Lost and Found Read Free

dance with a girl.  
    “Sir? Are you looking for something in particular?” the mousy one asked with a worried look. Great, she thinks I’m crazy now, Duncan thought, which is probably better than knowing that I’m actually a depraved pervert who wants nothing more than to unpin her hair.
    “Sorry about that. I was just contemplating the body wax question. Put me down for against. Way too painful,” Duncan said to the lounging sister, and then turned back to Miss Prim. “Actually,” he said to Jessica, “if you’re the owner of the store, I’m here to ask you some questions.” He pulled out his badge from his inside coat pocket and flipped it open for Jessica to verify.
    “Really?” she asked, eyeing the badge with interest. Was it just her imagination, or was the detective standing closer to her than absolutely necessary. Jessie moved back an inch and was surprised when he shifted slightly, just enough to close the distance between them. She could practically feel his warm breath on her face. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation.  
    Jessie watched herself reaching out to touch the badge. Their fingers brushed, for just a nanosecond, and yet she felt a tingle of heat run up her arm. She pulled her hand back like she’d just touched a hot curling iron and placed it behind her back protectively. “I’m Jessica Martin, the owner,” she said, and waved a hand vaguely in her twin’s direction. “And that’s my sister, Jamie. She was just leaving.” Jamie obligingly got up and slinked over to check out Duncan ’s badge. Duncan didn’t even look at Jamie’s provocative, hip-swinging swagger, he couldn’t stop staring at Jessica. She had a tiny black beauty mark just above the bow of her lip. He was mesmerized by that small imperfection, and could see himself leaning down and tasting it with his tongue.  
    “What on Earth would you have to ask us about?” asked Jessie, placing a hand on her chest in a prissy gesture that made Jamie roll her eyes.
    “I’m Detective Reinhold with the VPD, and I understand that this place is frequented by prostitutes and street kids,” he said briskly, putting away his badge and pulling out a pad of paper and a chewed-looking black pen.
    “Prostitutes?” Jamie exclaimed, pretending to cover her mouth in a parody of disapproval. “Jess, you never told me you were working girls out of this place. I’m shocked and appalled. Really.” Jamie tugged on her coat with the leopard skin collar and grabbed her bag from the floor.
    “Very funny,” Jessie said to her sister, nudging her toward the door. Instead of leaving as she originally intended, Jamie stopped and stood close to Duncan , pretending to be fascinated as he wrote down the date and the address of the store. Pressing her breasts casually against his arm, she gave Jessie a wicked grin. Jessie scowled at her and mouthed a “get out” over the detective’s bent head.
    “Prostitutes don’t frequent my store,” Jessie said to Duncan defensively. “I just let them hang out here if it’s raining, or if they need a break or whatever. They’re actually my best customers.” Jessie didn’t see why she should turn people away just because they weren’t going to buy anything. Her store was about bringing quality reading material to people who couldn’t afford it otherwise, not making a profit. The huge chain stores took care of that possibility. The only way she made ends meet at all was by renting the store out to Vancouver ’s thriving film industry as a location.
    “So they do frequent your store?” Duncan asked, not quite managing to hide his grin. He’d smiled more in the past three minutes than he had in weeks. What was it about this woman that made him completely lose his concentration?
    “Okay, they come in here, but you make it sound like they’re performing tricks in the self-help section,” Jessie said with a fierce look. Usually she wouldn’t argue with someone she barely knew. Especially