[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
temptation, he would not be able to stop himself
from taking her completely.
Miranda s moan competed with the jarring ring
of his cell phone. Zacke broke their kiss but still kept
one hand on Miranda. He wasn t ready for her to
escape. He shook his head and stroked Miranda s
back. His other hand found the instrument that
should never have been invented.
Kensington.
Man, you sound like you have a frog in your
throat.
Gideon, I am not in the mood for humor.
Good, cause I m ain t laughing. Captain Myers
wants to know why you aren t in his office for the
meeting.
Oh, Hell, what time is it?
Time for you to get your butt in my office
ASAP, Detective.
Zacke resisted the urge to snarl back at the
captain.
Yes, sir. I m on my way.
He cast one regretful glance at Miranda s open
128
Kensington s Soul
mouth before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Sorry, darling. We ll finish this tonight.
Miranda still had not spoken when Zacke exited
the office and closed the door behind him.
****
Zacke made it to the station only moments after
hanging up the phone. The captain s snit over his
tardiness grew worse when he and Gideon stumbled
over their proffered explanations. They braced for
the royal butt kicking they knew was imminent. As
Zacke held his breath, the captain s phone rang.
Yes, Governor, we are on top of the murders
and hope to make an arrest soon.
Captain Myers motioned toward the door. Zacke
and Gideon wasted no time in exiting the office.
Zacke entered the welcome coolness of his house
and willed himself to his bedroom. Lassitude pulled
at him, exhausting his last bit of strength. He fell
across the bed without undressing, closed his eyes,
and allowed the arms of slumber to hold him.
****
Clouds threatened rain when Zacke finally
spotted the florist shop. He had called Miranda
before she left the hospital to ask her if there was a
logo on the floral box. He should have looked himself
but his passion had overruled his common sense.
He wished he knew if Gabriella had delivered
the gift to Miranda personally or if the florist had
done so. Something he planned to ask the florist.
He timed his descent to the street to coincide
with an absence of vehicle and people traffic. A
cheerful exterior of yellow and green wood greeted
him as he ran up the steps. A door chime announced
his arrival. The man behind the counter turned
when he entered.
Evening, can I help you?
I hope so. Zacke pulled out his badge and laid
it on the counter. He hoped the metal would induce
129
Faith V. Smith
the man to tell what he knew. But if not, Zacke
would delve into his mind.
Is there anything wrong, Detective? Officer?
No, sir. But I need some information about a
rose your shop delivered to one of the doctors at the
Savannah Trauma Hospital.
The elderly man looked confused for a moment
and then awareness filled his gaze.
I remember that order. I filled it myself. I ve
never gotten a request like that before. I told the
lady the dye might kill the rose, but she didn t seem
to care. She told me she wanted a black rose and
then she wanted it dyed red. I sure don t understand
why she ordered it that way. Why didn t she just ask
for a red rose in the first place? Ain t none of my
business though.
A woman ordered the rose? Can you describe
her for me?
The man s face lit up with a smile. Why sure,
son. I might be a bit old, but I can still appreciate a
good-looking woman. And she was one of the best
I ve seen in a month of Sundays. The man paused
and winked at Zacke.
Zacke strived for patience. He really didn t need
to hear Gabriella s attributes lauded. He wanted to
know how she had paid for the rose and if she had
left an address. She wasn t frequenting any of the
cemeteries and that led him to believe she could be
staying somewhere more conventional.
She was a looker with all that long black hair
and those purple eyes.
Did she pay with cash or give you an address
where you could bill her.
Yep to the cash, and yep she did give me
something only not an address. She said it was a
note for a Lord Kensington. Don t suppose you know
who he is.
My name is Zachary Kensington.
130
Kensington s Soul
The man attempted to contain his boisterous
laughter before he spoke again. You must have been
something if she is calling you a lord.
Can I have the note, please?
Sure, ain t no need to get testy. If the two of you
had a falling out, then that ain t my fault.
Zacke resisted the urge to hurry the man along.
His patience wore thin, and by the time, the man
went through every drawer in the old filing cabinet,
it was gone.
Here ya go.
Zacke dropped a ten-dollar bill in the man s
hand, ignoring his gasp of gratitude. He waited until
he stood outside before he ripped opened the
envelope with a talon.
His heart stopped when he read the seven words
scrawled in Gabriella s handwriting:
Next time it will be Miranda s head.
131
Faith V. Smith
Chapter Twelve
Zacke raced through the night sky. Desperation
stung him like a nest of fire ants, and he welcomed
the blue haze that blurred his vision. The gloves
were off. Gabriella had struck out at Miranda and
threatened to steal the soft breath from her body.
