“James Hardy is your brother?”
“He is.” Grady was trying to play it cool. He didn’t like sharing information with a mobster, whether he’d been convicted of a crime or not.
Peter leaned back in the armchair, his face unreadable. He was feeling Grady out. “Your brother has a good reputation,” Peter said. “I especially liked it when he shot out the front door of the courthouse and then killed a guy to save one of the clerks.”
“Yeah, he’s getting a lot of attention for that,” Grady agreed.
“What did the gentleman in question do to the girl that so infuriated your brother?”
Grady didn’t like Peter’s imperious tone. “He stalked her, tried to run her over with a car – twice, and then tried to gut her with a knife.”
Peter’s eyebrows jumped. “Well then, good on your brother.”
“I agree.”
“And the girl? She’s okay now?”
“She’s fine,” Grady said.
“We’re talking about Mandy, right?” Sophie asked, knitting her eyebrows together.
Grady nodded.
“You know the girl?” Peter asked.
“I’ve known her for a few years,” Sophie said. “She’s the clerk in Judge MacIntosh’s courtroom. I’ve gotten to spend a little more time with her over the past few days, though, and I think she’s really great. She’s funny and down-to-earth.”
Peter pulled his gaze from Grady so he could focus on his foster daughter. “You’ve never really been one for making friends with other girls,” he said. “I’m glad you’ve finally gotten over that little … aversion.”
“She kind of made me,” Sophie admitted. “She just told me we were having a girl’s night out, and I really couldn’t say no.”
Peter laughed. “I like her already.”
“Me, too,” Sophie said.
“Me, three,” Grady said, refusing to avert his eyes from Peter’s probing stare.
“And, Mr. Hardy, how do you know my Sophie?”
“We met at the newspaper last week,” Grady said. “She was rude, and I was placing an ad, and we just clicked.”
Sophie wrinkled her nose. “There was a little more to it than that.”
“I’m all ears,” Peter said.
Before he could stop her, Sophie launched into the entire story – not omitting a single detail – leaving Grady totally flummoxed. He couldn’t believe she was telling him everything. The only thing she didn’t touch on was the sex, which he was grateful for. When she was done, Grady watched Peter process the information.
“You were shot at?”
“I’m not sure I was a target,” Sophie said. “The sheriff and Madison were there just seconds before.”
“Still,” Peter said. “Bangers don’t usually shoot up the courthouse. That draws unnecessary attention to their operation. If they’re going to shoot at something, it’s usually each other. There’s not a lot of cause for them to be shooting at reporters. There’s no profit – or street cred – associated with it.”
“You seem to know a lot about gangs,” Grady said.
“I know a lot about everything, son,” Peter replied, turning back to Sophie. “So, you’ve been shot at, followed, and purposely ran off the road. Have I missed anything else?”
Sophie shrugged. “No. It’s been a slow week.”
Grady frowned, the expression deepened when he saw that Peter was actually smiling. “You’ve always been a magnet for trouble, my little bambina. Now is not the time for you to be stupid and stubborn, though.”
Well, Grady could agree with that sentiment.
“You have become a target,” Peter said. “You are obviously on to something big – even if you don’t know what that is yet.”
“I’m being careful,” Sophie said. “I even have my big, strong protector staying here with me to make sure no one comes near me.”
Peter pursed his lips. “I would rather not hear about that, if you don’t mind,” he said. “What I’m interested in hearing about is how you plan on keeping yourself safe.”
“By using my head,” Sophie said. “Like always.”
“That’s fine … to a degree,” Peter cautioned. “I think I would feel better, though, if you would let me position two of my men at the house.”
Grady leaned forward. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I wasn’t asking you.”
Sophie put her hand on Grady’s arm to calm him. “While I appreciate the offer, the last thing I need is more babysitters. I can promise you that I’m in good hands here.”
Peter inhaled deeply. “I guess you know best.”
“I do.”
He got to his feet. “I did arrange for another gift.”
Sophie’s eyes brightened. “A gift?”
“I have a car being delivered for you within the hour,” Peter said, holding up his hand to ward off her protests. “You don’t have to keep it. I know how you worry about those things. It’s just until you find another car of your own. You just have the option of using it if you need it.”
Sophie smiled, moving closer so she could give Peter a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. I’m really glad you stopped by.”
Peter kept his arm around her back as he regarded Grady. “Is he a good one?” He whispered in her ear.
“He’s a good one,” Sophie acknowledged.
“Then I guess I’ll let him live.”
Sophie giggled. “I would appreciate it.”
Once Peter was gone, Sophie returned to the couch. “So, where were we?”
Grady shook his head. She was acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She really was one of a kind. Grady took her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I think we were about to watch a movie.”
“No, we weren’t.”
“Well, we are now. You lost your chance to seduce me,” Grady said. “Now it’s you, me, and whatever action movie I can find on AMC.”
Sophie ground out a raspy sigh. “Fine. Tomorrow, though, you’re going to do what I want to do.”
