Against the Odds Read Free Page B

the mine is?”
    “My uncle was a hermit and extremely secretive. He never even
told me. No way would he tell anyone else.”
    “When do you want to go?”
    “The sooner the better.”
    He didn’t ask how she could get away from her job so easily.
She’d always been a workaholic. Maybe she was due some time off. “How about day
after tomorrow?”
    “That’d be really great. You get the plane lined up and I can
reserve the chopper.”
    “I’ll do you one better. We’ll use my plane.” The Twin
Beechcraft Baron he’d bought a couple months ago. Any excuse to fly it was a
good one. “And I’ll need to make the call on the chopper myself, make sure it’s
something I’m checked out in.”
    “Okay.” She stood up from her chair and stuck out a small hand.
“Thanks, Alex.”
    Alex rose and took her hand but didn’t let go. “Only one
question.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Why me?”
    She eased her hand from his. “Because, whatever our
differences, you’re good at your job. I saw how well you worked with Jake to
protect Sage.” Jake had served as Sage’s bodyguard. They’d ended up married.
“You proved it again when you found the evidence the police needed to arrest the
man who killed little Carrie Wiseman.”
    “Go on,” he pressed, figuring there was more.
    She looked like she didn’t want to say it. “All right—because I
trust you. It’s as simple as that.”
    But she probably shouldn’t. Just seeing her standing there
looking like a hungry man’s dessert made him want to take her to bed. “I’ll need
to do some recon on the area. I’ll need those maps and whatever information you
have on the property.”
    “I’ll make copies and drop them off here at the office.”
    “Good enough. I’ll pick you up Wednesday morning.”
    “All right. My address is—”
    “I know your address. I’m a detective, remember?”
    She eyed him with suspicion. “What about my cell number?”
    He grinned. “Same number you had before?”
    “Yes.”
    “I’ll pick you up Wednesday. Eight o’clock okay?”
    “I’ll be ready.” She started to leave, then turned back.
“Thanks, Alex.”
    “You haven’t asked my fee. You may not thank me when you hear
what it is.”
    It was her turn to grin. “I know your fee. I may not be a
detective, but I have my sources.”
    He laughed. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.” She didn’t object as
he kept pace with her to the front desk. He reminded himself he preferred tall,
svelte blondes, not petite, curvy redheads. Still, there was something about
this particular redhead that had him looking forward to the flight to Rio
Gordo.
    He pushed open the glass front door. Unfortunately, instead of
Sabrina walking out, Melissa Carlyle walked in.
    “Alex! I was hoping you’d be here.” She threw her arms around
his neck and gave him a smacking kiss on the lips. Alex inwardly groaned.
Unwinding her arms, he eased her back a couple of paces.
    “I’ll see you Wednesday,” Rina said, flicking him a smug,
knowing glance over her shoulder. “Unless you get too busy.” She walked past
them out the door, the bell jingling as it shut behind her.
    Damn. He looked over at the woman
eagerly awaiting his attention. Melissa was tall, blonde and svelte, just the
way he liked. She also had a brain that rattled around like a marble inside her
head.
    “I thought maybe we could go to lunch,” she said. “Not that I
dare eat all that much. I have to watch my weight, you know.”
    Alex looked past her, saw Sabrina getting into a little blue
Corolla instead of her sexy red Mercedes and frowned.
    “Did you hear me? I said I thought we might—”
    “I heard you. I thought we decided to take a break from each
other.”
    “Did we? I must have forgot.”
    “Did you also forget your ex-boyfriend is in town? You said the
two of you were thinking about getting back together.”
    She shrugged. “Well, maybe.”
    “Look, Melissa. I’m really busy. I think you should call your
ex, see