Easy Prey (Love-Inspired Suspense) by Lisa Phillips Read Free Book Online Page B

hand across his flat stomach where the ache seemed to ebb and flow for no reason. “Nathan and I should be getting inside. I was showing him my bike, so we didn’t have breakfast.”
    Tucker’s eyes lit up. “You keep me posted when that thing’s finished.”
    “Sure, Tucker.” Like Jonah was actually contemplating parting with it when it was done. Not likely. The last hold he had on Martin’s memory wasn’t something he could put a monetary value on.
    Tucker walked away and Nathan turned to him. “You’re going to sell the bike?”
    “No way.” Jonah eyed the kid. “I’d give the thing to you before I sold it to anyone else.”
    Nathan’s eyes lit up. “Serious?”
    Jonah realized the implication of what he’d said. “Or you could borrow it sometime.” He nudged Nathan’s shoulder.
    “Or
you
could borrow it.” Nathan shoved his shoulder back.
    Jonah sobered. “Where do you think you’ll be after the summer?”
    Nathan shrugged. “I got accepted into a zoology program at the university, so I’ll be leaving in August and it’ll be nothing but labs and research classes for four years.”
    Jonah eyed him. “You like all that science stuff?”
    “Sure.” Nathan shrugged. “Maybe I’ll enjoy it.”
    Multiple thoughts went through Jonah’s head, but he didn’t know either Nathan or Elise well enough to speculate on the topic of Nathan’s future.
    The front door slammed open. Shelder was already down the porch steps with Elise on her heels when the screen door snapped back on its hinges.
    “She identified him.” Shelder stopped in front of him. “It’s the reporter.”
    Jonah turned to Elise. “Are you sure? It won’t be official until you make the identification to the police, but it’ll give us something to go on.”
    Elise nodded. “That man on Hailey’s phone—” She motioned to Shelder’s cell. Jonah saw the reporter’s picture was on the screen.
    “That’s the man who hit me in the office.”

SIX
    E lise’s heart was still pounding at the revelation of the identity of the man who’d attacked her in the office and stolen files. A silver Buick pulled onto the drive and crawled past cops searching the area, gathering evidence and taking Jonah’s mailbox into custody. Or that was what it looked like, at least. The driver lifted his hand to the cops, who nodded respectfully in return.
    Jonah rubbed his hand along his jaw, his eyes on the newcomer. Elise figured the gesture probably didn’t mean he just found out he had a math test second period he hadn’t studied for. She had no frame of reference for Jonah’s mannerisms now. “Who is that?”
    Shelder—who’d asked Elise to call her Hailey—was the one who answered, “The mayor.”
    Elise caught her tone. “You don’t like him?”
    The mayor had been completely professional in their emails and the one conversation they’d had over the phone. Essentially she’d been hired sight unseen. But still, he’d been pleasant enough and there hadn’t been any other qualified candidates.
    “It isn’t that. It’s the office itself I don’t have such an affinity for.” Shelder shot her a wry smile. “Dominic Alvarez is a perfectly nice retiree with too much time on his hands, who wanted to help the town after the flood.”
    “He didn’t get elected?”
    “Loosely.”
    Elise wondered what the rest of the story was, but there wasn’t time to answer before the elderly Hispanic man parked his car and hopped out. His hair was perfectly arranged and his suit included a buttoned waistcoat. “Ms. Tanner?”
    Elise strode over and stuck her hand out. “It’s nice to meet you finally, Mr. Alvarez.”
    He held her hand with both of his, his hands warm where hers had been cold from what Hailey told her was shock. The cordiality in his dark brown eyes was genuine. “I’d planned to visit with you this morning, but my assistant informed me of what happened yesterday and this morning. Are you okay?”
    “Yes, thank you.” He