Dangerous Bond (Jamie Bond Mysteries Book 4) by Gemma Halliday, Jennifer Fischetto Read Free Book Online

Duke was Maya's ex-fiancé, who had resurfaced in her life when his most recent wife had suspected him of cheating on her. Maya had run the investigation, which hadn't gone at all the way the wife had planned. In the end, Maya had busted a crime ring, and Brandon had ended up asking her out. Again. I wasn't exactly sure what the current status of their relationship was, other than complicated, but the fact that she was referring to him as her usual evening plans was promising.
    "Anyway, Elaine went inside with a couple of girlfriends. I thought about going in, but I wasn't sure what to do," Maya said.
    While Maya had played undercover while on Brandon's case, she wasn't technically licensed as an investigator. And even though that one time had been a success, she had been a nervous wreck. Unlike the rest of us, Maya was perfectly content to limit her investigations to those she could do at her desk.
    "You've done great. Thanks." I paused, almost hesitating to ask… "Did you see any other red flags in her cell history?"
    Maya shrugged. "Hard to tell. But the only name that jumped out as obviously male was an Ira Steingarden."
    I raised an eyebrow at her. "And he is…"
    "Gynecologist in Chatsworth. She's got an appointment Monday."
    TMI territory was an occupational hazard. "Thanks. Why don't you head home. It's been a long day." After we said our good-byes, I slipped out of the car and walked inside the bar.
    Dim, ridiculously loud, and smoky, this was far from the place Caleigh, Sam, and I had just left. The dark, dusty floors and woodwork and the deep-teal-colored walls didn't help the lighting situation. Luckily, the bar was only a couple of yards long, and there were only a handful of tables, so it didn't take long to scan the area. Plus, it wasn't that crowded, which was surprising for the end of the week.
    I didn't see Elaine, and I wondered if Maya had got the location wrong. No, Maya was too efficient to make that kind of mistake. Then I heard that over-the-top smoker's laugh of Elaine's and turned to spot her by the pool table. She was talking to two women in their forties. I assumed they were the friends Maya'd mentioned.
    Both were as tiny as Elaine, but neither of them sported the double Ds she did. The blonde friend wore mom jeans with brown cowboy boots and a white-and-brown cow-print blouse. She was only missing the hat to complete her yee-haw ensemble, which had her fitting in with the decor of the place perfectly. The other friend had long, shiny black hair and wore a powder-blue jumpsuit, a bright-pink fake feather boa, and white pumps.
    I stared longer than what would be considered polite. I just couldn't understand the outfit. Elaine, however, looked the most out of place in a long-sleeved, silver-sequined minidress with matching strappy heels. She had teased her light-brown hair so full that I wondered if she'd thought they'd be spending tonight traveling back to the days of fanny packs and Aqua Net.
    Despite their adventurous fashion sense, they didn't seem to attract much attention. Cowgirl aimed her cue stick and knocked the ball into another, shooting that one into a corner pocket. The three of them raised their arms and cheered.
    Jumpsuit turned to a passing server and ordered a round of drinks. I couldn't hear their exact words over the song about big trucks and hot girls streaming through the speakers. But when the server—a petite blonde woman in a brown skirt and apron and teal blouse—nodded and walked toward the bar, I assumed Jumpsuit was ordering beverages.
    I found a seat at the end of the bar in a dark corner. It was far enough from them that Elaine wouldn't be able to spot me, but I could still make out their actions. The bartender was a slender guy with long bangs that had been dyed neon blue. Despite wearing brown pants and a teal T-shirt, his personal style suggested he wasn't a big truck owner. I ordered a coffee, having had enough vodka for one night.
    An older man around Derek's