The Devil's Snare: a Mystery Suspense Thriller (Derek Cole Suspense Thrillers Book 4) by T Patrick Phelps Read Free Book Online Page B

offered a sideways smile to him, drawing his attention away.
    "And Crown's son, too," Nikkie said, her voice cutting, kept professionally low but unmistakable in its objective to be heard. "We get you're not enamored with having been forced by Crown to hire us. The truth is, if it weren't for Crown, this isn't a case we would have accepted. But here we are with you and there's work to be done. So why don't we skip over what everyone feels about each other, and get down to the case? Sound like a plan?" Nikkie was not someone who believed people needed to feel comfortable with those they worked with. The quest for comfort was better left to those interested in finding mates. Her father had taught her that when there's a job to be done (and there's always a job needing to be done), it's best to smile, roll your sleeves up and get it done.  
    "It would be nice if everyone liked everyone in this world," her father had told her the day she graduated from the San Fransisco Police Academy, "but humans are wired to find fault. It's a survival skill. Humans innately find a weakness in others so that the weakness can be exploited if need be. We ignore the assumed and expected similarities we have with others and instead strive to discover differences so that, if the situation presents itself, we can advance our objectives in good conscious."
    Over the three years she had been a private eye, Nikkie thought of her father and his advice often. The words and the memories reminded her to keep a pleasant exterior and a focused, realistic interior. Clients had a goal they were either unwilling or unable to reach themselves, and hired private eyes to reach for them. In exchange for the accomplishment of their goals, clients paid money. This exchange, and the probability of it occurring, was predicated not on the client liking the private eye sitting across the table, desk or bar from them, but in their belief the private eye could accomplish the goal. Nikkie's smile, flawless dark skin, and near-perfectly proportioned body created the pleasant exterior people enjoyed, while her determined mind, pointed questions and apparent disdain for platitudes and half-truths delivered the interior focus her clients needed.  
    There were many things Derek appreciated about Nikkie and felt fortunate to have her on his team. While he considered himself a good freelance detective, he believed Nikkie’s skills were stronger. While he acted on emotion, Nikkie broke down cases logically and believed emotions were better reserved for the rare occasions logic failed her.  
    "Now," Nikkie continued, "if you wouldn't mind not mind-humping every half-way attractive woman in this place and actually giving us your attention, I'm sure you'll see you've hired a more than just competent investigative firm."
    Louis rolled his eyes to meet Nikkie's, then shifted his focus to Derek. "She's got more balls than you have, Cole." Louis's tone of voice was wholly incompatible with his statement. What he said was easily interpreted as an insult, a slight against Derek's character. But his tone revealed more. It revealed a discomfort with being called out, a fear of not being the one in charge. His whimsical tone of voice conveyed his pressing desire to shift focus away from himself as quickly as possible. To disrupt and alter the possible direction the conversation may take if Nikkie was allowed to drive the discussion. Derek instantly understood why this man had fallen for Crown: He needed to be held in place. He had a desire, as intentionally hidden as this need was, to not have to be the one making decisions. Crown provided Louis the ability to breathe, to relax, to be taken care of, to not have to control every aspect of his life.
    "Between her and Crown," Derek said, completely unaffected by the lobbed insult, "my balls are a distant memory."
    "Must be a whole lot of fun at your office," Louis said, continuing to steer the conversation away from any destination where he