The photo could be a souvenir of his hunt.” I ground the fork tines across the plate, creating a high-pitched squeal.
    “Whoa.” Bran looked at me. “Don’t take it out on the fine china.”
    “Sorry,” I grumbled.
    He waved Eddie over and gestured at the plate. “I’ll have what she’s having. And another round of beers.”
    Her eyebrows rose as she looked at me, trying to figure out if I was in trouble or just playing with fire. “Sure. No prob at all. Back in a flash.”
    Bran reached over and touched me, a light brush across the back of my hand. “Didn’t know it’s more than a professional job. Sorry.” He leaned back from the table.