Read Online Danger Calls by Caridad Piñeiro - Free Book Online Page A

Vampires, Lycanthropes And Demons. Get it? VLAD. Like the Impaler.” He made a staking motion with one hand.
    It brought a small smile to Melissa’s lips and dragged a strangled chuckle from Diana.
    â€œIs it possible that your father knew somehow? Maybe he figured out what Sara was up to? Confronted her about it?” Ryder asked, completely ignoring Sebastian’s attempt at humor.
    Melissa seated herself on the arm of the sofa, so close Sebastian could smell her perfume, a scent with a hint of lilacs. So close he could detect the tightness of her body as she answered, “My father was kind of old-fashioned that way. He was a doctor. She was a nurse. There was no reason for him to get to know Sara.”
    â€œBut maybe she knew about him,” Ryder replied. “Maybe she wanted something from him.”
    â€œWhat?” Melissa pressed, her hands fluttering in the air with her distress.
    â€œInformation she obviously didn’t get,” Sebastian supplied. Then he asked Diana, “Are we sure someone killed Melissa’s parents? There’s no room for doubt about that?”
    â€œNone. The copies of the reports Peter Daly got for me show gross errors during the initial investigation.” She turned her attention to Melissa. “Is there anything else you can think of—”
    â€œNothing, but maybe there’s more in my father’s journals. Maybe I should get started there instead of with the older ones.”
    â€œNot without some safeguards,” Ryder advised and looked across the small distance to Sebastian, pinning him with his gaze. “Are you ready to get started?”
    Sebastian sat up straighter and squared his shoulders, bracing himself for anything else Ryder might say. “I finished all the programming and setup this afternoon. We can scan tonight if you’d like.”
    â€œThe sooner, the better,” Ryder confirmed.
    â€œI need a break and even though I’m not really hungry, I need some dinner. After that, Sebastian can get started. Once he’s done with Father’s first journal, I’ll start reviewing it to see if I can make sense of what was going on.”
    Diana’s stomach grumbled noisily and she placed a hand over her midsection to quiet the rumble. “My stomach seconds the dinner plan.”
    Some of the earlier tension dissipated as the talk turned to routine things.
    Ryder offered, “Chinese? Now that it’s dark, Diana and I can go pick up something while Sebastian scans.”
    â€œSounds good. Make mine Kung Pao Chicken, very hot,” Melissa said.
    â€œLike it spicy, do you?” Sebastian teased, and a gleam entered his eye to let her know food was the last thing on his mind.
    Business only, Melissa thought. Only something inside made her want to shock him. Grinning boldly, she answered, “The hotter, the better.”
    Â 
    Sebastian worked as quickly and efficiently as one of his fancy computers, Melissa thought as she occasionally looked up from the older journal she was reading. There didn’t appear to be a wasted action as he placed her father’s first journal on the flatbed scanner and methodically digitized the pages. The first volume was a slim one and Sebastian was halfway through it by the time Diana and Ryder returned with dinner.
    By tacit agreement, the conversation during the meal stayed away from their investigations. Anyone eavesdropping on their dinner would never have thought anything out of the ordinary was going on. It could have been a double date, without the fear of murder and mayhem looming over their heads.
    After dinner Diana returned to her office to get some second opinions from her staff, and Ryder, sensing he was no longer needed or wanted, excused himself.
    â€œDo you mind if I change into something more comfortable?” Melissa asked. When Sebastian grinned at her, she blushed hotly. “As in sweatshirt-and-pants kind of comfortable, and