Hard Rock Stepbrothers The Complete Series by Anita Lawless Read Free Book Online Page B

sir.”
    Sally cast him a sideways “you didn’t have to do that” look. She’d never expected him to take the fall with her if they did get caught, but he wasn’t the kind of friend, the kind of partner, who would abandon her to save his own ass.
    The chief drew it out, stared at his fingers, cleaned under a fingernail. Then he pinned them both again with a shrewd stare. “So you were investigating Trent on your own then?”
    Sally looked him straight in the face. “I could lie to you and say I just found out about Trent by mistake a few nights ago,” she paused, inhaled slowly. “But I won’t. Yes, I was investigating Trent on my own.”
    “We were investigating Trent,” Hunter added.
    She shot him another of those “don’t cover my ass!” looks. But he wasn’t paying attention to her glares.
    Chief Pritchard scratched his chin, let out a sigh that sounded part growl. “By rights, I should suspend you both.”
    They both nodded and mumbled, “Yes, sir.”
    The chief picked up the folder with the house deed. It was now bagged for evidence. He looked at it, looked at them both again. “But this … look, what I’m about to tell you stays between us. I find you leaked it, I will can your asses.”
    Sally’s eyes widened. Hunter stirred in his chair and waited, heart beating a mile a second.
    “What you brought in?” He tapped the bagged folder with one finger. “It’s the biggest break we’ve had in this case. I went by the house, thanks to the note you included with the coke, telling me there was more where that little baggie came from. I found the shipment. Call it my own unofficial investigation.”
    He winked at the pair and Hunter almost pinched himself. He couldn’t believe he and Sally had lucked out after discovery. Chief Pritchard wasn’t known for his mercy.
    “I want this bastard,” Pritchard snarled, looking more like his old self again. “No pretty boy cop pulls a fast one on me. I did some more digging this morning. Found a hot trail thanks to you two. Turns out Farrow is just a lackey, but he can lead us right to the goods. And you two are gonna help me. We’ll conduct an unofficial investigation together, alongside my official one.”
    Just as the chief finished up with them, someone knocked on his office door. Pritchard gave a curious frown then barked, “Enter.”
    The door opened, and a rounded face with cute dimples and sexy red lips peered around the corner. Hunter almost gasped, but the woman in question gave him a scathing glare and he shut up.
    What the hell was his step sister, Mickie Malloy, doing here?
    She walked in, wearing a black blazer and polka dot skirt that clung to her curves. The satiny crème blouse accentuated her lush breasts. Hunter had to shake his head and look away. He only hoped his boss didn’t notice.
    But Sally did, because she was looking at him, smirking in that knowing way.
    “Hello, Chief Pritchard,” Mickie said primly. “I’m your temp from the Holden Agency.” She held out a hand for Pritchard to shake after he indicated she should approach the desk. “Lisa Campbell.”
    Hunter frowned at Sally, and she frowned back. The chief couldn’t see them exchange the look, because they were now obscured by Mickie, and the chief’s attention was glued to Hunter’s gorgeous step sister. Hunter couldn’t blame him. Who could ignore that perfect hour glass body?
    “Ms. Campbell, if you’d just give me a moment,” Pritchard said, in such a sweet voice Hunter had to look to make sure the man hadn’t morphed into someone else. Then the chief turned back to him and Sally and his patent growl returned, “Come back in thirty minutes, after I’ve shown Ms. Campbell around the office.”
    Hunter burned with curiosity as he made his way to his locker. What was his step sister doing here, posing as a secretary under an assumed name?
    Mickie left the office with Pritchard and they were back thirty minutes later. Pritchard sent Mickie toward the