Read Online Dying to Kill (Angel Delaney Mysteries Book #2) by Patricia H. Rushford - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia H. Rushford
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leave and had gone back to work at the PD.”
“No. I need more time away, but . . .” Angel hesitated. “I was thinking today about finding a different type of job. As strange as it may seem, law enforcement is the only thing that sounds appealing.”
“I’m not surprised. You’re a good cop. I know you have some decisions to make, but going into police work to please your father isn’t such a bad thing. Besides, knowing you, I really doubt that’s the case. You don’t strike me as the submissive type.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that your father may have influenced you, but I doubt you’d have gone into law enforcement unless you really wanted to.”
“Maybe.” Angel chewed on her lower lip. “But what about my aversion to guns?”
“Normal reaction considering what you’ve been through.”
“Are you saying I should go back to work for the PD?”
“Not yet. It’s too soon.”
“Yeah,” Angel agreed. “It is.”
Out on the main road, Angel turned south toward Callen’s beach house. “Hey, I’m on my way to your place right now to take care of Mutt.”
“I feel terrible having to leave him alone so long. Should have brought him with me.” He sighed. “But then he’d have been cooped up in the hotel room.”
“You could always come back and get him tonight.” Angel was surprised at the longing she heard in her tone. “And you could see me at the same time. I could try making that soup again.”
“You have no idea how good that sounds. But I can’t.”
“It was just a thought. Anyway, don’t worry about Mutt. I’m taking good care of him. It’s you I’m worried about.” She thought again about driving down to Florence to see him, but she couldn’t leave now—not with Candace and the kids staying at her parents’ house.
“Angel, are you still there?”
“Yeah. Just thinking. I’m pulling into your driveway. If you want to hang on a minute, you can say hello to your dog.”
Mutt looked longingly at her through the picture window, wiggling and bouncing from the window to the door. When Angel finally got the door open, the white fluff ball pounced on her, licking and barking in delight. Angel laughed and leaned down to pick up the wriggling pup. “Hey, Mutt. Are you glad to see me? I have a surprise for you. Callen is on the phone. Want to say hi to him?”
She could have sworn Mutt nodded.
Chuckling, she put the phone to the dog’s ear. Mutt squirmed and whimpered at the sound of Callen’s voice, then barked his own greeting as if to chew his master out for not being there.
Angel put the phone back to her own ear. “I think he’s telling you to come home.”
Callen groaned. “I have a call coming in. I have to go. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Angel pressed the button to end the reception and slipped the phone into her pocket.
I love you too. Had she really said I love you ? The words had slipped out so naturally, as if they’d been saying them for a long time. Maybe in her heart she had. Sudden tears dripped onto Mutt’s silky white fur. The dog whined in sympathy and licked the tears away. Angel shook her head. “I know. I’m being ridiculous.” She pulled a slightly used tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose.
“Come on, dog. Let’s get you something to eat.” She set the wiggle worm on the floor and headed for the kitchen.
Minutes later, Angel sat on the couch watching Mutt devour his special blend. The dog eyed her warily as if he were afraid she’d leave him. When he’d gobbled up the food, he ran toward her and leaped into her lap. After thoroughly kissing her hands and face, he settled into a ball beside her and heaved an enormous sigh.
“You silly little thing. You’re lonesome, aren’t you? If I could have pets at my apartment, I’d take you home with me.” She stroked his head and back, feeling like an ogre at the thought of leaving him again. “Tell you what.
“No. I need more time away, but . . .” Angel hesitated. “I was thinking today about finding a different type of job. As strange as it may seem, law enforcement is the only thing that sounds appealing.”
“I’m not surprised. You’re a good cop. I know you have some decisions to make, but going into police work to please your father isn’t such a bad thing. Besides, knowing you, I really doubt that’s the case. You don’t strike me as the submissive type.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that your father may have influenced you, but I doubt you’d have gone into law enforcement unless you really wanted to.”
“Maybe.” Angel chewed on her lower lip. “But what about my aversion to guns?”
“Normal reaction considering what you’ve been through.”
“Are you saying I should go back to work for the PD?”
“Not yet. It’s too soon.”
“Yeah,” Angel agreed. “It is.”
Out on the main road, Angel turned south toward Callen’s beach house. “Hey, I’m on my way to your place right now to take care of Mutt.”
“I feel terrible having to leave him alone so long. Should have brought him with me.” He sighed. “But then he’d have been cooped up in the hotel room.”
“You could always come back and get him tonight.” Angel was surprised at the longing she heard in her tone. “And you could see me at the same time. I could try making that soup again.”
“You have no idea how good that sounds. But I can’t.”
“It was just a thought. Anyway, don’t worry about Mutt. I’m taking good care of him. It’s you I’m worried about.” She thought again about driving down to Florence to see him, but she couldn’t leave now—not with Candace and the kids staying at her parents’ house.
“Angel, are you still there?”
“Yeah. Just thinking. I’m pulling into your driveway. If you want to hang on a minute, you can say hello to your dog.”
Mutt looked longingly at her through the picture window, wiggling and bouncing from the window to the door. When Angel finally got the door open, the white fluff ball pounced on her, licking and barking in delight. Angel laughed and leaned down to pick up the wriggling pup. “Hey, Mutt. Are you glad to see me? I have a surprise for you. Callen is on the phone. Want to say hi to him?”
She could have sworn Mutt nodded.
Chuckling, she put the phone to the dog’s ear. Mutt squirmed and whimpered at the sound of Callen’s voice, then barked his own greeting as if to chew his master out for not being there.
Angel put the phone back to her own ear. “I think he’s telling you to come home.”
Callen groaned. “I have a call coming in. I have to go. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Angel pressed the button to end the reception and slipped the phone into her pocket.
I love you too. Had she really said I love you ? The words had slipped out so naturally, as if they’d been saying them for a long time. Maybe in her heart she had. Sudden tears dripped onto Mutt’s silky white fur. The dog whined in sympathy and licked the tears away. Angel shook her head. “I know. I’m being ridiculous.” She pulled a slightly used tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose.
“Come on, dog. Let’s get you something to eat.” She set the wiggle worm on the floor and headed for the kitchen.
Minutes later, Angel sat on the couch watching Mutt devour his special blend. The dog eyed her warily as if he were afraid she’d leave him. When he’d gobbled up the food, he ran toward her and leaped into her lap. After thoroughly kissing her hands and face, he settled into a ball beside her and heaved an enormous sigh.
“You silly little thing. You’re lonesome, aren’t you? If I could have pets at my apartment, I’d take you home with me.” She stroked his head and back, feeling like an ogre at the thought of leaving him again. “Tell you what.