Read Online Somebody Killed His Editor: Holmes & Moriarity, Book 1 by Josh Lanyon - Free Book Online Page B

that there was bad blood.”
    “Ancient history,” I said. “We had a five-minute thing way back when.”
    Not that I wasn’t delighted to help take her mind off her troubles, but her astonishment seemed out of proportion. “When?”
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    Somebody Killed His Editor
    “Years ago. Before David and I were…committed.” About a week before we were committed. And committed was pretty much the right word—as in, I should have been for even thinking of it considering what I’d already known then about David. “Maybe J.X. is still carrying a torch,” I added lightly, my ego still smarting.
    She giggled. She is not a woman given to giggling.
    “Or maybe he just wants to burn me at the stake.”
    She burst out laughing.
    “Hey, it’s not that funny.”
    “It is actually,” Rachel retorted. “My God, Christopher, didn’t you know that he’s straight? ”

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Chapter Eight
    A lesser man would have sprayed gin and tonic across the table. I managed to choke mine down and demand, “Since when?”
    Rachel raised her elegant eyebrows. “Since…forever, I suppose. It’s not a secret. He’s married.”
    “He’s not wearing a ring.” I blushed as soon as the words were out, but yes, I had noticed. But that’s because I’m a mystery writer and we…notice things.
    “Not everyone wears wedding rings. He’s straight. He’s married.” Rachel delivered it like an official pronouncement. Like she was one of the fairies gifting Sleeping Beauty’s christening: Beauty. Intelligence.
    Heterosexual.
    “That’s impossible .”
    She shook her head, like it was all she could do not to break out into guffaws.
    “I’m telling you, I would know,” I said a tad heatedly. “I spent four days and three nights with him.
    He was not faking .”
    “Maybe he was experimenting,” she said. “Maybe it was just a phase.”
    “No.”
    “I’m only telling you what everyone knows.” Her eyes were curious. “Does it bother you so much?”
    Yes. It did. And I wasn’t sure why—unless it was the idea that three nights with me had turned him straight?
    Rachel closed the lid on her laptop. “Christopher, you’re a mystery writer. Look at the evidence. He’s gorgeous, rich, talented, over thirty. Why wouldn’t he be married?”
    “I’m thinking it’s because he’s a pain in the ass—don’t say it—perfectionist.”
    “He’s married and they have a baby.”
    I swallowed hard. “Okay. I grant you that he’s probably in a relationship with someone, but I don’t believe he’s straight. How would you know this? I’ve read interviews with him and he’s never said a word about his sexuality. Nothing. Ever.”
    “I read People magazine. I remember the article.”
    “When was this?”
    “Five years ago.”
    “Maybe he’s divorced.”
    “Maybe he is.” Rachel was losing interest fast. “Why don’t you ask him?”

    Somebody Killed His Editor
    Yeah. Right. I said, “He lives in San Francisco. He writes a series about a gay San Francisco homicide cop.”
    She shook her head. “Dirk Van de Meer is totally heterosexual. His partner Gabe is gay.”
    “That’s obviously a commercial compromise—gay lit is in a slump.”
    She sighed. “Christopher, you really need to pay attention to what’s happening in the market. Erotica is—”
    “Everything is not always about books and publishing.”
    Rachel’s face mirrored astonishment. “What an odd thing for you to say.”
    It was.
    I said, “This is all totally hearsay. Circumstantial.”
    “Well, we’re not actually trying him in court.” Rachel’s restored good humor was irritating me beyond belief. “But I can see why you were confused. He is very well-groomed.”
    “ There ,” I said triumphantly. Even impeccably turned-out Inspector Appleby didn’t dress “gay vague”.
    “And he does wear an earring,” Rachel admitted, glancing at her wristwatch, “so he doesn’t mind wearing some