Read Online Reckless Pleasures by Tori Carrington - Free Book Online Page B

daughter in the doorway. Megan had seen her before, but only in passing. A quick once-over told Megan the woman was maybe twenty, at least eight months pregnant and unmarried, if her empty ring finger, and lack of any sign that a ring usually occupied the space, was any indication.
    She straightened. “That’s all right. Do what you need to. You won’t bother me.”
    “Are you sure?”
    She nodded, returning her attention to the map in front of her and rearranging her headset as she spoke to the team leader, directing him which direction to go.
    “Head east-southeast,” she told him. “It’ll take you approximately two and a half hours to reach the first clearing…”
    A head popped up from the other side of the table.
    Megan blinked at wide blue eyes and a mop of blond curls. The kid was maybe two…and had taken an open interest in Megan and what she was doing.
    A chubby hand appeared slowly and reached for the map.
    Megan automatically shifted it to a position of safety, glad that the kid was vertically challenged, not tall enough to bypass her movements without changing position.
    “Daisy, leave the nice lady alone,” the cleaning girl said.
    The two-year-old didn’t appear to hear her, making a grunting sound as she tried and failed to reach the map. The name Daisy suited the child with her big, round face and yellow curls.
    The girl came over and picked the kid up. “Sorry. My babysitter bailed on me this morning and I had to bring her to work. I would have left her with my mother, but she’s got an appointment this morning and can’t look after her.”
    Megan rose to her full height. “That’s okay.” She extended her hand. “I’m Megan.”
    The girl looked puzzled for a moment and then chagrined. “Oh! I’m sorry.” She began to extend her own hand, saw the yellow rubber glove there, then peeled it off before offering it again. “Dorothy. My, um, parents own the place.”
    They shook briefly. “You have babysitter probs a lot?” Megan asked, surprised to find herself happy for the distraction from her thoughts.
    Dorothy gave an eye roll. “You have no idea. This is my sixth daytime sitter in five months that’s proven unreliable.” She grimaced. “That’s what happens when your resources are limited.”
    “I imagine.” She nodded toward the coffeepot. “You want a cup?”
    “Me? Oh, no! I mean, yes, I’d love some, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. I have a lot to get done this morning.” She put the child down again. “Thanks for letting me clean up in here.”
    “Sure. No problem.”
    Daisy made a beeline for the table.
    “No!” Dorothy reprimanded her.
    Megan instantly lifted the map out of reach and found herself smiling at the cherub’s devilish expression.
    Meg folded the map and placed it out of reach, then took a notepad out instead, turning it to a clean page before reaching for markers.
    “You go on ahead and do what you need to do,” Megan said to Dorothy. “Daisy and I are just going to do a little drawing.”

10
    FOLLOWING A TEN-MINUTE DRIVE, Dari climbed out of the passenger’s side of the rented SUV with little difficulty despite his temporary cast and took in the scene around him. Jason had driven them to the sheriff’s office. He fought a frown. He’d hoped he’d get to see some search duty.
    The small Florida town was flat and green and flush with thick forests, a far cry from Colorado Springs. Dari’s mind was alive with possibilities of where someone might hide the body of a young girl so she might never be found again.
    Even though he had on a standard-issue khaki T-shirt and pants, he might as well have been wearing a fur coat. He was used to the heat, but this wasn’t just hot, it was suffocating, even this early in the morning.
    Jason came to stand next to him and leaned against the SUV. He lit up a cigarette.
    Dari reached for it. “Since when did you take up smoking again?”
    His friend moved his hand away. “Since when did you