Read Online Zeph Undercover by Jenny Andersen - Free Book Online Page B

around.”
    Zeph’s gaze homed in on the blonde again and locked there. She turned, and his heart skipped a beat. “Damn.”
    “What?”
    “Allie’s here. She knows I’m a P. I. She’s my cover and she’s not expecting me here.”
    Frank raised the other eyebrow. “I’ll warn her not to blow it. Give me a few minutes and then drift over to join us.”
    “Right.” After Frank left, Zeph got another drink—ginger ale this time—and gave himself a stern order: pay attention to business.
    Drifting took about fifteen minutes. Frank stood talking to a man Zeph would have spotted as a politician anywhere. Zeph joined them. Allie was nowhere in sight.
    Frank turned to the politician. “Clark, this is Zeph Granger. He’s in town for a few days, so I thought I’d bring him along tonight. He’s looking to do some investing in your fair town. Zeph, Clark Hunnewill, the mayor of this fine city. He’ll be a good man for you to know.”
    Allie had come up beside the mayor in time to hear Frank’s introduction. Zeph saw shock in her eyes for a split second before she covered it. Apparently Frank hadn’t had a chance to warn her, but her smile barely faltered. Impressive. And she said she couldn’t act. “Hello, Allie,” he said, and drew her into the group.
    “Allie!” Hunnewill exclaimed. “I wondered where you’d gotten to.” He put an arm around her.
    Zeph stiffened before he remembered he didn’t have any right to object.
    “Allie’s my favorite vet,” Hunnewill said. “Knew more about horses than anyone else even before she graduated. You another horse fancier?”
    Zeph fought to keep his lip from curling at the hearty voice and the genial, man’s-man stance. His bad-guy detector quivered.
    “You’ll have to meet Chaz Mentrine,” the mayor went on. “He raises Peruvian Pasos.”
    Zeph tried to look intelligent. What the hell was a Peruvian whatever?
    “In fact, there’s Chaz now.” The mayor waved a gray-haired man over to join them. He wore a suit that cost more than Zeph made in a month. “Mentrine, Granger here is a visiting horseman and investor.”
    “Glad to meet you,” Mentrine said, as though he meant it. “And Allie. How’s my favorite vet? All ready for tomorrow?”
    Allie laughed. “You bet. And thank you again for—well, everything.”
    Zeph bristled. Tomorrow? Everything?
    “Thank you, Allie. I appreciate the house call. We have to work out something on a regular basis. I don’t let just anyone mess with my horses.”
    Allie nodded. “Of course I’m available, Chaz, but you need a local vet for emergencies, you know.”
    Mentrine nodded—an absent ‘Sure. My way or the highway’ kind of gesture—and turned to Zeph. “Granger, you’ll have to visit my ranch. My horses are real beauties. In fact, why don’t you come with Allie tomorrow?”
    “Good idea,” Allie said. The glance she shot at Zeph said she lied. “We’ll pick you up about nine. I can give you a call when we’re about ten minutes from the hotel.”
    The “we” rang alarm bells in Zeph’s head and he worked to keep a polite smile on his face. Somehow, with Allie involved, his famous poker face didn’t exist.
    “If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, it’s almost time for dinner. I’d better go find Dad. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” She kissed the mayor on the cheek and left.
    “Nice girl,” Mentrine said. “Too bad her father’s such an old stick in the mud.”
    Zeph raised an eyebrow in silent question.
    Hunnewill laughed. “He was known as The Unbribable when he was on the bench. Chaz didn’t like to have to depend on the skill of his lawyers—very expensive lawyers, but still...”
    “You bribe a lot of judges?” Zeph asked mildly.
    “He’s just jerking my chain,” Mentrine said. But the look he sent Hunnewill’s way was distinctly unfriendly.
    Zeph couldn’t tear his gaze away from Allie’s graceful, swaying walk. When a too-handsome, too-rich-looking man stopped her, greeted