Girl Undercover 8 & 9: Traitor & The Smiley Killer Read Free Page B

forget about everything that was happening, pretend I was back in L.A. and that Nick was still alive. But I couldn’t do that, at least not yet; Ian and I had lots to talk about. We needed to plan our next step based on what we had learned today. When that was done, I could allow myself to get lost in dreams of what life used to be like, uncomplicated and comfortable yet exciting due to my job as a detective.
    I decided that I did have time for a quick shower, though. Pulling myself together, I let go of Ian and said, “I feel disgusting after all the running around.” Not to mention after making out with Jonah, I thought, but I knew better than to bring that up. “Mind if I clean up in your shower?”
    He stepped aside, opening the apartment door further. “Of course not. Go right ahead.”
    I expected him to add that he’d be happy to join me the way he had done on a couple of other occasions. But he didn’t; he just waited for me to pass him and enter his house.
    “Great, thanks,” I said and walked into his bathroom at the other end of the hallway, ignoring that faint but distinct dull ache that had suddenly materialized in my chest. Well, I’m only getting what I deserve, I thought as I closed the door. Besides, the ache would go away soon enough.
    When I was done showering, I put up my hair that I hadn’t bothered to wash in a ponytail and wrapped a towel around myself, naked underneath. I wasn’t worried about tempting Ian as I left the bathroom since he seemed to have lost interest in me anyway.
    He was sitting before his two big computer screens as I entered his living room. Out of the corner of my eye, I noted Massimo lying on the vintage brown leather sofa, cleaning himself while regarding me with watchful eyes.
    “Hey, can I borrow a T-shirt and a pair of shorts?” I asked Ian. “I don’t feel like putting on my sweaty, wet clothes again.”
    He pointed at one of the barstools next to the marble island that separated his small kitchen from his living room. “I put a sweater and a pair of shorts there. I thought you might want some fresh clothes.”
    “Thanks,” I said and walked over to the stool. Picking them up, I walked back to the bathroom where I changed into the soft blue cashmere sweater and the checkered cotton shorts he’d gotten for me. I wasn’t surprised that they matched when I threw a glance in the hallway mirror—Ian had chosen the clothes and he always dressed well.
    “Are you hungry?” he asked when I returned to the living room. He was no longer behind his computer screens but had moved into his kitchen. “I have some leftover take-out that I can heat up. Some tasty Italian dishes.”
    “Sure, that would be great.” I slid onto one of the barstools beside the marble island. I had only eaten part of the pizza Jonah had bought me at Patsy’s, so hunger was catching up with me now. “Want me to help you?”
    Ian smiled and shook his head. “No, I’m good. Would you like some wine?” He extended me a glass of red that he had produced out of nowhere. “You seem like you could use some alcohol tonight.”
    “I’d love some,” I said, taking the glass and giving him a grateful smile in return.
    “Now tell me more about this Burt and what the deal is with him,” Ian said as he put a couple of dishes loaded with food into his big microwave. “And what happened during your date with Jonah. You guys did meet up tonight, correct?”
    I nodded and had a sip of my wine, savoring the delicious black pepper and plum notes as it lay on my tongue for a moment before swallowing.
    “What else did you learn besides Stenger being his dad? Anything useful?”
    “Yes, plenty. Apparently I’m supposed to know what The Adler Group is up to and that Stenger is Jonah’s father because Burt at some point told me. Except, Burt never told me anything. Since I didn’t want to appear like I was clueless, I couldn’t ask Jonah exactly when Burt was supposed to have told me all this. And