Scottsdale Squeeze: a romantic light-hearted murder mystery (Laura Black Mysteries Book 2) Read Free

years ago. The husband was soon history but Sophie seems like a permanent Scottsdale resident.
    When I needed a better job after my divorce, she suggested I apply for the open investigator position at the law firm where she worked as the paralegal. To my surprise, I got the job. Even more of a surprise, I liked the job and I’m actually good at it. Well, maybe good is too strong a word. More like I’ve hacked my way through the job without managing to get shot, stabbed, or blown up. I once broke my leg but otherwise haven’t been seriously injured. The money could be better, but it’s a lot more than I made by being a bartender at Greasewood Flat. I even got a bonus for an assignment I did a couple of months ago. The bonus went to paying down some credit cards but it seems like enough motivation to keep me going.
    ~~~~
    “Hey Sophie,” I said.
    “Hey girlfriend, how’s it going with the Paul Marston assignment? You get the money shot yet? Lenny’s already bugged me about it twice this morning.”
    “No, I ended up watching naked butts running in front of windows for an hour, but didn’t get anything usable. I think tonight I’ll change to video.”
    “Good idea. Hey, cool necklace, is it new?”
    “Thanks, I picked it up from the jeweler yesterday. What’s the new assignment? Hopefully it’s something good, I’m beyond broke.”
    “Don’t know. Lenny dropped a folder on my desk when he first got in. He said to give it to you when you got in.”
    Sophie shuffled through a pile of folders on her desk. Suddenly, her head shot up. Her eyes were fixed on the necklace. 
    “Holy crap on a cupcake!” she said. “Is that what I think it is?”
    “What?”
    “Don’t give me that what shit. That’s one of those big sparkly diamonds, isn’t it?”
    “Yup,” I said, fingering the necklace.
    What had caused Sophie’s excitement was the diamond dangling from the gold chain around my neck. I had gotten it as a result of helping out some people in an assignment a couple of months back. Unfortunately, the diamond hadn’t exactly come into the country legally and there was a strong possibility the police might think it was evidence in a case they were currently working.
    “You know,” Sophie said. “You could sell it and buy a damn fine car, maybe even a house down in Tempe or Mesa.”
    “I can’t sell it and actually I shouldn’t even be wearing it. According to Reno, the police have information a shipment of large high quality diamonds have come into the country. Their informant told them the diamonds are headed to Scottsdale. They’ll be on the lookout for anyone selling one, probably for the next two or three years.”
    When he’s not starring in my dreams, Jackson Reno works as an undercover cop for the city of Scottsdale. He’s been in and out of my life for almost a year and a half. Currently, he’s back to being in. Reno doesn’t seem to fully realize this yet but I’m sure he’ll come around sometime soon.
    “The cops just heard about the diamonds?” Sophie asked. “Guess they need to hire better informants. So now you’re jewelry rich and cash poor, huh? It’s a damn shame you can’t sell it but it does make a nice necklace. Does Reno know anything about your shiny new bobble?”
    “Yeah, I told him it was a fake diamond Gina got for me the last time she was in Vegas.”
    “Did he buy it?”
    “It’s sometimes sort of hard to read Reno. But I think he knows me well enough not to ask too many questions.”
    “Damn good trait in a man. So what’s up with him? It’s been like two months since you two supposedly got back together. For him being your new boyfriend, you two don’t seem to see a lot of each other. Is he still kinda spooked about the idea of being with you again?”
    “I’m not sure. We seem to be stuck at seeing each other about once a week. Sometimes it’s just for dinner.”
    “That doesn’t seem like he’s actually back to being your boyfriend. What’s the