Force of Habit: A Falcone & Driscoll Investigation by Alice Loweecey Read Free Book Online Page A

grin on his face. “I dare you to open it in front of me.”
    It was probably nothing. A sample from a new office-supply store. No one would send her presents. Her birthday wasn’t till March anyway.
    She slit the tape with her letter opener and popped off the lid. Unfolding a sheet of waxed paper, she said, “Bet it’s free memo pads from—”
    A moldy pomegranate half stared up at her.

Giulia’s mouth opened and shut, but nothing came out.
    Fuzzy, white mold splashed the fruit’s sides. Green and brown slime puddled on the seeds. And the stench—
    A piece of paper began to unfold from the inside of the lid and she jumped.
    “Holy shit,” Frank said.
    She didn’t tsk at the oath. She was thinking the same thing.
    “What’s the note say?”
    Get a grip. Be a professional. It must be a misdelivery meant for one of the other ex-girlfriends.
    Her fingers shook the tiniest bit when she opened it. “Uh—this one didn’t get anything on it. ‘This is your plague: Your flesh will rot while you are still standing on your feet, your eyes will rot in their sockets, and your tongue will rot in your mouth.’ ”
    Wrong. No one was going to threaten her with the Bible. “If only I could read the return address. There’s a verse from Revelation I’d like to send her.” She handed him the note.
    He smoothed it out on the desk and placed the note sent to Pamela next to it. “Same handwriting. Same paper. Why’s she targeting you? Did any of them follow you after you left?”
    “I don’t remember. But I’m no threat. Wrong looks, wrong family, wrong bank balance. According to you, not Blake Parker’s type.”
    “Not a romantic threat, no...”
    Good thing she wasn’t vain. The way Frank still had his eyes on the notes, he had no clue how that sounded. Plain Giulia and her plain life. At least that meant he wasn’t about to consider her as anything other than an employee.
    Too bad, a Cinderella voice in her head whispered. You’d love him to. She scowled into the psychedelic mold. Stuff a glass slipper in it, voice.
    “Maybe you’re a threat to her plan. You know, because your story made them think you’re working to keep Pamela and Blake engaged.”
    “So this pomegranate is really a neon sign saying ‘Back off’? Why couldn’t she have used sour milk? Milk is a frequent metaphor in the Song of Songs.”
    He looked up from the notes. “What’s the difference?”
    “Because I like pomegranates.”
    Two quick raps and the door burst open.
    “Frank, you have to do something now!”
    The Perfect Male stood in the doorway. Wavy blond hair, broad shoulders, muscular arms and legs obvious even under the impeccably tailored suit. If he’d been smiling, Giulia wouldn’t have been surprised at a cartoony gleam from his front teeth.
    Frank stood and pulled his jacket straight. “Blake, we are doing something. Did anything else happen?”
    Of course. The apparition could be no one but Blake Parker. Even stressed and panicky like this he would turn every female head in his office.
    “Pamela called me an hour ago. She’s not eating, she’s not sleeping, and she hasn’t been able to continue with the wedding plans.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “You promised you’d help us, Frank. When are you going to stop this?”
    Frank’s hands came down on Mr. Perfect’s shoulders. “I told you I’d eliminate your problem and I will. Did you bring the camera?”
    “Yeah. Here.” He pulled it from his suit jacket. “There was mud all over it. Didn’t rain that much last night. Besides, I thought the spot we picked would’ve protected it.”
    Giulia’s eyes met Frank’s. The ex was smarter than they’d given her credit for.
    “Come in here, Blake. We’ll see if it caught anything before the mud.”
    Giulia looked away from Blake’s blondness and saw both boxes. She’d better hide the extra pomegranate.
    Opening her top drawer, she slid the wrapping and note from her delivery inside. With silent