Read Online Freezing Point by Elizabeth Goddard - Free Book Online

conversation?”
    She frowned. “I guess not. It’s not the kind of reporting I usually…”
    The waitress approached their table, carrying a bowl of soup for Casey and an Italian sub for Jesse. After she left, Casey offered to say grace. Jesse bowed his head, thinking about how long it had been since he’d heard someone bless a meal. It felt nice.
    Though Jesse struggled with moral issues regarding his career choice and reconciling that with his Christian life—the things he’d done in the name of his job—he’d reached out only this morning, begging God to keep Casey safe. And God had answered that prayer, hadn’t He?
    It was a start.
    She slurped her soup then looked embarrassed. “Sorry.”
    Jesse smiled. “That’s okay. You’ll forgive me if I happen to drop sauce on my shirt, won’t you?”
    She laughed. He liked the sound, and to see this side of her, rather than the fear in her eyes, the tears and the trembling he’d experienced from her over the last day or so. Jesse’s throat constricted.
    â€œSince I don’t have much time, what say you ask me questions while we eat?” he asked.
    â€œI have a million and this could take days. First, where did you get your training? What is your background?”
    A bite of Jesse’s sub lodged in his throat. He grabbed his water to wash it down. These were the exact kind of questions he hoped to avoid, but what had he expected?
    â€œI created a few pieces in college for fun. Entered competitions. I guess you could say I just have a knack for this sort of thing.” Of course, he left out that his dad was a master chef, and Jesse had learned from him, but that information could jeopardize his mission. He’d given her as much truth as he could.
    If he didn’t play this just right, his supervisor, McCoffey, was going to have his neck—he might anyway. Jesse admitted he’d grossly miscalculated where this path would take him when he agreed to her interview to begin with. But he’d had his reasons then, and he supposed those reasons still remained—to keep an eye on her. But, would McCoffey agree?
    â€œCollege. Did you major in culinary arts then? Where did you attend?” Casey scribbled on her pad.
    Jesse’s cell rang. He glanced at the ID.
    McCoffey. “I’ve gotta take this call, sorry. Hold on.”
    He slipped from the booth.
    He was aware that Casey watched him, even as he walked out the front door. The phone call had given him a reprieve from her questions that had taken a personal direction. Somehow, he needed to direct the interview back to his current occupation, the ice-sculpting process, and the upcoming event.
    If only they could have met under different circumstances. Fortunately, since he was using an undercover name, she wouldn’t be able to discover anything about him on the internet, except what she could find about him on the company website.
    But that could prove to be a problem, as well, if she became curious about his past. A fake background planted on the internet just for her benefit would mean lies upon more lies. Jesse wasn’t sure he could stomach much more.
    â€œWhat’s up?” he asked, letting McCoffey know he was able to talk.
    â€œHarrison Spear’s story is not holding up—he doesn’t appear to have any connection to John Helms as a family friend. But he’s been seen talking to David Gussy. There could be a connection there.”
    David Gussy was second-in-command to John Helms. “And the flash drive that Spear dropped?”
    â€œThe computer-analysis recovery team is on it. I’ll let you know when I know.”
    â€œAnd the girl?” Jesse already knew she was an investigative reporter.
    â€œShe’s a reporter with a history—easy to track. She quit her job in Oregon about a week ago. It’s unclear why she left, but it appears she drove straight to Southern