Cliffhanger (The Belinda & Bennett Mysteries, Book One) by Amy Saunders Read Free Book Online Page B

all the way through. The phone rang
and Victoria excused herself, floating off to the kitchen.
    Belinda stepped
away from the door, her sneaker squeaking on the wood floor. She winced,
keeping perfectly still. After a few seconds, she relaxed. Then the door swung
open and Bennett stood on the threshold. Belinda's face turned the color of
pink tulips as his mouth turned up and gray eyes glistened.
    Busted.
    When the head
spinning passed and Bennett's face came into focus, his gray eyes the color of
those funny dogs with a weird name that are famous because of a photographer,
he expected her to do something. Then she realized he had stretched out his
hand. My he has hairy arms, she thought, but he actually gave her hand a
firm shake instead of the half-hearted business most people offered.
    "Tell me
about Victoria's party plans," Bennett said, his eyes glinting.
    "Oh...well,
there isn't much to say really. I imagine there will be a few people here. Or,
a lot since she's hiring you. Your company that is. To do security." Belinda
glanced at the kitchen. What was Victoria doing?
    "So this
isn't a joint affair?" he said sarcastically.
    So that's how it
was going to be. Belinda slanted her eyes. "Do you work parties a
lot?"
    Bennett shrugged.
"A few here and there. It's mostly more official events." He crooked
one bushy eyebrow. "Are you planning something too?"
    "You'd be
the first to know." Belinda flushed. "I mean...you come well
recommended."
    Bennett's eyes
glinted all the more. Well, enjoy it, gray-eyed eagle, Belinda thought.
Eventually, when she regained her wits, he'd have a hard time keeping up.
    "The murder
hasn't put you off?" he said. At first, Belinda thought he was attempting
to make light of things, but between his tone and expression, especially the
lack of luster in his eyes, he was obviously concerned that it would.
    She swallowed,
feeling her pants for non-existent pockets. "You did your job and that may
not have even happened when you were there." Belinda's stomach churned
thinking how close she had been to an actual murder. "Plus, you weren't
the only person in the house."
    "True. But most
of the people were in the living room, and with the music so loud and the waves
crashing, I doubt anyone would have heard if he—" Bennett stopped in his
tracks, aware that Belinda's eyes had about doubled in size. He shook his head.
"It doesn't matter."
    Belinda smiled,
fascinated and disturbed simultaneously. "You sound like a police
detective. In fact, you were once, weren't you? I read it on your site."
    The light
returned to his eyes. "You looked at my website?"
    "Mostly your
bio." Belinda felt her face grow hot again. Why couldn't she censor
better? And, furthermore, why did he have to enjoy it so much? "Why did
you leave? You seem like you're made for the job."
    Bennett shifted
his gaze to the side. "I like the puzzles. I don't like the politics.
Let's leave it at that."
    "So how did
you get into security?" In the back of her mind, Belinda knew that Victoria had disappeared for quite a long time.
    "Primarily
because of happenstance. I did some private investigating work with Parker—"
    "The
detective who interviewed me?"
    Bennett
half-smiled. "That's him. A client asked if we did security. Jonas wasn't
interested, but I liked the sounds of it, and one thing led to another and
eventually I retired from the force and started Tate Security full-time."
    "Do you ever
miss it? The police work?"
    "I never
made it to Jonas' position so I'd have to say no. Most of what we did was
tedious and boring. The private investigating was a smidge better, but—"
He cut himself off. "It was still dull."
    Belinda doubted
the "but" in that sentence was supposed to lead to a repeat of the
previous one. "So security isn't boring?"
    The little
flicker came back into his eyes. "Not right now."
    Belinda's heart
rate picked up. "Well, I'm glad. That you're not bored. Right now."
She clasped her hands, pressing them together to try and stop the