Read Online Task Force Bride by Julie Miller - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Julie Miller
Ads: Link
look. “Is she part of your task force investigation?”
“We think she saw the van our rapist uses to abduct his victims. She may even have seen the guy, but didn’t get a clear look at him.”
“I thought you were a K-9 cop, not a detective. Have you been asking her questions, too?”
Pike studied the toe of his boot for a moment, recalling that unexpected urge to kiss her. But he remembered the stark fear he’d seen in her apartment just as clearly. The knife and the wild eyes had reflected how well his attempt to develop a rapport with her had gone. He raised his head, wondering again if he’d misread her silent plea for help a few minutes ago. She was hanging in there with Montgomery. “Her shop and apartment are on my beat. I answered a call there last night.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Alex leaned back against the counter beside Pike. “Why don’t you go over there and do something about it instead of standing here staring like a moon-eyed teenager?”
“What do you mean, do something? I’m not...” Ah, damn. Had Alex picked up on that weird attraction vibe? Without paying any mind to the flak vest and SWAT uniform his brother wore, Pike quipped back, “I can squash you, you know.”
“Hey, I’m older than you—show some respect.”
“Don’t have to.”
“I’ll tell Mom.”
“Mom likes me better.”
Alex shook his head and laughed. “Go over there and say something. Offer her a cup of coffee or a ride home. Give her a break from the Inquisition and she’ll be grateful. Is she nice?”
“Are you matchmaking?” Pike accused. “Hope and I aren’t even friends. She’s not my type.”
He preferred getting to know a woman who might actually like him.
“You don’t have a type. Besides, I don’t buy that ‘she means nothing to me’ line. You’re about to crawl out of your skin with worry, so why don’t you go over there and do something about it?”
“Alex—”
“You can handle her.”
“What does that mean?”
“I know how suave you are with the ladies,” he teased, intimating just the opposite. “At the rate you’re going, Matt and Mark will be married before you.”
“They’re still in school.”
“That’s why I’m helping you out.” Alex gave him enough of a push that Pike had to plant both feet to keep his balance. “What are you waiting for, Casanova?”
“Shut up.” Pike returned the shove, pushing Alex beyond arm’s reach but returning his teasing grin. “It’s a wonder you ever got Audrey to say yes to you.”
“And yet she did.” Alex flashed his wedding ring and cut Pike a break on the teasing. “Follow your instincts, little brother. There’s no other way to figure a woman out. I’ll see you in a week at Sunday dinner. Grandma and Grandpa will be back from their fiftieth anniversary trip. I warn you—Grandma said there’d be pictures.” Alex doffed him a salute and headed toward the conference room. “Good luck.”
“Yeah. See ya Sunday.”
After he watched Alex rejoin his SWAT teammates, Pike looked across the desks to Hope again. He could do this without his older brother’s help. He started walking before he talked himself out of the idea of taking one more stab at proving to Hope that he was one of the good guys. Besides, she’d been up as long as he had, and if he was this tired, she must be exhausted after the emotional ups and downs she’d been through in the past several hours. He’d be doing her a favor to interrupt the grill-fest of questions.
“Yes, LaDonna worked in my office, and yes, I want answers,” Matuszak was explaining as Pike approached. “But I don’t intend to let any woman I know be hurt like that again. Hope has told you everything she knows more than once. I won’t let you put her through anything else, especially something that’s not even admissible in court—like this ludicrous idea of hypnosis.”
“But if it could clarify some detail from what I saw, then I’d—” Hope
“We think she saw the van our rapist uses to abduct his victims. She may even have seen the guy, but didn’t get a clear look at him.”
“I thought you were a K-9 cop, not a detective. Have you been asking her questions, too?”
Pike studied the toe of his boot for a moment, recalling that unexpected urge to kiss her. But he remembered the stark fear he’d seen in her apartment just as clearly. The knife and the wild eyes had reflected how well his attempt to develop a rapport with her had gone. He raised his head, wondering again if he’d misread her silent plea for help a few minutes ago. She was hanging in there with Montgomery. “Her shop and apartment are on my beat. I answered a call there last night.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Alex leaned back against the counter beside Pike. “Why don’t you go over there and do something about it instead of standing here staring like a moon-eyed teenager?”
“What do you mean, do something? I’m not...” Ah, damn. Had Alex picked up on that weird attraction vibe? Without paying any mind to the flak vest and SWAT uniform his brother wore, Pike quipped back, “I can squash you, you know.”
“Hey, I’m older than you—show some respect.”
“Don’t have to.”
“I’ll tell Mom.”
“Mom likes me better.”
Alex shook his head and laughed. “Go over there and say something. Offer her a cup of coffee or a ride home. Give her a break from the Inquisition and she’ll be grateful. Is she nice?”
“Are you matchmaking?” Pike accused. “Hope and I aren’t even friends. She’s not my type.”
He preferred getting to know a woman who might actually like him.
“You don’t have a type. Besides, I don’t buy that ‘she means nothing to me’ line. You’re about to crawl out of your skin with worry, so why don’t you go over there and do something about it?”
“Alex—”
“You can handle her.”
“What does that mean?”
“I know how suave you are with the ladies,” he teased, intimating just the opposite. “At the rate you’re going, Matt and Mark will be married before you.”
“They’re still in school.”
“That’s why I’m helping you out.” Alex gave him enough of a push that Pike had to plant both feet to keep his balance. “What are you waiting for, Casanova?”
“Shut up.” Pike returned the shove, pushing Alex beyond arm’s reach but returning his teasing grin. “It’s a wonder you ever got Audrey to say yes to you.”
“And yet she did.” Alex flashed his wedding ring and cut Pike a break on the teasing. “Follow your instincts, little brother. There’s no other way to figure a woman out. I’ll see you in a week at Sunday dinner. Grandma and Grandpa will be back from their fiftieth anniversary trip. I warn you—Grandma said there’d be pictures.” Alex doffed him a salute and headed toward the conference room. “Good luck.”
“Yeah. See ya Sunday.”
After he watched Alex rejoin his SWAT teammates, Pike looked across the desks to Hope again. He could do this without his older brother’s help. He started walking before he talked himself out of the idea of taking one more stab at proving to Hope that he was one of the good guys. Besides, she’d been up as long as he had, and if he was this tired, she must be exhausted after the emotional ups and downs she’d been through in the past several hours. He’d be doing her a favor to interrupt the grill-fest of questions.
“Yes, LaDonna worked in my office, and yes, I want answers,” Matuszak was explaining as Pike approached. “But I don’t intend to let any woman I know be hurt like that again. Hope has told you everything she knows more than once. I won’t let you put her through anything else, especially something that’s not even admissible in court—like this ludicrous idea of hypnosis.”
“But if it could clarify some detail from what I saw, then I’d—” Hope
Similar Books
