JUDE: Book 2 The Justice Brothers Series by Taylor Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

the gym the leather bag didn’t talk back and the booze didn’t ask questions or try to get him to stay. The problem with gratuitous sex was that every babe wanted more in the aftermath than Jude cared to give. No, at the gym or the bar he didn’t have to talk and could leave when he was through. Hell of a lot less complicated.
    Out of the corner of his eye he saw the bespectacled squirt eying the fucking doughnuts on her plate as if deciding if she was going to eat them. The tension in his gut released, seeing Specs pick up one of the doughnuts and take a bite out of it then take a swallow of coffee. Damn, he was going to have to figure out why he had it in for the sprite or given the ill-disguised anger stiffening both of his brothers faces, he was in danger of being relieved of some of his more critical body parts.
    Remembering Jerri’s dismissive description of the squirt as an “ugly misfit”, Jude realized that was just it. That was the problem. She wasn’t ugly. She was just…odd. He grunted, catching a side glimpse of her. It was those damn ugly clothes she wore, and for Christ’s sake, those industrial-framed glasses. Again, he couldn’t figure out why any woman would present herself that way—not merely as modest or coolly professional, but deliberately making herself unattractive. Or, shaking his head to try and clear it, or, he thought with a twinge of guilt, a better question was why he gave a good goddamn if she did or not.
    “Okay, men…and woman. Here’s the drill for today. We’re going to divide and conquer.” Glancing at the team, he spoke first to Sgt. Solberg, the most senior member of the homicide squad. “Solly, I want you and Mac to go over to the morgue and question the hell out of Doc Evans. See what he’s concluded since yesterday and if any more of the lab results are in. Christ, it’s impossible to make headway if we don’t even know what the victims had to eat or drink—or what they ingested.”
    At Solly’s nod of agreement, Jude addressed Sgt. Anderson. “Andy, you and Bates hightail it over the CSI shop. I want a detailed report of every fucking thing those evidence geeks found at the site, whether they think it is important or not. I want all their raw data, as well as their interpretations. I’ll decide what’s critical and what isn’t.”
    He glanced at his brothers and said, “Jake, as we agreed, you need to go back to commanding the DPD. Hard as it is to imagine, there’s more happening in our unassuming little burg than one of the biggest crimes any of us have been involved in. It will also help me if you can keep the media whores at bay. I’ll be available to talk with them if absolutely necessary, but if you can tamp down their ardor, it’ll allow me to begin to make some sense of this insanity.
    “Jared, I appreciate your offer to bring in some of the specialists you’ve worked with on other complicated cases. If Specs is correct and finances are at the heart of this chaos, then we’re likely going to need help from the IRS and other agencies.”
    Skylar waited as Jude worked his way around the table making assignments. When he finished talking with his brothers she was the only one who hadn’t received an assignment. Her concern that he would further embarrass her by not giving her a task was relieved somewhat when he directed his comments to her.
    “Specs, that leaves you. I have the unpleasant task of needing to interview the Parker offspring. Jake, Jared, and I agree that we need to make the interviews as professional as possible, move away from our shared history to concentrate on the murders. We agreed that as the lead detective on the case I should meet with them myself and not include my brothers. I want you to join me. Your recent arrival in Duluth makes it possible for you to see things with fresh eyes, things we might overlook. Given that we grew up with the Parker siblings and knew their parents as well, you can provide some much needed