Read Online Hardass (Bad Bitch) by Christina Saunders - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christina Saunders
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he survives, but he’s still kicking.”
“Family?” Sometimes parents were the best way to get to witnesses. Even the most hardened deviant would accept calls from his mom.
“Parents are dead. He has a brother, polar opposite. Lives in the Garden District, big house, wife, kids, job in the financial sector. Might be worth talking to. Maybe he could tell us where his brother went wrong?”
“Seems like a good start. Got the morgue lined up?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out my window, perusing the patches of Mississippi River in the distance. “Yes.” She bit her lip.
“You’ll do fine, Ms. Montreat. We won’t be doing any inspections ourselves. It’s just better for us to hear it from Dr. Snider while he looks them over in person. We need to know every detail, every bit of minutiae that can help our case.”
“And you’ll be there with me?”
Something in my chest warmed as her gaze returned to mine. I ran a hand through my hair, as if that would make the sensation stop. “Yes, I’ll be there.”
“Okay.” She let out a pent-up breath. “Okay, I think I can do it.”
“You can. I wouldn’t have chosen you for this assignment if I didn’t think you could handle it.”
Her face brightened.
“But don’t let it go to your head.”
She rose and swayed her hips to my door. “I’ll get to work on our game plan for Monday’s visit to Algiers. Anything else I should attend to?” She shot a look over her shoulder and busted me looking at her perfect, plump ass.
I played it off by yelling for Shirley to bring me the jail docket for the afternoon. Before I could give any more directives, Trent strolled in.
“Ms. Montreat, are you attending the get-together for Judge Lane tomorrow evening?”
Shit
.
I’d forgotten all about the fund-raiser we were throwing for Tim Lane.
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Her easy charm even got a smile out of Trent; she was that good.
She continued down the hall back to her office as Trent came inside and closed my door. “Did you forget about this weekend?”
“No, not at all.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Sure you didn’t. Doesn’t matter. You’re coming. Now, do you want to talk about Ms. Montreat?”
My stomach churned as I tried to gauge the correct response.
Trent sat in one of my chairs and continued on, seemingly oblivious to the guilt that covered me from head to toe. “Well, how’s she doing? You think she’s going to be able to handle the big leagues?”
I relaxed, my paranoia at bay. “Her performance has been good so far. She’s spotted some key issues and seems to be proactive about moving the case along.”
“That’s what I like to hear. As you know, she certainly wasn’t my first choice for the position, but if she turns out to be a good hire, then that’s just all the better.”
“I think she is.”
“Good to know.” He rose, the interrogation finished. When he got to the door, he paused. “Just watch yourself with her, Wash. That’s all I’m going to say.”
“I—”
He held up his hand. “I know you wouldn’t. But just be careful. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Hero worship and all that. Keep her at arm’s length. We don’t need any scandals. Got it?”
“Of course.”
“Good talk.” He left, greeting the secretaries and paralegals as he made his way to his side of the office.
I leaned back in my chair and looked to the ceiling, just breathing for a minute. Trent didn’t know or he would have said something then and there.
This was my wake-up call. I needed to get back on the straight and narrow and keep my relationship with Caroline—Ms. Montreat—strictly business. The slip with her the previous night was a moment of temporary insanity. I would see to it that we were never alone like that again.
Chapter Six
Caroline
I couldn’t wait to be alone with Mr. Granade again. Parts south tingled at the memory of his mouth, and I couldn’t forget his gravelly voice—the sheer
“Family?” Sometimes parents were the best way to get to witnesses. Even the most hardened deviant would accept calls from his mom.
“Parents are dead. He has a brother, polar opposite. Lives in the Garden District, big house, wife, kids, job in the financial sector. Might be worth talking to. Maybe he could tell us where his brother went wrong?”
“Seems like a good start. Got the morgue lined up?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out my window, perusing the patches of Mississippi River in the distance. “Yes.” She bit her lip.
“You’ll do fine, Ms. Montreat. We won’t be doing any inspections ourselves. It’s just better for us to hear it from Dr. Snider while he looks them over in person. We need to know every detail, every bit of minutiae that can help our case.”
“And you’ll be there with me?”
Something in my chest warmed as her gaze returned to mine. I ran a hand through my hair, as if that would make the sensation stop. “Yes, I’ll be there.”
“Okay.” She let out a pent-up breath. “Okay, I think I can do it.”
“You can. I wouldn’t have chosen you for this assignment if I didn’t think you could handle it.”
Her face brightened.
“But don’t let it go to your head.”
She rose and swayed her hips to my door. “I’ll get to work on our game plan for Monday’s visit to Algiers. Anything else I should attend to?” She shot a look over her shoulder and busted me looking at her perfect, plump ass.
I played it off by yelling for Shirley to bring me the jail docket for the afternoon. Before I could give any more directives, Trent strolled in.
“Ms. Montreat, are you attending the get-together for Judge Lane tomorrow evening?”
Shit
.
I’d forgotten all about the fund-raiser we were throwing for Tim Lane.
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Her easy charm even got a smile out of Trent; she was that good.
She continued down the hall back to her office as Trent came inside and closed my door. “Did you forget about this weekend?”
“No, not at all.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Sure you didn’t. Doesn’t matter. You’re coming. Now, do you want to talk about Ms. Montreat?”
My stomach churned as I tried to gauge the correct response.
Trent sat in one of my chairs and continued on, seemingly oblivious to the guilt that covered me from head to toe. “Well, how’s she doing? You think she’s going to be able to handle the big leagues?”
I relaxed, my paranoia at bay. “Her performance has been good so far. She’s spotted some key issues and seems to be proactive about moving the case along.”
“That’s what I like to hear. As you know, she certainly wasn’t my first choice for the position, but if she turns out to be a good hire, then that’s just all the better.”
“I think she is.”
“Good to know.” He rose, the interrogation finished. When he got to the door, he paused. “Just watch yourself with her, Wash. That’s all I’m going to say.”
“I—”
He held up his hand. “I know you wouldn’t. But just be careful. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Hero worship and all that. Keep her at arm’s length. We don’t need any scandals. Got it?”
“Of course.”
“Good talk.” He left, greeting the secretaries and paralegals as he made his way to his side of the office.
I leaned back in my chair and looked to the ceiling, just breathing for a minute. Trent didn’t know or he would have said something then and there.
This was my wake-up call. I needed to get back on the straight and narrow and keep my relationship with Caroline—Ms. Montreat—strictly business. The slip with her the previous night was a moment of temporary insanity. I would see to it that we were never alone like that again.
Chapter Six
Caroline
I couldn’t wait to be alone with Mr. Granade again. Parts south tingled at the memory of his mouth, and I couldn’t forget his gravelly voice—the sheer
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