by Ford, Angela
Excerpt from Bare
Excitement of her new purchases had her preoccupied. She stepped outside McCarthy’s Firearms to hail a cab and hadn’t noticed him. The collision jolted her bags from her hands. She started to apologize but the beautiful man she viewed left her speechless.
“Whoa! Someone is in a hurry.”
His hands landed on her upper arms. The heat that generated against her bare skin from his touch left her dazed. No man had ever had that effect with one single touch. His dark lashes encircled his hazel eyes and held her stare. She desperately fought the urge to run her hands through his darkened sexy mess of hair. Then plant her lips on his perfect pout. Snap out of it Shay. This man is a total stranger.
“I’m sorry”
Her heart skipped a beat when he smiled, “Not to worry”. He bent down to retrieve her bags. One item had fallen out of the bag and he reached for it.
“Bedside backup” He read the label on the box and then placed it back in the bag. He handed Shay her bags with a raised eyebrow. Before he could tease her about it, she figured she’d make the first wisecrack.
“Every single girl in the city needs one.”
He laughed, “Good one. But it is always good for a single girl to remain safe in this city”.
Shay smiled. A hot guy with sensitivity and smarts; she figured he must be attached to someone.
The good ones always are.
Bare
Miss Demeanor Series
Book 2
Angela Ford
Bare
A Books to Go Now Publication
Copyright © Angela Ford 2015
Books to Go Now
Cover Design by Romance Novel Covers Now
Also published on Smashwords
For information on the cover illustration and design, contact [email protected]
First eBook Edition –October 2015
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously.
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Dedication
Dedicated to the strongest woman I know and love: my daughter Shaylyn. Love you Boo xo
Look for Angela Ford’s other titles
Forever Winter
Closure, Unforgettable Kiss, Forbidden, Blind Tasting (The Love List Series), The Christmas Wreath (Forever Christmas Series & Christmas Heroes), Surrender (Valentine Romance Series), Christmas Cookbook, Valentine Cookbook, Spellbound Cinderella (Cinderella Body Club Series), Time to Love (Mirror of Time Travel Series), Sunset Kisses (Sunset Beach Romance Series),
Love Again (The Sheltered Love Series)
Chapter One
A gentle swishing sound, like the rustling of leaves in the trees, stirred her thoughts. The faded lights of the old lampposts dimmed her visual of the little park beside the library. She didn’t worry. She hadn’t seen a soul on her stroll. She inhaled the floral scent of the potted flowers and continued on until a crackling sound made her stand still.
The small, but quaint park remained empty and dark. She assumed the rustling in the shrubs must be an animal. She turned her head slowly and searched her surroundings to make sure she was alone. She felt her heartbeat speed up at the thought of unwanted company. Her hand rested on her holster, ready to draw her pistol if needed. She’d been left to walk the beat alone when her partner went home sick. Not in a hurry to move, she lifted one foot. A tumbled stone beneath it startled her.
“Shit!” she cursed and then laughed. “Pull it together, girl. This isn’t Elm Street. It’s Main Street in Connell.”
A sudden echoed screech jolted her to lift her face into the hazy sky. The quick stretch of her neck caused an instant pain. She rubbed the side of it as she looked up, and then ducked quickly. A chill ran up her spine when she noticed the creature’s wings spread just inches above her head. It flapped swiftly past her.
She sucked in a quick breath. “Damn bat.”
Shay laughed. She wondered what she expected to find in this small town with few misdemeanors. Connell, one of the safest communities in the country, repressed her from the excitement she yearned for. Or maybe she watched too much crime television. She continued along her beat. The closed shops were only slightly visible from the lights left on within. When Shay reached the only pharmacy in town, the thought that nothing ever happened here, returned.
What? Did I jinx myself?
The door to the pharmacy was ajar. She hesitated to call for backup. She knew her fellow male officers would only tease and call her a scared girl. Heaven forbid we follow protocol. She’d fought hard to earn their respect. Ten years and still no promotion, yet those who started after her climbed the ranks. It pissed her off. Shay graduated from the academy with the highest marks and ran five miles every morning. She figured the only reason she wasn’t promoted had to be the fact she was female.
She drew her pistol and slowly pushed the door open. The few dimmed lights inside the store didn’t give her enough visibility. She reached for her flashlight and listened and then whispered to herself, “Yep, nothing ever happens in Connell.”
The distant moans and groans from the back of the store confirmed it wasn’t a break and enter. She cleared her throat loud enough for it to startle them.
“Connell Police, put your hands where I can see them.”
