Read Online Asking for Trouble by Anna J. Stewart - Free Book Online Page A

concerns. She hadn’t been thrilled with Gage’s plans to attend the academy after college. Her anxiety had increased the longer he served. He didn’t want to recall the argument they’d had two years ago when he’d been asked to work on the FBI task force before heading off for special training at Quantico.
    Gage rotated his left shoulder, the scar the bullet left on its way to his heart igniting the memories he wished he could erase.
    â€œI’ve told her I wouldn’t be working in the field that much, and that chances are I wouldn’t have to carry a gun.” Judging from the excitement on Jon’s face, he was hoping that wasn’t the case. “But I was thinking you could smooth things over a little with her? Let her know I won’t be in harm’s way like—”
    â€œLike I was.” Gage shouldn’t have been surprised by Jon’s enthusiasm or his shift in educational attention. Of all the Juliano kids, the youngest boy had always been the most curious with the deepest sense of honor. The examiner. The brains behind the mayhem. Well, until Gina and Liza came along. When it came to masterminds, the seventeen-year-old twins were one diabolical plan away from merging into a supervillain, with Gina most likely acting as the brain. Liza could design a kick-ass costume, though. “I’ll see what I can do. But you have to tell me why.”
    Jon shrugged in that way that made Gage’s temple throb. “Lots of reasons, but it’s different. Rewarding. Besides, you make it look like fun.”
    Gage nearly shattered the bottle in his hand. Five exhausting months in the academy was anything but fun. After the years of riding with Brady Malloy, he’d spent the next four in a patrol car with a partner who was distracted by his personal life. Not fun. Another four bouncing from department to department never finding the right fit was definitely not fun. Getting shot and stabbed while undercover with the Feds was the least fun of all. Being thrown under the bus afterward, however, had been a hundred times worse.
    â€œIt’s tough,” Gage corrected. His family didn’t need to know the extent of what he’d gone through. It should be enough that he’d come home to the less chaotic atmosphere of Lantano Valley where he could start over and find something. “Being a cop is rewarding. It’s also all-consuming. But it’s rarely, if ever, fun.” And shame on him for ever making it appear to be.
    â€œNot even this Nemesis case? Come on. He’s the Robin Hood of my generation. Stealing from the rich, helping people pay their bills, save their homes, cover medical costs. I mean, yeah, you’re trying to stop him, but still, tell me there’s not a hint of fun in that. Like the Sheriff of Nottingham.”
    â€œBrady Malloy’s grave is at East Lawn Cemetery. Feel free to run that theory by him.”
    The smile on Jon’s face evaporated like water on a hot plate.
    Damn. Gage felt as if he’d just sat on the kid’s award-winning science experiment. “Sorry.” He shook his head. “You didn’t deserve that. It’s been a crap couple of days.” And nothing he wanted to delve into further. “I’ll do what I can to smooth it over with Mom.”
    â€œThanks.” While Jon’s smile wasn’t nearly as contagious, his expression remained curious. “Can’t have been all crap. We saw the picture in the paper over breakfast yesterday. Who’s the new girlfriend?”
    The root beer bubbles backed up as Gage swallowed too hard. He covered his mouth as he burped. “What girlfriend? What picture?”
    â€œThe one that made mom stop grumbling about my ungrateful, selfish, and ill-advised career choice.” Jon pulled out his phone and tapped a few buttons. “
Lantano Valley Times
, society pages. From the Tremayne fund-raiser Friday night. You