Grady slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close so she could settle her head on his chest. “I’m look forward to it.”
Twenty-Five
“I can’t believe I have to go back to work today,” Sophie said. She was naked, cuddled on top of Grady, and lamenting her bad luck. Their bodies were slick with perspiration, but neither one of them seemed bothered by their general stickiness.
Five days had elapsed since her accident – and almost all evidence of her near-death experience was gone from her body. Only a slight yellowing around her hairline remained to hint at the horror.
“I bet your boss would give you another day off,” Grady said, pinching her rear suggestively. “I could call him for you.”
“Don’t you have to go to work today?” Sophie asked. “We haven’t left this house in days. I’m actually surprised that your brothers haven’t sent out a search party.”
“We’ve been texting,” Grady said. “Mandy texts more than a teenage girl.”
“You’ve been texting with Mandy? That’s kind of cute. Weird, but cute.”
“She’s been asking for details,” Grady said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she tries to organize another girl’s night out in the near future.”
“That sounds like fun,” Sophie said, rolling off of Grady. “I really like her. Your sister is a hoot, too. I even like Heidi.”
“I don’t suppose I can talk you into putting off another outing with the blonde wonder until after this is all over with, can I?”
Sophie arched an eyebrow. “Are you actually asking instead of ordering?”
“I’m trying.”
“Well, since you asked so nicely, I have no choice but to agree.”
“Don’t play with me,” Grady warned.
“I’m saving that for the shower,” Sophie said. “If you hurry up, I’ll play with you in there before work.”
Grady didn’t need a second invitation.
“I figured,” Sophie said. “You can take me straight to the county building. There’s a commission meeting today.”
“During the day?”
“They have subcommittee meetings during the day,” Sophie said. “I want to sit in on the finance committee.”
“You think the topic of the missing money will come up?”
“I’d be stunned if it didn’t.”
Grady drained the rest of the coffee from the mug he was holding and dropped it in the sink. “How about I come with you?”
Sophie frowned. “Why?”
“You know why.”
Sophie pressed her mouth shut, breathing heavily through her nose. “While I think it’s really sweet that you want to act as my personal bodyguard, I don’t need your help to do my job.”
“How are you going to get back to the newspaper without a car?”
“I could take the car Peter left for me,” Sophie suggested.
“I thought we both agreed that was a bad idea?”
“We did,” Sophie said. “It might make things easier.”
“I don’t want things to be easier,” Grady countered. “I can take you to work.”
Sophie bit her lower lip. “I can call Conrad for a ride after the meeting,” she said. “The newspaper is like five minutes from the county building. He’ll be glad to come get me.”
“Why go through all that trouble if I’m willing to go with you?”
“Grady … .”
“Sophie,” Grady growled back in mock consternation.
“What are you going to do there? This will take hours.”
“I’m going to watch and learn.”
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
“Well, these meetings are open to the public, right?”
“Right.”
“Then you can go to the meeting on your own,” Grady said.
“You’re just going to pretend to drop me off at the county building and then show up in the meeting room five minutes later, aren’t you?”
Grady shrugged. “I have a great interest my community and the problems facing it. I’m deep.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Fine,” Sophie said, blowing out a sigh. “Not touchy-feely stuff, though. I have a reputation as a cold badass to maintain.”
Grady smiled. “Me, too.”
GRADY had never been to a county commission meeting before. He’d never been to any kind of government meeting, now that he thought about it. He’d let Sophie maintain her dignity and go to the assembly room alone.
When he joined the crowd – which seemed large for an afternoon subcommittee meeting – he purposely settled one row behind Sophie. He wanted to watch her do her thing – and get a gander at the crowd and public officials – without drawing too much attention to himself.
Once the meeting started, Grady was intrigued. That feeling lasted for exactly five minutes, and then he was bored out of his mind. The next two hours were excruciating. Who could possibly care about all of this stuff?
When the meeting finally came to an end, Grady was positive his ass had fallen asleep and he was incapable of walking. Sophie was moving toward the commissioners with purpose, her hips swaying, and her long hair bobbing along her back.
She was too sexy for her own good, Grady decided. She had no idea the effect she had on people. That was one of the reasons he liked her. That was one of the reasons he was starting to lose himself in her.
Grady shook off the feeling and got to his feet. He decided to wait for Sophie out in the hallway. He leaned against a wall, powering up his phone so he could check his messages and email. He had no idea how long Sophie would be, but he wasn’t in a hurry. He glanced up occasionally, a steady stream of people leaving the room, until he finally caught sight of her on the other side of the door. He couldn’t see who she was talking to, but she didn’t look happy.
“Mr. Madison, I’m sure you understand my position on this,” she said. “I’m not purposely going after Sheriff Morgan. I’m investigating missing money, not a person.”
Grady remained where he was standing, dialing his ears into Sophie’s conversation. Mr. Madison had to be John Madison – the sheriff’s right-hand man.