Thankful for the excitement on her shift, Shay tried to hold back the laughter. She remembered being a teenager, but figured she’d at least put the fear of God into them. She shone the flashlight into the eyes of two half-naked teens.
“What the fuck?”
“Matthew Bradley?”
Everyone knew everyone in Connell. Matthew’s father owned the pharmacy. He must have trusted his son to close shop and lock up.
“Officer Brooks. Sorry, I—I—you scared the crap out of me. How did you get inside?”
Shay moved her flashlight so the beam hit the opened front door. “Guess you forgot to lock it before you got all hot and bothered. What do you think your father will say about that? And what will he say about her?” Shay moved the light back to the girl who frantically attempted to put her shirt back on.
“Oh shit! Dad’s gonna kill me. He’ll never trust me to close again.”
Matthew pulled his shirt over his head and stood in front of his girlfriend. It impressed Shay that he tried to block her and let her keep some dignity.
Shay climbed the porch steps and noticed the outside light flicker. She made a mental note to change the bulb and replace the lock. She’d fought with the key for the past year. Everything was old, but she loved the little blue house with white shutters. It was hers—well in another week, it wouldn’t be. She’d renovated the inside two years ago and replaced the roof the year before. But there was always something to fix and for the past few months since her decision to sell, she�
��d done most of the small repairs herself. Being single in a small town sucked, there weren’t a lot of choices.
Shay closed and bolted the door. She chuckled as she remembered the excitement on her shift earlier that night. She tossed her keys on the table and climbed the stairs. A hot shower was the first thing on her list. Shay slipped into a pair of comfy sleep pants and an old T-shirt. She combed through her damp hair with her fingers and tied it into a high ponytail. Her feet slapped against the hardwood steps as she made her way back downstairs and into the kitchen. She grabbed a cold beer from her fridge and noticed the pizza she’d ordered the night before. She lifted the box and discovered there were a few slices left—perfect. The only meal she cooked was brunch. She’d worked four o’clock to midnight for five years. The afternoon shift kept her awake until two in the morning and in bed until ten. On her days off, she went to her mom’s for dinner.
She turned her television on to the trusted channel that showed reruns of her favorite crime shows. She always found excitement there. Nestled in her big comfy chair, she pulled the ottoman closer with her feet and rested her legs. She reached beside her for her laptop and pulled it open. Another part of her routine she looked forward to: her Lady Cop chat room.
“Hey River.”
Shay had met River in the chat room, along with a couple of other lady cops she’d become friends with—Maile and Cassie. They’d finally decided to meet in person five months ago. Each friend had tired of the small-town cop jobs, mainly because they hadn’t been able to climb the ladder through the ranks. Shay and her lady cop chat room friends met for a week’s vacation and came up with the plan to open their own business.
River’s Uncle Mike graciously offered to let them stay at one of his properties. An extravagant one at that; he spoiled them with a holiday of pure relaxation. Shay and her friends were treated with aromatherapy massages and afternoons by the pool. Though they experienced a spectacular view of Seattle’s skyline at Mike’s resort, they couldn’t resist the opportunity to venture out and explore Seattle.
Shay listed her home and it sold quickly within a month but waited to resign until she had completed the necessary work to become a private investigator. She told no one, not even her mother. Shay told the white lie that she’d tired of fixing an older home and wanted something newer. She knew if her mom knew the real story, she’d try to talk her out of it and tell her she was making a reckless decision. But she knew her mom would just miss her.
River found affordable apartments for them so they could get their business off the ground, all thanks to River’s Uncle, Mike—a friend of River’s father but more like family, she told them when she introduced him. Mike Dunbar urged all of them to call him Uncle Mike as well. He owned the apartment building along with many properties in Seattle. He also helped make the agency happen as their silent partner. The women were indebted to him.
“How was your shift Shay? Any excitement on your beat?”
Shay laughed at River’s sarcasm. Her friend knew nothing happened in Connell, just as Shay knew nothing happened in her small town of Bear Creek.
“Actually, River, I did have a touch of excitement tonight.”
River laughed when Shay filled her in on the half-naked teens in the pharmacy.
“Did you call his father?”
“Nah, I just made them sweat and scared the shit out of them. I’m sure next time they decide to have hanky-panky after hours; they’ll make sure the door is closed and locked. Matthew is normally a very responsible young adult.”
Shay lifted the bottle to her lips and took a drink, “So, where’s Maile and Cassie? Are they on tonight?”
“They were earlier. Everyone is almost ready for the big move. Are you ready, Shay?”
“More than you’ll ever know.” She laughed, “And it’s funny that my last shift was the most exciting one.”
