Read Online Flourless to Stop Him by Nancy J. Parra - Free Book Online Page B

legs, his large tail smacking the police officer in a flurry of happiness.
    “What’s with all the knocking?” Tim grumbled behind me. “You know I sleep days.”
    “I have a warrant to search the premises.” Officer Emry puffed up his chest and stuck out his chin. There were two junior officers standing behind him. I had no idea what their names were, but their faces looked familiar, which meant I knew their families.
    “Aubrey, come here.” I grabbed the puppy just seconds before he stuck his nose in the wrong place.
    “You have to have just cause for a warrant,” Tim said.
    “You being here is cause in my book,” Emry said.
    For a moment I thought Tim was going to lunge at him. My brother always had a bit of a temper and when woken up abruptly tended to act before he thought. I stuck my hand out to halt him. Tim narrowed his eyes and leaned against my hand. Officer Emry leaned back a fraction. Aubrey barked for good measure.
    “Stop! All of you.” The dog went quiet and the two men relaxed. “Let me see the warrant.” I held out my hand toward the officer.
    He put the paper in my hand and then placed his hands on his gun belt. “Please step aside,” he said and eyed Aubrey. “Put the dog away.” I pushed Aubrey onto Tim and maneuvered both of them behind me as Officer Emry opened the door. “Is there anyone else in the house?”
    “Yes, my cousin Mindy is staying with us. Tasha and Kip are both out.” I glanced at the grandfather clock in the hallway. “But they will be home any moment.”
    “I’m calling Ridgeway,” Tim groused and held Aubrey with one hand and took out his cell phone with the other.
    “Call him all you want; we have a warrant.” Emry swaggered into the house with the two junior officers.
    “What are you looking for?” I asked as I skimmed over the legal document. “I could help you find it.”
    “We’re looking for evidence of drugs and drugparaphernalia,” one of the junior officers said. He was blond and blue-eyed, with the German good looks of a Kansas farm family. I noted his name tag said Warwick.
    “Good luck finding that,” I said with a laugh and waved them inside. “I’ve got some aspirin in the medicine cabinet, along with all kinds of stomach remedies.”
    “Dealers don’t usually keep their stashes in the medicine cabinet,” Officer Emry noted and narrowed one eye.
    “There are no drug dealers in this house.” I rolled my eyes.
    “We have just cause to believe there are.” Emry stared at Tim.
    I frowned and looked at my brother. “Tim?”
    “I have no idea what he’s talking about.” Tim shrugged. His green tee shirt moved with his broad shoulders. He had pulled on a pair of jeans that sat on his hips unbelted so that the top of his shorts showed.
    “Start at the top and work your way down,” Officer Emry ordered the two junior officers. Officer Warwick took the stairs two at a time.
    “Let me warn my cousin.” I went to take the stairs when Officer Emry stopped me with a hand on my arm.
    “They’ll knock before entering.”
    “I’m calling Ridgeway,” Tim said again and this time dialed his phone. “This is harassment.”
    Aubrey let out a loud bark as if to agree.
    Officer Emry jumped at the sound and put me between him and the pup. “Keep that dog restrained.”
    “He’s only a puppy.”
    “A monster-sized puppy,” Officer Emry said as he eyed him cautiously.
    “He has a kennel on the back porch. Tim could crate him if he makes you uncomfortable.”
    “Keep the dog away from me and no one will get hurt,” Emry said. “You two need to stay in the front parlor or I will have to arrest you for interfering.”
    “Ridiculous,” I muttered. Emry ignored my remark, hitched his gun belt on his hips, and followed Tim back toward the kitchen. I noticed that I had left my purse and cell phone on the counter. I followed the officer back into the kitchen.
    He opened cabinets and drawers, pushing aside my containers of flours and