Never had he been more certain of one fact; any [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
temptation, he would not be able to stop himself
from taking her completely.
Miranda s moan competed with the jarring ring
of his cell phone. Zacke broke their kiss but still kept
one hand on Miranda. He wasn t ready for her to
escape. He shook his head and stroked Miranda s
back. His other hand found the instrument that
should never have been invented.
Kensington.
Man, you sound like you have a frog in your
throat.
Gideon, I am not in the mood for humor.
Good, cause I m ain t laughing. Captain Myers
wants to know why you aren t in his office for the
meeting.
Oh, Hell, what time is it?
Time for you to get your butt in my office
ASAP, Detective.
Zacke resisted the urge to snarl back at the
captain.
Yes, sir. I m on my way.
He cast one regretful glance at Miranda s open
128
Kensington s Soul
mouth before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Sorry, darling. We ll finish this tonight.
Miranda still had not spoken when Zacke exited
the office and closed the door behind him.
****
Zacke made it to the station only moments after
hanging up the phone. The captain s snit over his
tardiness grew worse when he and Gideon stumbled
over their proffered explanations. They braced for
the royal butt kicking they knew was imminent. As
Zacke held his breath, the captain s phone rang.
Yes, Governor, we are on top of the murders
and hope to make an arrest soon.
Captain Myers motioned toward the door. Zacke
and Gideon wasted no time in exiting the office.
Zacke entered the welcome coolness of his house
and willed himself to his bedroom. Lassitude pulled
at him, exhausting his last bit of strength. He fell
across the bed without undressing, closed his eyes,
and allowed the arms of slumber to hold him.
****
Clouds threatened rain when Zacke finally
spotted the florist shop. He had called Miranda
before she left the hospital to ask her if there was a
logo on the floral box. He should have looked himself
but his passion had overruled his common sense.
He wished he knew if Gabriella had delivered
the gift to Miranda personally or if the florist had
done so. Something he planned to ask the florist.
He timed his descent to the street to coincide
with an absence of vehicle and people traffic. A
cheerful exterior of yellow and green wood greeted
him as he ran up the steps. A door chime announced
his arrival. The man behind the counter turned
when he entered.
Evening, can I help you?
I hope so. Zacke pulled out his badge and laid
it on the counter. He hoped the metal would induce
129
Faith V. Smith
the man to tell what he knew. But if not, Zacke
would delve into his mind.
Is there anything wrong, Detective? Officer?
No, sir. But I need some information about a
rose your shop delivered to one of the doctors at the
Savannah Trauma Hospital.
The elderly man looked confused for a moment
and then awareness filled his gaze.
I remember that order. I filled it myself. I ve
never gotten a request like that before. I told the
lady the dye might kill the rose, but she didn t seem
to care. She told me she wanted a black rose and
then she wanted it dyed red. I sure don t understand
why she ordered it that way. Why didn t she just ask
for a red rose in the first place? Ain t none of my
business though.
A woman ordered the rose? Can you describe
her for me?
The man s face lit up with a smile. Why sure,
son. I might be a bit old, but I can still appreciate a
good-looking woman. And she was one of the best
I ve seen in a month of Sundays. The man paused
and winked at Zacke.
Zacke strived for patience. He really didn t need
to hear Gabriella s attributes lauded. He wanted to
know how she had paid for the rose and if she had
left an address. She wasn t frequenting any of the
cemeteries and that led him to believe she could be
staying somewhere more conventional.
She was a looker with all that long black hair
and those purple eyes.
Did she pay with cash or give you an address
where you could bill her.
Yep to the cash, and yep she did give me
something only not an address. She said it was a
note for a Lord Kensington. Don t suppose you know
who he is.
My name is Zachary Kensington.
130
Kensington s Soul
The man attempted to contain his boisterous
laughter before he spoke again. You must have been
something if she is calling you a lord.
Can I have the note, please?
Sure, ain t no need to get testy. If the two of you
had a falling out, then that ain t my fault.
Zacke resisted the urge to hurry the man along.
His patience wore thin, and by the time, the man
went through every drawer in the old filing cabinet,
it was gone.
Here ya go.
Zacke dropped a ten-dollar bill in the man s
hand, ignoring his gasp of gratitude. He waited until
he stood outside before he ripped opened the
envelope with a talon.
His heart stopped when he read the seven words
scrawled in Gabriella s handwriting:
Next time it will be Miranda s head.
131
Faith V. Smith
Chapter Twelve
Zacke raced through the night sky. Desperation
stung him like a nest of fire ants, and he welcomed
the blue haze that blurred his vision. The gloves
were off. Gabriella had struck out at Miranda and
threatened to steal the soft breath from her body.
Never had he been more certain of one fact; any [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]