Shay thought about her partner, Steve. He’d tried to convince her that she’d made a rash decision. She figured he only said so because he’d miss her too. He’d been distant the last few days and probably the reason he went home sick tonight. To her, he seemed fine. Her fellow officers took her out on the weekend for a goodbye party but she could tell their well wishes were false. She knew they expected her to fail and come crawling back. It only made her more determined to make this plan work.
“I have pictures of our office to show you. The renovations are complete.”
River’s enthusiasm brought Shay back from her thoughts. She opened the file with anticipation. Shay had travelled back and forth to Seattle over the past several months but hadn’t been there to see the final touches. She was more than ready to settle in Seattle.
“This is amazing, River. I can’t wait to see it in person.”
Shay said good night to River and closed her laptop. She grinned at the thought of her life-changing decision.
“I’m moving to Seattle to be a private investigator.”
Chapter Two
“Careful with that one,” Shay said and startled her brother. She couldn’t believe how much she’d collected in four years, even after she’d sold most of her furniture. She wouldn’t need a houseful in her new apartment.
“This must be Grandma’s china in here,” her brother teased as he reached down for the box.
“My guns.”
Her brother rolled his eyes and laughed. “Figures. No wonder you can’t get a date.”
“Ha, ha, Ray the comedian. Everybody here is either married, in a relationship or old.”
“So you’re moving to Seattle for a man.”
Shay knew Ray loved to torment as most brothers did.
“I’m moving for a career, not for a man.” She made her point with her arms crossed. Silently she hoped that Seattle offered more choice than Connell.
One last walk through the house confirmed everything was either in her car or on the moving truck. She spoke briefly with the movers before they left and then turned to her brother.
“Thanks for all your help, Ray.”
He hugged her. “I’m gonna miss ya, sis. Don’t forget about us.”
Shay smiled and promised with a nod, then handed her keys to the proud new owner of the little blue house with white shutters.
“I know you and Lisa will be happy here.”
Shay had one more stop—an emotional one, she knew—to say goodbye to her mom.
June, the owner of the art studio next to the agency, walked out her door carrying a tray full of champagne glasses. “Congratulations ladies.” She joined Shay and her friends to watch the new sign placed between the two arched, mullioned windows. The black rectangular sign enriched with gold leaf raised letters read: Miss Demeanor Private Detective Agency.
“Thanks June, this is so sweet of you.”
Shay accepted a glass along with her friends and they toasted. She silently laughed at June’s expression when she mentioned she’d met Cory. Shay knew it probably wouldn’t be the last expression she noticed when introducing their new receptionist and administrative assistant. Cory’s attire could be taken as a little eccentric but this was Seattle and anything was in style. Besides her plaid short skirts, black tights and bright colorful tops, Cory’s short black hair streaked with bright blue would grab anyone’s attention.
****
Renee Mills noticed the new private detective agency sign when she left the art gallery. She’d taken up painting again when Beth left for college. Her daughter always came first over the years, from dance classes to soccer games and the many activities in between. Renee didn’t mind. In fact she loved every minute she spent with her daughter.
She dabbled here and there over the years when she had the chance to hide in the space her husband built for her above the garage. The large picture windows he installed provided a clear view of the outside scenery as well as all
owed sunlight to penetrate throughout. The small casement windows on either side allowed for ventilation. A spectacular view of Seattle’s skyline inspired her painting.
Renee missed him dearly. A heart attack took her husband from her too soon last Christmas. Her daughter cut off ties with her mother just months after her father’s sudden death. Beth hadn’t returned Renee’s calls since she’d met Rick. She’d finished her business degree but decided against law school, Renee discovered through the mother of a friend of Beth’s. It saddened her that her daughter had thrown her future career away for a man, who was no good for her.
Empty seats in the reception area made her wonder if they were open for business. She’d never thought about a private detective until she noticed the sign. Renee hoped they could help. She was desperate to save her daughter.
“Good morning. Welcome to Miss Demeanor Private Detective Agency. I’m Cory. How may I assist you today?”
Renee had been admiring the painting on the wall and the voice startled her. She turned to discover a young woman with a perky smile and shocking blue, streaked hair.
“Good morning. I’m Renee Mills. Is the agency open? It appears quiet”—Renee moved her head in a one-eighty degree turn—“and empty.”
“Yes, we are open. The new owners have just taken over. Would you like to speak with one of our private detectives?”
Renee nodded, still unsure but hopeful. She’d give anything to help her daughter, though she knew she had no say in her daughter’s life anymore. At twenty-two, Beth was a legal adult.