Read Online Dead Alert by Bianca D' Arc - Free Book Online Page B

now and most regular folks didn’t keep themselves at the peak of readiness at all times. He’d had to lay off the more public workouts, like taking long runs with heavy weights, in order to fit in a little better. Plus, he just didn’t have the time. The mission was on.
    It might be a long-term assignment so he had to figure out ways to keep himself in shape while he did his job. He had a set of weights in his condo and was able to spend a few minutes here and there lifting iron to keep his muscles from turning to flab. That would have to do.
    He began to notice more activity as they approached the market area. Looked like a good number of Portlanders and tourists were out in force, enjoying the uncharacteristically sunny weather.
    Emily stopped abruptly as they were walking past a small dress shop. Sam was surprised. She seemed completely entranced by the Bohemian styles on display.
    “I wouldn’t have pegged you for a gypsy.”
    “You’d be surprised.” A flush stole over her face before she turned away.
    Sam caught her arm and coaxed her back around to face him. “Wait a minute. I think we should go in and take a closer look. I might be able to pick up something for my sisters. I’m a lousy shopper but those scarves look like stuff they’d like. I need your input, Em, or I’m sure I’ll pick the wrong thing. You’d really be helping me out. What do you say?”
    “You have sisters?” She looked like she was debating the idea.
    “Two of them.”
    “Older or younger?” Yeah, she was definitely leaning toward giving in.
    “One of each.”
    One delicate eyebrow arched as she looked up at him then relented with a sigh.
    “Okay. So what’s the occasion?”
    “Vel’s birthday is coming up and Ty’s having a kid. I’ve been meaning to pick up some presents.”
    “Your sisters’ names are Vel and Ty?” She walked with him into the shop as he broke out in laughter.
    “Sorry, no. Those are nicknames that sort of stuck. Vel is Amy and Ty is Cathy.”
    “So how did those nicknames come about? Are they short for something?”
    “Yeah,” he admitted sheepishly. “Remnants of my Jurassic period. Vel is short for Veloci-sister. She’s small and cute like a velociraptor, until she tries to bite your head off. Ty is short for Tyranno-sister Rex. She’s the older, more frightening one.”
    Emily laughed out loud, as he’d hoped she would.
    “You don’t really call them that, do you?” He was enchanted by the laughter in her expression and if they hadn’t been in the middle of a dress shop, he’d have taken her in his arms and kissed the life out of her right then and there.
    “Believe me, that’s better than some of the other things I called them when we were growing up. It’s gotten to the point they kind of expect nicknames from me and get suspicious when I call them by name.”
    “So . . . a birthday and a birth.” Emily moved farther into the store, tapping her chin with a slender finger while she examined all the colorful items on display. “Can you tell me more about your sisters? Besides which dinosaurs they resemble, I mean. Do you know either one’s favorite color?”
    “Amy likes pink. Cath’s more into oranges, reds, and burgundies.”
    “Tall or short?”
    “They’re both about your height. Maybe an inch or two taller in Cathy’s case. Both thin, though Cathy’s supposed to be ballooning in a couple of months.”
    Emily shot him a dirty look that said she didn’t appreciate his comment. He liked that she’d stick up for his sister—a woman she’d never met. It said something good about Emily’s sense of fairness.
    “How far along is she?”
    “Four months. She only told the family last week. She and her husband were keeping it quiet until they were sure everything was going to be okay.” His voice grew more serious. “She’s had two miscarriages.”
    Emily’s eyes filled with compassion. “How about this?”
    She swept a hanger off the rack and swirled the swath of