Read Online Hard Rock (A Hardboiled Private Investigator Mystery Series): John Rockne Mysteries 2 by Dani Amore - Free Book Online
Authors: Dani Amore
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I had always known that Elizabeth would only get more beautiful as she aged. That’s why they call it classic beauty. It gets better with age.
“Hi Elizabeth,” I said.
She had a choice and I could see her weighing her options. Walk toward me and continue the conversation, or turn to her left, walk through the doors and leave without a second thought.
It was hard for me to believe that I had ever made love to this woman. It was such a strange thought, but it was true. Some of the scenarios I had re-lived during long stretches of a stakeout had taken place with someone else. This woman in front of me was a stranger.
In a move that shocked me more than I could have imagined, she bypassed the doors and came directly to me. She stopped and for a moment I thought she was going to hug me.
But she didn’t.
“How are you?” she asked. Physically, she had changed. But her voice remained exactly the same. It took me back and had a far greater effect than I would have imagined.
I quickly shook it off. I couldn’t help but feel the situation was totally ridiculous. I’d imagined bumping into her, thought about what I would say, but nothing came to mind.
“Fine,” I said. “You?”
I glanced down at the leather folio in her hand.
“Busy but good,” she said. “You’re a private investigator now, right?”
She smiled at me, and it was a dazzler. No kidding. It reminded me of a Christmas tree perfectly decorated and totally artificial.
“I am.”
“Is business good?”
“It keeps me busy,” I answered. “What are you up to these days?”
It seemed like a stupid question. She was probably the wealthiest person I knew. I assumed she sat around all day….being rich.
“I run the Foundation now and it’s practically a full-time job.” She was talking about the Pierce Foundation, the giving arm of Pierce Industries that gave away tens of millions of dollars every year.
She glanced at her Cartier watch.
“Speaking of which, I have to get going for a meeting.” She smiled at me again. This one carried less wattage but perhaps just a speck of authenticity.
“You look good, John. Take care.”
This time, she did hug me.
I hugged her back. Smelled her perfume. And honestly, I felt a little weak at the knees.
She left through the doors and I went around the corner, found one of those black leather chairs and sank into it.
I wasn’t sure what had rattled me more.
The sight of Elizabeth.
Or the logo emblazoned across the front of her leather folio.
UAM.
Chapter Seventeen
He chose an upscale chain hotel in downtown Detroit. His theory being that it would have everything he needed, including high-speed Wi-Fi, without the abundance of cameras that were stationed everywhere inside the luxurious but heavily monitored casino hotels.
The Spook checked in using the Dave Mather identity and credit card. The bill went to an email account that was connected to an online bank. The bill would be paid automatically from the fairly substantial balance.
His suite was on the top floor with the bedroom separate from the living area. A porter brought up his bags, which now included a brand-new suitcase full of clothes from a department store at a nearby mall. Also among his belongings was a brand-new laptop still in its box, and a Fender guitar and amp. The laptop had been purchased at the Apple store in the mall, and the guitar had come from his favorite guitar store in Detroit.
First, he unpacked his suitcase and hung up his shirts and jackets. Then he unpacked the laptop, connected it to its power source and turned it on. While it ran through its setup process, he opened the latch of the guitar case and pulled out the used Fender Telecaster. It was already strung and tuned, but he ran through the tuning process like any pro would and changed it to an open G. That was the tuning Keith usually played in, so he did,
“Hi Elizabeth,” I said.
She had a choice and I could see her weighing her options. Walk toward me and continue the conversation, or turn to her left, walk through the doors and leave without a second thought.
It was hard for me to believe that I had ever made love to this woman. It was such a strange thought, but it was true. Some of the scenarios I had re-lived during long stretches of a stakeout had taken place with someone else. This woman in front of me was a stranger.
In a move that shocked me more than I could have imagined, she bypassed the doors and came directly to me. She stopped and for a moment I thought she was going to hug me.
But she didn’t.
“How are you?” she asked. Physically, she had changed. But her voice remained exactly the same. It took me back and had a far greater effect than I would have imagined.
I quickly shook it off. I couldn’t help but feel the situation was totally ridiculous. I’d imagined bumping into her, thought about what I would say, but nothing came to mind.
“Fine,” I said. “You?”
I glanced down at the leather folio in her hand.
“Busy but good,” she said. “You’re a private investigator now, right?”
She smiled at me, and it was a dazzler. No kidding. It reminded me of a Christmas tree perfectly decorated and totally artificial.
“I am.”
“Is business good?”
“It keeps me busy,” I answered. “What are you up to these days?”
It seemed like a stupid question. She was probably the wealthiest person I knew. I assumed she sat around all day….being rich.
“I run the Foundation now and it’s practically a full-time job.” She was talking about the Pierce Foundation, the giving arm of Pierce Industries that gave away tens of millions of dollars every year.
She glanced at her Cartier watch.
“Speaking of which, I have to get going for a meeting.” She smiled at me again. This one carried less wattage but perhaps just a speck of authenticity.
“You look good, John. Take care.”
This time, she did hug me.
I hugged her back. Smelled her perfume. And honestly, I felt a little weak at the knees.
She left through the doors and I went around the corner, found one of those black leather chairs and sank into it.
I wasn’t sure what had rattled me more.
The sight of Elizabeth.
Or the logo emblazoned across the front of her leather folio.
UAM.
Chapter Seventeen
He chose an upscale chain hotel in downtown Detroit. His theory being that it would have everything he needed, including high-speed Wi-Fi, without the abundance of cameras that were stationed everywhere inside the luxurious but heavily monitored casino hotels.
The Spook checked in using the Dave Mather identity and credit card. The bill went to an email account that was connected to an online bank. The bill would be paid automatically from the fairly substantial balance.
His suite was on the top floor with the bedroom separate from the living area. A porter brought up his bags, which now included a brand-new suitcase full of clothes from a department store at a nearby mall. Also among his belongings was a brand-new laptop still in its box, and a Fender guitar and amp. The laptop had been purchased at the Apple store in the mall, and the guitar had come from his favorite guitar store in Detroit.
First, he unpacked his suitcase and hung up his shirts and jackets. Then he unpacked the laptop, connected it to its power source and turned it on. While it ran through its setup process, he opened the latch of the guitar case and pulled out the used Fender Telecaster. It was already strung and tuned, but he ran through the tuning process like any pro would and changed it to an open G. That was the tuning Keith usually played in, so he did,
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