Read Online Deadly Intentions by Candice Poarch - Free Book Online Page B

Absolutely nothing!
    He’d planned the details of the robbery well. Tootsie was a sculptor. He’d convinced her to make a copy of the golden bowl, planning to switch the copy with the antique bowl so the theft would go undetected.
    Justin shook his head. Best laid plans. The housekeeper had arrived while they were in the house.
    When he killed the housekeeper, Tootsie had taken off—with the copy, and he hadn’t seen her since. He needed that copy more than ever now. When he went back to steal the antique bowl, he didn’t want the robbery detected. He had to get Greg off his back.
    The antique bowl had been in the Claxton family around four hundred years and for some reason, Greg was determined to have it.
    He hated working jobs under someone else’s rules, especially when they didn’t know what the hell they were doing. He wasn’t afraid of that pissant Greg, but Nicholas Doyle was another matter. If Justin didn’t solve this without incident, that little whelp would go straight to his brother. You didn’t mess with Nicholas. Nicholas Doyle was the coldest man he’d ever met. They’d met by mistake, while both were on jobs. Nicholas to kill and Justin to steal.
    Justin swiped a hand across his forehead and wiped the dampness on his jeans. Greg had been calling him since that morning. Justin hadn’t answered his phone. But he couldn’t evade the man forever. The fool called every damn day for an update.
    Justin had tried calling Tootsie but she wasn’t answering her phone either. That was the problem with bringing in the woman you bedded. Or at least bedding the woman who was doing a job for you. It was supposed to be easy. The housekeeper shouldn’t have been there. He’d studied her for weeks—even knew her name. Everyone on the street knew him in passing. He made sure to walk when the old folks walked. He made sure to help them with groceries. Even put together a dresser for some arthritic geezer.
    Harriet had appeared every two weeks like clockwork to check on the house. This wasn’t one of her weeks. Why in heck did she choose this morning, of all mornings, to arrive?
    Nicholas Doyle wouldn’t like it if the cops were involved with his brother.
    His phone rang again. Hoping it was Tootsie, he glanced down and let out a relieved sigh.
    â€œWhat the hell is wrong with you?” Tootsie asked. “I can’t believe you shot that woman. You said nobody was gonna get hurt.”
    Justin used a soothing tone. “She wasn’t supposed to be there, baby. Do you really think I wanted to hurt her?”
    â€œYou didn’t have to kill her.”
    â€œWhat did you expect me to do? Let her identify us? We’d both wind up in jail. That’s not the kind of life I want for us. You wouldn’t last a day there.”
    â€œI don’t care. All the rationalization in the world won’t make this right. You didn’t have to kill her. I didn’t even know you owned a gun.”
    That’s what he got for dealing with innocents. “You don’t break into a house without protection.”
    â€œYou’ve made me an accessory to murder. Murder. I’ve never been in trouble in my life. I could go to jail, get a lethal injection. Are you getting anything I’m saying here?” she asked, panic rising in her voice. “I could end up in jail for the rest of my life for murder. My life is over.”
    â€œNot if you keep your mouth shut.” Justin sighed. “Look, I didn’t want to kill that lady. You know I didn’t, but she could identify us.”
    â€œIdentify you. She never saw me. You could have hit her over the head or something.”
    Justin tried to reason with her. “Putting a finger on me would put your freedom in jeopardy, too.”
    â€œNot as much as murder would. At least we’d have some kind of future.”
    Justin rubbed the back of his neck. “What’s