Touching Silver by Jamie Craig Read Free Book Online Page A

in his own fire.”
    “I am Jack’s complete lack of surprise,” she said. The Fight Club reference made him grin, but she looked solemn as she toyed with an unopened pack of sugar. Her nails were short and well-kept, her fingers strong. They were the kind of hands that could fight with the best of them, but still know how to play when the dust cleared. “I’ve heard some rumblings that Gabriel has been more active since the summer. Noticeably so.”
    “You’ve been doing your homework.”
    “Just part of my investigation.”
    Betty returned with their breakfasts, giving him breathing room to figure out how to proceed here. Olivia wasn’t messing around. If she recognized the upswing in Gabriel’s activities, asking questions was the next logical step. And he’d already spent every other minute since leaving her at the hospital wondering how he was going to deal with the issue of the coin. No idea how he could work his way around that one without sounding like he lived in a rubber room.
    Her gaze fixed on him. “What about you? Did you finish all your homework before breakfast?”
    There it was. Logical step number one.
    It was part of his job to be observant and read people as they talked to him. He’d figure out last night that when she got direct, her eyes grew clearer. What he’d been too distracted to notice then, however, was how striking they became, the blue more vivid, her obvious intelligence more unrestrained. Her inquiries might leave him a little uncomfortable, but he’d encourage those kinds of questions all day.
    Smart women had always been his kryptonite.
    “As much as you did before showing up at the station last night. The important thing is, we’re on the same page now, right…Olivia?”
    “I hope so, Isaac. I’m assuming if I hadn’t passed muster, you would have stood me up this morning.”
    “Nah. I don’t stand up beautiful women. Especially those who carry a gun.”
    Olivia lifted the coffee to her lips, as if trying to hide her smile. “Shamelessly flirting with women who carry a gun might be hazardous to your health.”
    “Maybe.” He dug into his Spanish omelette. “But it’s a hell of a way to go.”
    Silence settled over the table as they both focused on their breakfasts. She dug into her food like a real person—another point in her favor. But the over-cooked bacon… Nobody’s perfect .
    “What about your friends?” She reached for the pepper. “Ms. Capra seemed upset last night.”
    He shrugged. “Remy’s a Roman candle, always waiting to be set off. I’m sure she’s fine this morning.” He had to bite his tongue to keep from adding, Nathan’s probably fucked her all better by now.
    Olivia didn’t seem convinced. “Normally when women run off like that, it means they’re pretty upset. What about Mr. Pierce? Will he be willing to speak to Stacy again? He didn’t seem happy about the situation either.”
    “Yeah, he’ll talk to her. He’s got as much of a stake in seeing Gabriel go down as either of us do.”
    “That’s good. I considered speaking to her myself, but she seems receptive to him.” She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully before adding, “He told her about his neck wound. Is that why he retired?”
    Though a swift swell of acid rose in his stomach at the mention of Nathan’s injury, Isaac tamped it down with an extra large bite of sausage as he nodded and then swallowed. “About five years ago, we were trying to take down a gang that was bringing weapons into LA, and it turned out Nathan’s girlfriend was setting us up. He quit the force and didn’t even date anyone until he met Remy last summer. So if they seem a little…invested in each other, that’s why. They pretty much saved each other’s lives.”
    Olivia chewed her last piece of bacon. “So you were awarded the medal of valor for taking out your partner’s girlfriend?”
    “That’s one way of putting it. I prefer to think of it as taking out the bitch who betrayed