Read Online a Touch of Revenge (Romantic Mystery - book 6): The Everly Gray Adventures by L.j. Charles - Free Book Online

else…”
    Annie huffed. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the people he worked for. Or it could have been a note that was meant for his eyes only, like notification of a change in command. Perhaps he was the one scheduled to rendezvous with Connor.”
    Mist curled down my collar. “Doesn’t matter why the note was there. What matters is that we find her and question the fu…dderbudder out of her.”
    Annie’s laugh was rich and full. “Maddie and I appreciate the upgrade in your language.”
    The things I did for motherhood and Maddie. “Pay attention. I’ve made one interesting contact. The woman who served me cream tea just now went squirrely when I asked about Connor. Apparently the family has lived here forever, and I got the feeling our Ms. Connor isn’t a very nice person, so definitely worth looking into.”
    Annie’s only response to what I thought was a rather exciting bit of intel was the furious tapping of keys.
    “You find a picture of Connor?” I asked.
    “Just did. Newspaper, so it’s grainy. Should be there…about now.”
    Anticipation had me scrambling for the text screen on my phone. Maybe I’d already seen her while I was wandering around and could chase her down, or at least have a starting point for our search when Pierce finally got here. “Hang on while I check it out.”
    “Uh-huh. In other news, Maddie really missed you the other night. I promised her a long weekend with her favorite aunt as soon as you get back.” There was definite amusement in Annie’s voice.
    I loved Maddie, but she only had two speeds: asleep and full speed ahead. A single night sleepover exhausted me, so no telling what an entire weekend would do. “Okay. Sure, I can do that.” I tapped the text screen. “There’s an air about this woman that’s strikingly elegant. Her posture and the tilt of her chin are almost picture perfect for an aristocratic archetype. And there’s something about her that seems familiar, not that it’s easy to tell with all the graininess. Was there a location with the picture?”
    “I agree she’s a bit too perfect, and the location was Torquay. I think she’s had surgery on her nose, and maybe her chin. If you look closely, you can see they don’t quite match the rest of her face. Oh, and it’s possible she owns, or maybe leases, the tea room at the Cockington Court Manor House.”
    A chill inched down my spine. “That makes sense. The servers might be reluctant to talk about their boss, you know, to preserve privacy and all.” I spread my index finger and thumb over the surface of my iPhone making the photo larger. “Yeah, I see what you mean about her facial features. It’s like the puzzle piece fits but it isn’t the right one.”
    A Maddie-wail sounded in the background. “Gotta go.” Annie disconnected.
    Phone in hand, and unsure about my next step in the search for Fion Connor, I started along the path with nothing but touristy picture-taking on my mind. I’d noticed an adorable cottage on my way up the hill and wanted a photograph to…
    Were those footsteps behind me?

 
    SEVEN
     
    A CHILL SETTLED BETWEEN MY shoulder blades. I squatted, pretending intense interest in something on the ground while I scanned the area. No one in sight. It was time for some defensive action, since I would rather not have to fight in a public place, or at all. Especially in the UK. Their laws were different, and I didn’t have a single inwith the constables here. Except maybe Whitney Boulay. At one time she’d been employed by Scotland Yard, but these days she was safely in Hawaii, living a dream life with her new husband.
    Leaves rustled.
    My senses sharpened. The crisp scent of early autumn seeped into my nose, and under it cherry tobacco. A pipe? Probably. Innocent? Probably. No one knew I was in Torquay, after all.
    Birdsong quieted.
    I slipped the Boker from its sheath on my forearm and palmed it. I’d learned the hard way it was more prudent to explain the presence of a