Read Online Death by Denim by Linda Gerber - Free Book Online Page B

bench. “Perfect.” He tucked his hands behind his head. “Maybe we can catch a few Z’s on the way.”
    That left me with no other option than to take the seat next to Ryan.
    Suddenly, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I folded and unfolded my hands in my lap, crossed and uncrossed my legs. Finally, I hugged my arms and stared out the window—anything to avoid looking him in the face. Several hours of awkwardness alone in a dark, enclosed space with Ryan was not exactly what I had in mind when I signed up for the assignment. I would have preferred to make the ride alone.
    He must have misinterpreted my unease because he reached across the empty space between us and placed his hand on my knee. “You okay with this?”
    I stared at his hand, a wave of heat spreading across my face. “What do you mean?”
    “What they’re having you do. You can still back out, you know.”
    “Oh.” I dragged my eyes away from his hand on my knee and searched his face. Was he saying I was a coward? “I won’t back out.”
    “I didn’t think you would.”
    “You understand why I have to do this, then.”
    He cocked his head and gave me a solemn once-over. “Yeah. ’Cause you’re your mother’s daughter.”
    I frowned, hugging my arms even tighter.
    “What? You don’t think so?”
    I shrugged. “I know I’m her daughter.”
    “But?”
    “But I’m not sure what that means.”
    “It means that this is in your blood.”
    “This what? What are you talking about?”
    Ryan spread his hands. “This. The life. You can’t leave well enough alone. You have to know what makes things tick . . . and then you have to do something about it. Just like your mom.”
    I wanted to deny what he was saying was true, but it had been my inability to leave well enough alone that got me mixed up with the Mulos in the first place, and I’m sure Ryan knew that. He probably had a file on me somewhere if he was supposed to be my bodyguard or whatever. He would know that when the Mulos came to our island, I couldn’t rest until I discovered who they really were and what they were up to. And by the time I found that out, I was neck deep in intrigue and it was impossible to walk away.
    “Is it in your blood?” I asked.
    He grinned, his teeth flashing white in the darkness. “Hell, yeah.”
    I latched on to his enthusiasm, hoping to steer the conversation away from me. “Runs in your family?”
    His smile faltered. “Yes,” he said after a moment, “yes, it does.”
    I realized that I must have struck a nerve, but I didn’t know what I should do about it—stay clear or keep pressing. I didn’t have to decide, though, because he took the initiative. “It’s not always black and white,” he said. “Sometimes you can pursue one dream only at the expense of another.”
    “I’m not sure I—”
    “Your mom is fiercely proud of you, Aphra. She must have really trusted that you were ready to find your way, or she wouldn’t have let the job’s call take over.”
    I blinked. How had he done that? He switched from his nerve to mine so smoothly I never saw it coming. Well, I wasn’t going to play into his hands. I steered back into safe territory.
    “Why did you follow me to Paris?” I asked.
    He didn’t hesitate. “To keep an eye on you.”
    “So you didn’t trust my mom to keep me safe?”
    “Listen, Aphra.” His voice grew serious. “When that ring of Mulo’s revealed the list of The Mole’s associates, we were able to capture most of them. But a handful, including The Mole, just went further underground. Until we can account for every name on that list, you are my responsibility.”
    That was sobering enough to keep me quiet for a moment, but then I had to ask, “So you don’t think what I’m doing, going to Varese and all, is dangerous?”
    “On the contrary. I think it’s very dangerous. That’s why I’m riding along.”
    “Oh.” I let that sink in for a moment, but it didn’t compute. “So you’re