Dead Girl in a Green Dress by Loucinda McGary Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Loucinda McGary
other than the general manager of the Grand Hotel, Mr. Michael Prince. Tate stopped short to listen. A few paces ahead of him, Byrony turned and gave him a questioning look.
He held up his finger to indicate one minute and punched save. "That was none other than the charming Mr. Prince. He wants to meet with us."
Byrony’s disbelieving expression mirrored his own astonishment. Moving out of the path of foot traffic, Tate hit redial and fidgeted until a woman’s nasally voice answered and identified herself as Mr. Prince’s executive assistant.
"Tate Madison returning Mr. Prince’s call."
"Oh yes, Mr. Madison. Mr. Prince has a half-hour available today at three. Will that be convenient for you?"
"That’ll be fine. Miss Long and I will be there at three."
The woman gave a brief description of the location of Mr. Prince’s office within the hotel and rang off.
"What does he want?" Byrony immediately demanded.
"Don’t know." Tate shrugged. "I only talked to his executive assistant."
With a roll of her eyes, Byrony sighed. "Guess I better bring out my business suit again, and please don’t make me ride a horse."
"I’ll see if I can find a surrey with the fringe on top," he quipped and was rewarded with a brief smile.
Back off, Madison . He warned himself. He was treading on very thin ice here, getting too close to a client. But he couldn’t stop himself from saying, "C’mon Sunshine, I’ll walk you back to the Gingerbread House of Horrors."
Not many tourists milled in and around the shops on Main Street, but the two of them didn’t hurry. Instead they traded wisecracks about Mr. Prince Charming and his snooty wife as they strolled from Main to the cross street and turned on the next block toward Byrony’s B&B. Tate fell silent, trying to figure out what it was about the stubborn little bean counter that he found so appealing.
A sudden clattering noise brought both of them up short. From seemingly nowhere, a black horse with a yellow-clad rider barreled toward them. A few steps in front of Tate, Byrony turned and he saw a flash of fear leap across her face.
The horse reared and hurdled onto the sidewalk right at her. Backpedaling, Byrony stumbled and threw her arms over her head.
"Whoa! Stop!" Tate shouted, waving frantically at the big animal and causing the horse to snort and hurl itself back onto the street.
Without pausing, the horse and rider galloped away.
Chapter 5
As she fell to the sidewalk, Byrony curled into the fetal position, expecting a slash from those vicious hooves. But the blow never came. Instead, she heard Tate yell and the animal lunged away.
"Stop him!" Tate shouted again, then she felt his strong arms around her. He must be bending down to be able to reach her on the ground.
With a sob, she turned and melted against his broad chest.
He pulled her close, gently patting her back. "You okay?"
Unable to speak without blubbering, she bit her lower lip and nodded.
"You sure you’re not hurt?" He pulled back and she watched his blue eyes made a quick scan up and down the street.
"Y-yes," she managed to gasp, threw her arms around his neck and buried her face against him again. His warm and solid presence helped her regain control and stop weeping.
"Should I call 9-1-1?" She heard a stranger asking.
" Naw , she’s all right." She could feel Tate’s voice vibrating through her as he answered. "Did anybody get a look at the horse or rider?"
"Not really." The bystander sounded perturbed. "Damn tourists!"
" Byrony , sweetheart," Tate murmured, the stubble of his beard rasping against her temple. "Can you walk?"
She swallowed hard to steady her voice. "Yes."
Reluctantly she pushed away from him, and wiped the last remnants of moisture from her eyes. With a groan, Tate regained his feet and offered her a hand up.
"I’m calling Sergeant Brandon." The middle-aged man standing nearby declared, and disappeared inside a nearby shop.
Tate offered his hand, and Byrony let him
He held up his finger to indicate one minute and punched save. "That was none other than the charming Mr. Prince. He wants to meet with us."
Byrony’s disbelieving expression mirrored his own astonishment. Moving out of the path of foot traffic, Tate hit redial and fidgeted until a woman’s nasally voice answered and identified herself as Mr. Prince’s executive assistant.
"Tate Madison returning Mr. Prince’s call."
"Oh yes, Mr. Madison. Mr. Prince has a half-hour available today at three. Will that be convenient for you?"
"That’ll be fine. Miss Long and I will be there at three."
The woman gave a brief description of the location of Mr. Prince’s office within the hotel and rang off.
"What does he want?" Byrony immediately demanded.
"Don’t know." Tate shrugged. "I only talked to his executive assistant."
With a roll of her eyes, Byrony sighed. "Guess I better bring out my business suit again, and please don’t make me ride a horse."
"I’ll see if I can find a surrey with the fringe on top," he quipped and was rewarded with a brief smile.
Back off, Madison . He warned himself. He was treading on very thin ice here, getting too close to a client. But he couldn’t stop himself from saying, "C’mon Sunshine, I’ll walk you back to the Gingerbread House of Horrors."
Not many tourists milled in and around the shops on Main Street, but the two of them didn’t hurry. Instead they traded wisecracks about Mr. Prince Charming and his snooty wife as they strolled from Main to the cross street and turned on the next block toward Byrony’s B&B. Tate fell silent, trying to figure out what it was about the stubborn little bean counter that he found so appealing.
A sudden clattering noise brought both of them up short. From seemingly nowhere, a black horse with a yellow-clad rider barreled toward them. A few steps in front of Tate, Byrony turned and he saw a flash of fear leap across her face.
The horse reared and hurdled onto the sidewalk right at her. Backpedaling, Byrony stumbled and threw her arms over her head.
"Whoa! Stop!" Tate shouted, waving frantically at the big animal and causing the horse to snort and hurl itself back onto the street.
Without pausing, the horse and rider galloped away.
Chapter 5
As she fell to the sidewalk, Byrony curled into the fetal position, expecting a slash from those vicious hooves. But the blow never came. Instead, she heard Tate yell and the animal lunged away.
"Stop him!" Tate shouted again, then she felt his strong arms around her. He must be bending down to be able to reach her on the ground.
With a sob, she turned and melted against his broad chest.
He pulled her close, gently patting her back. "You okay?"
Unable to speak without blubbering, she bit her lower lip and nodded.
"You sure you’re not hurt?" He pulled back and she watched his blue eyes made a quick scan up and down the street.
"Y-yes," she managed to gasp, threw her arms around his neck and buried her face against him again. His warm and solid presence helped her regain control and stop weeping.
"Should I call 9-1-1?" She heard a stranger asking.
" Naw , she’s all right." She could feel Tate’s voice vibrating through her as he answered. "Did anybody get a look at the horse or rider?"
"Not really." The bystander sounded perturbed. "Damn tourists!"
" Byrony , sweetheart," Tate murmured, the stubble of his beard rasping against her temple. "Can you walk?"
She swallowed hard to steady her voice. "Yes."
Reluctantly she pushed away from him, and wiped the last remnants of moisture from her eyes. With a groan, Tate regained his feet and offered her a hand up.
"I’m calling Sergeant Brandon." The middle-aged man standing nearby declared, and disappeared inside a nearby shop.
Tate offered his hand, and Byrony let him
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