Hot Toy by Jennifer Crusie Read Free Book Online Page A

backup.”
    â€œWhat backup?”
    â€œThe backup I sent the cabbie for. Shhhh.”
    He was peering over the rail, but they were too far away to see into the lighted part of the warehouse.
    â€œYou’re really a cop?” Trudy whispered. “Why do I find that hard to believe?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Nolan whispered back. “Why are you holding on to that damn doll when that could get us out of here?”
    â€œWhat if you’re not a cop? What if Reese is your accomplice and you’re working together to get the Mac from me?”
    â€œFor our mutual nephew?” Nolan’s whisper sounded a lot tougher now, but that might just have been the exasperation in his voice. “Has it occurred to you that you’re trapped in a deserted warehouse with a bunch of thugs?”
    â€œYes,” Trudy whispered back. “Well, no. For all I know, that’s Reese’s glee club out there. Maybe it’s his bowling night. They’re all wearing the same jacket.”
    â€œBe serious, Trudy. You’re risking your life for a doll so your nephew won’t be disappointed on Christmas Day in spite of the fact that his father is gone and his mother is in a gin coma.”
    â€œHey.”
    â€œShhhh. He’s already disappointed, Tru. His family’s gone. Give Reese the doll. When he makes a run for it, we’ll arrest him. He won’t get away with it.”
    Trudy pushed him away. “First, my sister is not in a gin coma. Second, his family is not gone; he has me and his mother when she sobers up. Third, if I give Reese this doll and you arrest him, the doll becomes evidence and I never see it again. So no. Leroy is going to get this doll tomorrow morning. He is going to believe in Santa, since he can’t believe in men or nannies. When does your backup get here?”
    â€œI don’t think you can indict all men because of one Rat Daddy.”
    â€œYeah? How many times have you lied to me tonight?”
    Nolan leaned back against the wall. “Too many to count. But I’m still here trying to save your cantankerous butt. That should mean something.”
    â€œI have only your word for that and as we know, you lie.”
    â€œOkay. We’ll sit here and wait and hope Reese doesn’t find us.”
    â€œThat’s your plan? Hope he doesn’t find us?”
    â€œYou always this cranky?”
    â€œOnly when I’m cold, I’m tired, I’m scared, and men keep lying to me while I’m trying to get a kid the Christmas present he deserves.”
    â€œOkay, fine. ” Nolan shifted on the platform, his whisper savage in the darkness. “We’ll take the doll if we can get out of here with it. Just promise me that if he says, ‘The doll or your life,’ you’ll give him the doll.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œTrudy—”
    â€œI can’t.” Trudy swallowed hard. “Leroy believes. Do you know how long it’s been since I believed in anything? In anybody? But Leroy believes that when he comes downstairs tomorrow morning, there’ll be a MacGuffin under his tree. He knows there will be because he believes in Santa Claus; he believes the world is a good place. And he’s going to keep on believing that because I’m taking this doll home no matter what.” She shifted against the cold wall. “Besides, nobody shoots anybody over a doll.”
    Nolan sighed. “I suppose it has occurred to you that you’ve lost your grip.”
    â€œNo,” Trudy said. “I’ve lost my faith. My grip is just fine. ” She pulled the shopping bags closer. “Leroy gets the Mac and Courtney gets the Twinkle, and then we’ll put our lives back together.”
    â€œTheir lives,” Nolan said.
    â€œMine, too. My resolution for 2007 is to start believing in people again.” She leaned closer to him. “I might start with you if you help me get this doll