“You’re purposely making this a big deal when it’s not a big deal,” Madison replied. “You know it. The money hasn’t been stolen. It’s just been shuffled to another department. You’re making a mountain out of a mole hill.”
“Great,” Sophie said. “Find me that department.”
“I don’t know what department it is,” Madison said. “We’re just asking for time to figure it out.”
“Mr. Madison, six-hundred-thousand dollars is not pocket change,” Sophie argued. “That’s a big chunk of money, especially in a county that is having financial problems. I’m not trying to create problems. I’m trying to cover a story. That’s my job.”
“I’m not saying that no malfeasance happened here,” Madison said, his words piquing Grady’s interest. “I’m saying that someone was clearly negligent. I’m sure someone will pay for this mistake.”
“I don’t want anyone to pay,” Sophie said. “I want to uncover the truth and move on.”
“Then why don’t you give this some time? I’m sure there are other stories you could be focusing on.”
“I have to do what my editor wants me to do,” Sophie said. “I have to follow rules, too.”
“I guess you do.”
“Just for my own edification, though,” Sophie said. “What kind of malfeasance were you talking about?”
“Excuse me.”
“You said that you thought some malfeasance happened,” Sophie prodded. “What did you mean?”
Madison sighed. “Off the record?”
“Off the record,” Sophie agreed.
“It’s become apparent that Sheriff Morgan might have a few accounting issues,” Madison said. “I’m not saying he stole the money, I don’t want you to think that. I would never say that. You better not print that.”
“Okay. What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that perhaps the money was accidentally lost and we’re trying really hard to find it before someone’s reputation is ruined forever,” Madison said. “One mistake should not ruin anyone.”
“I see.”
“That was off the record.”
“I remember.”
“I guess I’ll see you around,” Madison said. “I’m glad to see you’re back on your feet. That accident sounds like it was terrible.”
“It was,” Sophie said.
When Grady was sure Madison was gone, he moved into the doorway. Sophie didn’t look surprised to see him.
“Did you hear all of that?”
Grady nodded.
“What do you think?”
“I think that Madison just told you that the sheriff is inept and lost the money and now they’re all scrambling to find it,” Grady said. “If they can find it – and find it soon – he wants you to magically forget that it ever went missing.”
“That’s what I heard, too,” Sophie said. “I just can’t believe he would tell me that, even off the record.”
“If he tells you something off the record, you can’t print it, right?”
“Right.”
“It seems to me he did that on purpose.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that he wants you to look one way while he’s doing something in the opposite direction,” Grady said.
“You think he’s trying to mislead me?”
“Maybe.”
“Or maybe he really is trying to make me pity the sheriff,” Sophie said. “It wouldn’t be the first time a politician has taken that approach.”
Grady shrugged. “I don’t know. I need to think about it.”
“You mean
you want to talk to your brothers about it,” Sophie corrected.
“Fine. I want to talk with my brothers. I figured I could drop you at the newspaper, go and touch base with them, and be back in plenty of time to pick you up.”
“And then what?”
“Then I’ll take you to dinner and then, well, I’ll probably just take you,” Grady replied, smirking.
“You’re such a smooth talker,” Sophie said, moving toward the elevator. “I can’t believe women aren’t just swooning every which way when you’re in the room.”
Grady followed her, looking around to make sure someone wasn’t looking before he reached out and pinched her rear. “I’ll make you swoon if you want me to.”
“I think you’re awfully sure of yourself,” she said, shooting him a death glare before climbing onto the elevator. Grady followed her, plastering his body against hers the second the elevator doors shut. He swallowed her protests with his mouth.
When the elevator dinged on the first floor, Sophie was still smoothing down her shirt and checking to make sure her skirt hadn’t ridden up anywhere. Grady’s face was smug and satisfied.
“You better buy me a really good dinner,” Sophie said. “I’m talking lobster.”
“You got it, sugar.”
Twenty-Six
“Well, well, well, look who finally decided to crawl out of bed.”
Grady fixed Finn with a dubious look. He’d been back at Hardy Brothers Security for less than a minute, and he was already longing for his reporter, her winsome smile, and her really comfortable bed. Her magic thighs, pouty mouth, and roaming hands were just an added bonus. “Sophie was seriously injured. She needed someone to take care of her.”
“And I bet that was a real hardship for you, wasn’t it?” Finn teased. “All that cuddling and rubbing must have just driven you crazy.”
James was sitting behind his desk, his attention partially focused on his laptop, as he listened to his brothers’ banter. “Is she feeling better?”
“She went to work today,” Grady said. “I went to the county commission meeting with her, just to be on the safe side.”
“They meet during the day?”
“The subcommittees do,” Grady said. “God, don’t you know anything?”
James smirked. “I see she’s been giving you an education,” he said. “I’m guessing she’s been doing it in and out of bed, too.”
Deadly Intuition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 2) Page 16