Read Online Dust to Dust by Heather Graham - Free Book Online Page A

slivers in his dinner. I threw away his old dishes, and the coffeepot fell on the bag of food with enough force to split it open, then broke. Bruno is my friend—hell, Bruno is my best friend. Can’t go taking any chances.”
    â€œOh, no! You’d never want to take a chance,” Judy said. She smiled at Blake. He smiled back. “Well, I’ll be on my way. Thanks so much, Melanie.” She headed for the door, then turned back to Blake. “You’re a very good master,” she said.
    â€œThanks,” Blake called, watching her leave.
    Melanie wondered if she might be able to build a romance between the two of them. She needed to throw a few more bowwow parties, when her clients brought their dogs in for treats and playtime, then socialized over wine, soda and snacks.
    Blake turned his attention back to Melanie. “So where were you when the lights went out?” he asked.
    Melanie dragged a fifty pound bag of dog food over to Blake, then set two big new bowls on top of it. “Those are on me—I’ll put the food on your account,” she told him, then said, “I was out with my friend Maggie. She’s in from New Orleans. I think you met her last year. We do a weekend now and then. She leaves the kids at home with her husband and comes out here to do grown-up things.”
    Blake nodded, then pointed a finger at her. “I heard about you, young lady. What am I going to do with you?”
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about,” she told him.
    â€œI think you do—not that I’m objecting, mind you. But what did you think? That just because there was a quake and a lot going on, we weren’t going to investigate every incident? We have six beat-up street toughs with rap sheets a mile long in the lockup now, waiting for arraignment. They claimed that you—and some long-haired guy—beat them up.”
    â€œWhat?” Melanie set her hands on her hips. “They…said it was me? ”
    â€œDon’t what me. L.A. is big, but we’re a bunch of neighborhoods. A tall platinum blonde named Melanie who must be a local because Mr. Delancy knows her? All roads lead to you, Mel.”
    â€œThey were attacking Mr. Delancy!” she said indignantly. “They abducted Viv, and God knew what they intended to do to her.”
    Blake laughed. “I’m not saying you beat them up without provocation. We followed up, and Mr. Delancy told us that you saved his skin.” He wagged a finger at her firmly. “But here’s the point. I’m assuming you’ve taken a lot of jitsu-karate-kick-em-up or something, but Melanie, you can’t go taking the law into your own hands—you could get hurt. These gangbangers carry knives, even guns. You may have the best kick in all L. A., but if they shoot you, it’s no help.”
    She flushed. “I’m okay. Honestly.”
    â€œThat’s the point I’m trying to make. You may be okay now, but that’s just ’cuz you got lucky. What about next time? You’re a civilian. A kick-ass civilian, but no cop.”
    â€œBlake, Viv and Mr. Delancy might have died. I had to step in.”
    â€œI’m grateful to you, and they’re grateful to you, but no more,” Blake said firmly. “You think I haven’t heard about you showing up to help out when muggings are going on? No more, and that’s that. And who’s the guy, by the way?”
    â€œWhat guy?” Melanie asked.
    Blake let out a frustrated sigh. “Tall, dark hair, stronger than he looks. Who was he?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Melanie admitted.
    â€œCome on, Mel. He’s not in trouble. I just need to tell him the same thing I just told you about vigilante justice and ending up dead.”
    â€œHonestly, Blake, I don’t know, I swear. He just showed up. I’ve never seen him before.”
    â€œIf you say so,” he said skeptically.