Read Online Dead and Dateless by Kimberly Raye - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kimberly Raye
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around us—“it’s all a dream.” I smiled and gave him a seductive look. His features eased and a hungry light fired his gaze. “A fantasy. An X-rated fantasy.”
The guy had seen me naked.
“W—what are you?” the camera guy mumbled.
“I already told you.” I shifted my attention to him where he cowered between two large metal shelves. “A fantasy.”
“You’re not my fantasy…” His words faded along with the brightness of his gaze. I got a glimpse of a skinny woman with mousy brown hair and lots of freckles. His wife.
My own fear eased and my heart gave a little double thump.
“I’m what happens after one too many salami sandwiches.” Okay, so I got a glimpse of today’s lunch, too.
“You mean, like indigestion?” the camera guy asked.
My brother snickered and I shot him a shut-up-or-I’ll-make-forever-seem-like-a- really -long-time look.
“Exactly,” I told the man. It wasn’t very glamorous, but hey, I was a matchmaker, not a home wrecker. Besides, you had to give props to a guy who fantasized about his significant other.
“At least they waited until evening for the autopsy,” I said a few minutes later as Mandy led me into the ladies’ locker room, after she’d doused my half-inch cut with antiseptic.
I know. Vampire. Immortal. But Mandy was freaked and I didn’t blame her. I was sort of frantic myself even though I knew that twenty-four hours from now I would be back to my usual perfect self.
“Don’t forget these.” Jack ducked his head into the locker room and set the suitcases he’d retrieved from the Hummer just inside the door. He winked at Mandy and then the door closed.
Still wrapped in the sheet, I sat on a bench while Mandy grabbed one of my suitcases and hauled it over to me.
“A few minutes more and I would have been history,” I added.
“Dr. Morrow likes to stay ahead of schedule.” She set the suitcase on the bench and unlatched it. “He’s a real go-getter and he’s gunning for a promotion. You weren’t scheduled until tomorrow morning. The transient, I mean. She wasn’t scheduled until then, but he figured he would get her out of the way this evening before he called it a day.” She eyed the sheet I clutched around me. “I’m really sorry about your clothes.”
“I’ve got plenty more.” I swallowed against the lump in my throat, flipped open the suitcase, and retrieved a pair of jeans and a sequined Guess T-shirt.
“Take your time. The second shift doesn’t check in for a few more hours.” She flashed me an apologetic smile and left me to change.
A few minutes later, I met Mandy and my brother in the hallway.
“You can stay at my apartment,” Mandy told me as we headed for one of the rear exits. “I’ve got a large storage closet that’s pretty dark.”
“My apartment will probably be too risky since I’m your brother,” Jack added. “The police are sure to check me out.”
I’d thought the same thing. But if they met the were-Chihuahua or anyone else who might have seen Jack and Mandy, they would be paying her a visit as well. Which meant chilling in Mandy’s large, dark storage closet might not be the smartest thing to do, either.
I shook my head. “Thanks, but no thanks.” I handed Jack the keys to my parents’ Hummer and patted the ATM envelope stuffed into my front jeans pocket. “I’ve got cash now, and the night is young. I’ll find someplace until this mess gets sorted out.”
Jack gave my shoulder a squeeze. “I’m sure if you lay low long enough they’ll find the real killer.”
Maybe.
And maybe they would just keep looking for me.
The last thought followed me down the back alley and around to the side of the building where a cab waited. Darkness had fallen, and the city had come alive in a blaze of lights.
“Where to?” the driver asked once I’d stowed my luggage and climbed into the backseat.
The question swam in my head for several minutes as I contemplated my options. I couldn’t go to
The guy had seen me naked.
“W—what are you?” the camera guy mumbled.
“I already told you.” I shifted my attention to him where he cowered between two large metal shelves. “A fantasy.”
“You’re not my fantasy…” His words faded along with the brightness of his gaze. I got a glimpse of a skinny woman with mousy brown hair and lots of freckles. His wife.
My own fear eased and my heart gave a little double thump.
“I’m what happens after one too many salami sandwiches.” Okay, so I got a glimpse of today’s lunch, too.
“You mean, like indigestion?” the camera guy asked.
My brother snickered and I shot him a shut-up-or-I’ll-make-forever-seem-like-a- really -long-time look.
“Exactly,” I told the man. It wasn’t very glamorous, but hey, I was a matchmaker, not a home wrecker. Besides, you had to give props to a guy who fantasized about his significant other.
“At least they waited until evening for the autopsy,” I said a few minutes later as Mandy led me into the ladies’ locker room, after she’d doused my half-inch cut with antiseptic.
I know. Vampire. Immortal. But Mandy was freaked and I didn’t blame her. I was sort of frantic myself even though I knew that twenty-four hours from now I would be back to my usual perfect self.
“Don’t forget these.” Jack ducked his head into the locker room and set the suitcases he’d retrieved from the Hummer just inside the door. He winked at Mandy and then the door closed.
Still wrapped in the sheet, I sat on a bench while Mandy grabbed one of my suitcases and hauled it over to me.
“A few minutes more and I would have been history,” I added.
“Dr. Morrow likes to stay ahead of schedule.” She set the suitcase on the bench and unlatched it. “He’s a real go-getter and he’s gunning for a promotion. You weren’t scheduled until tomorrow morning. The transient, I mean. She wasn’t scheduled until then, but he figured he would get her out of the way this evening before he called it a day.” She eyed the sheet I clutched around me. “I’m really sorry about your clothes.”
“I’ve got plenty more.” I swallowed against the lump in my throat, flipped open the suitcase, and retrieved a pair of jeans and a sequined Guess T-shirt.
“Take your time. The second shift doesn’t check in for a few more hours.” She flashed me an apologetic smile and left me to change.
A few minutes later, I met Mandy and my brother in the hallway.
“You can stay at my apartment,” Mandy told me as we headed for one of the rear exits. “I’ve got a large storage closet that’s pretty dark.”
“My apartment will probably be too risky since I’m your brother,” Jack added. “The police are sure to check me out.”
I’d thought the same thing. But if they met the were-Chihuahua or anyone else who might have seen Jack and Mandy, they would be paying her a visit as well. Which meant chilling in Mandy’s large, dark storage closet might not be the smartest thing to do, either.
I shook my head. “Thanks, but no thanks.” I handed Jack the keys to my parents’ Hummer and patted the ATM envelope stuffed into my front jeans pocket. “I’ve got cash now, and the night is young. I’ll find someplace until this mess gets sorted out.”
Jack gave my shoulder a squeeze. “I’m sure if you lay low long enough they’ll find the real killer.”
Maybe.
And maybe they would just keep looking for me.
The last thought followed me down the back alley and around to the side of the building where a cab waited. Darkness had fallen, and the city had come alive in a blaze of lights.
“Where to?” the driver asked once I’d stowed my luggage and climbed into the backseat.
The question swam in my head for several minutes as I contemplated my options. I couldn’t go to
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