Read Online Beautiful Storm (Lightning Strikes Book 1) by Barbara Freethy - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Freethy
Tags: Romance
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name?"
"Harte," he said, spelling it out for her.
She opened her computer and typed in Brad's name. "What do you know about him? Do you have any idea what he does for a living?"
"He always liked motorcycles. I think I heard that he worked for a dealer or was a mechanic."
"So you knew him when you were a kid?"
"I knew who he was. He had a younger brother who was a year ahead of me in school. I remember Brad used to speed through the neighborhood on his motorcycle and the older neighbors were pissed about it. That's the extent of my knowledge of him."
She typed some words into the search engine, but the results were not promising. "Let's try social media." She started another search, and this time the results were better. "I think I found him." She turned the computer screen around so Michael could look at the photograph of a man on a bike.
"That's him," Michael said.
While most of Brad's profile was private, there were a few public facts, including the name of the motorcycle shop where he worked.
"We've got an address," she said with excitement.
Michael gave her a rather impressed look. "That was fast. Maybe you should have been a cop instead of a photographer."
"I may have found nothing more than a motorcycle dealership, but it's a place to start."
"A good place," he agreed, getting to his feet. "Shall we go now?"
She couldn't think of a reason not to go. "All right."
"I'll drive. I'm in a two-hour spot, so I need to move the car anyway."
"Sounds good."
As she stood up, Michael's gaze met hers. "Thanks, Alicia."
"I haven't done anything yet."
"Yes, you have. You've given me hope."
Her heart warmed at his words. "I'm glad, but I have to say this could all lead nowhere."
"Even if that's the case, it's something to do, and I've been wanting to take action for a long time, but whenever I attempted to get involved, I was shut down. It's been incredibly frustrating."
She couldn't even imagine how he'd felt when the police had turned their suspicion on him. "Well, you're not on your own anymore. You've got a partner." She grabbed her jacket as they headed out the door. "Hopefully, together, we can make something happen."
Six
He had a partner , Michael thought in bemusement, as he opened his car door for Alicia. He hadn't started out the day that way, but things had definitely taken a turn for the better. And he liked that his partner was a beautiful, curious, and fearless lightning chaser… He liked it even more that she'd instinctively trusted him.
Alicia hadn't needed a lot of information to make a decision. He didn't know if that made her too trusting, but it certainly made him happy. It was nice to talk to someone who wasn't eyeing him with suspicion every time he made a suggestion. Alicia's belief in his innocence had re-energized him. He didn't know if Brad Harte would be able to provide any new information but at this point he was willing to give it a shot.
"It's an eight-minute drive," Alicia said, checking directions on her phone. "Just stay on this road for another mile and then I'll tell you where to turn."
"Got it."
She settled back in her seat, running her hand over the smooth wood console between them. "This is a nice car. Is it new?"
"New to me. The company leased it for me when I got to Miami. And, no, I did not ask for a convertible. But somehow I ended up with one."
"If you're going to have a convertible, Miami is a good place for it. Of course, you have to actually put the top down to enjoy it," she said lightly.
He grinned in return. "It was raining yesterday. I have had it down on occasion."
"So where do you live when you're not here?"
"New York City. I have a condo on the forty-second floor of a high rise. There's a great view of the city and the Hudson River."
"Sounds impressive. I've always wanted to live in a high-rise, but apartments with a view are usually out of my price range. And convertibles like this—also out of my price range."
"What do you drive?"
"A ten-year-old
"Harte," he said, spelling it out for her.
She opened her computer and typed in Brad's name. "What do you know about him? Do you have any idea what he does for a living?"
"He always liked motorcycles. I think I heard that he worked for a dealer or was a mechanic."
"So you knew him when you were a kid?"
"I knew who he was. He had a younger brother who was a year ahead of me in school. I remember Brad used to speed through the neighborhood on his motorcycle and the older neighbors were pissed about it. That's the extent of my knowledge of him."
She typed some words into the search engine, but the results were not promising. "Let's try social media." She started another search, and this time the results were better. "I think I found him." She turned the computer screen around so Michael could look at the photograph of a man on a bike.
"That's him," Michael said.
While most of Brad's profile was private, there were a few public facts, including the name of the motorcycle shop where he worked.
"We've got an address," she said with excitement.
Michael gave her a rather impressed look. "That was fast. Maybe you should have been a cop instead of a photographer."
"I may have found nothing more than a motorcycle dealership, but it's a place to start."
"A good place," he agreed, getting to his feet. "Shall we go now?"
She couldn't think of a reason not to go. "All right."
"I'll drive. I'm in a two-hour spot, so I need to move the car anyway."
"Sounds good."
As she stood up, Michael's gaze met hers. "Thanks, Alicia."
"I haven't done anything yet."
"Yes, you have. You've given me hope."
Her heart warmed at his words. "I'm glad, but I have to say this could all lead nowhere."
"Even if that's the case, it's something to do, and I've been wanting to take action for a long time, but whenever I attempted to get involved, I was shut down. It's been incredibly frustrating."
She couldn't even imagine how he'd felt when the police had turned their suspicion on him. "Well, you're not on your own anymore. You've got a partner." She grabbed her jacket as they headed out the door. "Hopefully, together, we can make something happen."
Six
He had a partner , Michael thought in bemusement, as he opened his car door for Alicia. He hadn't started out the day that way, but things had definitely taken a turn for the better. And he liked that his partner was a beautiful, curious, and fearless lightning chaser… He liked it even more that she'd instinctively trusted him.
Alicia hadn't needed a lot of information to make a decision. He didn't know if that made her too trusting, but it certainly made him happy. It was nice to talk to someone who wasn't eyeing him with suspicion every time he made a suggestion. Alicia's belief in his innocence had re-energized him. He didn't know if Brad Harte would be able to provide any new information but at this point he was willing to give it a shot.
"It's an eight-minute drive," Alicia said, checking directions on her phone. "Just stay on this road for another mile and then I'll tell you where to turn."
"Got it."
She settled back in her seat, running her hand over the smooth wood console between them. "This is a nice car. Is it new?"
"New to me. The company leased it for me when I got to Miami. And, no, I did not ask for a convertible. But somehow I ended up with one."
"If you're going to have a convertible, Miami is a good place for it. Of course, you have to actually put the top down to enjoy it," she said lightly.
He grinned in return. "It was raining yesterday. I have had it down on occasion."
"So where do you live when you're not here?"
"New York City. I have a condo on the forty-second floor of a high rise. There's a great view of the city and the Hudson River."
"Sounds impressive. I've always wanted to live in a high-rise, but apartments with a view are usually out of my price range. And convertibles like this—also out of my price range."
"What do you drive?"
"A ten-year-old
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