The Night Is Alive by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online

her heart was racing a little as she walked to the bar.
    “Here’s our girl now,” Bootsie said affectionately. “Our Abby, more beautiful every day, the finest wench ever to grace such an illustrious tavern.”
    “Yep, here I am,” Abby said dryly, slipping in between him and Dirk.
    She faced the unknown man. He was minus his sunglasses. His eyes were green, sharp and enhanced by the darkness of his well-defined brows. His features were striking. Weathered, hardened, bronzed, but striking. His chin was a solid square while his cheekbones were high. He had the look of someone who’d seen the harder side of life—but had come out swinging. Still, his dress was entirely appropriate and she had a feeling he’d be courteous and polite.
    “Ms. Anderson,” he said, offering her a hand. “My name is Malachi Gordon. I’m here from the bureau.”
    “Oh,” she said, taking his hand. Fed? Yes, he could be a fed. But she doubted it. A fed would’ve shown up in a more standard suit, wouldn’t he?
    “Thank you. It wasn’t necessary for the bureau to send a representative. Only a few friends in my classes ever met Gus, and the agency sent a beautiful wreath,” Abby explained.
    “I’m here to see you, Ms. Anderson,” he said.
    She was curious but didn’t want to ask any more in front of the others. She wondered what this was about. Did the agency believe a death in a family could have such a negative effect on an agent that he or she was rendered less able for duty?
    “Thank you for being here,” she said, assuming he’d clarify later.
    “We’ve been giving him a history of the Dragonslayer,” Aldous said.
    “And telling him about Gus,” Bootsie added.
    The trio lifted their cups again. “To Gus!” they said in unison.
    Malachi Gordon smiled at Abby. She smiled in return.
    “This is an incredible place,” he said. “Well-preserved—and yet alive. Living history is always the best.”
    “Yes, well, people do love pirates.”
    “Thank God!” Dirk shrugged and said, “I make my living by running a pirate ship that we take out for tourists every day. We do birthday parties and other occasions, too.” He produced a card from his wallet to hand the newcomer. “Abby’s worked on her over the years. Go figure—she made a great pirate and now she’s a federal agent.”
    “Well, who ever said there weren’t a few pirates among the feds?” Malachi Gordon asked lightly.
    That was very amusing to her grandfather’s friends; they all laughed. Glancing around, Abby saw that Roger and Paul were about to leave and she excused herself to say goodbye to them. She’d try to catch the fed on his own soon.
    Roger and Paul were old friends and both hugged her warmly. She walked out front with them. “Hey, your freebie newspapers were delivered,” Roger said, picking up the bundle to open them and lay them on top of the stand. As he did, she noticed the headline.

    Body of College Student Found in River

    A third murder? she wondered, itching to pick up the paper and find out what was going on.
    Or...a fourth? Had Gus been murdered by the same person who’d killed three people found in or near the river?
    Was her mind going haywire because she was a new graduate from the academy who’d just taken classes taught by a premier behavioral specialist? Was she looking for a mystery where none existed?
    But...Savannah’s murder rate for the past few years had been low for a city of its size. Any large city battled violent crime and Savannah had seen its share. But this...
    “Hey, you’ll be heading back to Virginia,” Roger reminded her. He took her by the shoulders, his eyes meeting hers. “You have to worry about you right now, Ms. Anderson.”
    “What are you going to do?” Paul asked her. “You’ve inherited the Dragonslayer. You wouldn’t close down the tavern, would you?”
    “No, no, of course not,” she said. “Don’t worry.”
    “That’s going to be tough—you being an absentee owner,” Paul