Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 109640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
He only hoped Big Deck didn’t have his phone set to vibrate.
As he stepped inside, he heard it.
Cabrera was right. The asshole had Cartman from South Park screaming, “Respect my authoritah!” as Crew’s ringtone.
Decker quickly hit a button to ignore the call and his eyes sliced over to him. “Did you just butt dial me?”
No, he didn’t. “Is that your normal ringtone?”
“Yep.”
“For everyone?”
“Uh huh.”
Crew glanced over at Finn. “Call Deck’s phone.”
Finn’s mouth gaped, then snapped shut. “I don’t have his number.”
Crew went over to where Rez was sitting and put out his hand. “Give me your task force phone.”
Rez’s head jerked back. “I forgot to bring it.”
“Bullshit,” he growled, then marched over to the phone in the middle of the conference table and punched in Decker’s number. He heard nothing but a low buzz. “Take it off vibrate.”
Decker’s expression went blank. “I don’t want to disturb anyone.”
“Bullshit,” he repeated as he shook his head. He glanced around. “Do all of you use that ringtone for me? You think I’m like Cartman?”
“Pretty much,” Finn answered with a snort. “You don’t think you are?”
“I—”
For fuck’s sake.
Chapter Nine
After climbing off his bike, he peeked into the garage window to see her Audi parked inside.
She was home.
In a few long strides, he was at the door and ringing the bell.
No answer.
He pounded on the door next.
Still no answer.
He placed his ear to the door, hoping to hear footsteps or her calling out. Nothing.
She was most likely out back since the spring weather was perfect and the sun was out. Even the damn birds were chirping.
He really needed to get his ass home, grab his mountain bike and go for a long damn ride.
Riding—either his Harley, his Peloton or his Trek trail bike—always seemed to clear his head.
He needed that. Because someone was taking up a lot of his gray matter and needed to be evicted.
That someone happened to be renting the house he was about to enter.
He dug deep into his front pocket, pulled out his key ring and slipped the key into the deadbolt lock. He only hoped she hadn’t changed the security code since he didn’t want to have to explain to the local cops why he was entering a home without the renter’s permission first.
Something he knew was wrong but was doing it anyway.
As soon as he stepped inside, he entered the code and it worked. Thank fuck.
He announced his arrival by yelling, “Cabrera!” so he wouldn’t catch her in an embarrassing situation, especially since she had no idea he was stopping over.
Or letting himself in.
But the house was dead quiet.
No Cabrera. No Murphy.
No sounds at all.
Just like he thought, she was probably out back enjoying the day. He made quick work of heading to the backyard through the great room. Before he even opened the door, he could see a big gray hairy mass sprawled out flat on the concrete and sunning himself.
Great guard dog.
He shook his head, but a splash in the pool caught his attention next.
She had opened the pool already? The water had to be as frigid as a witch’s tit.
When he stepped outside, the damn dog didn’t even lift his head. For fuck’s sake, what was the point of a huge dog if it didn’t protect its owner?
As he approached the pool, Murphy finally lifted his head, opened his big yapper in a huge yawn and then flopped back down, closing his eyes.
“What’s the point of feeding that thing if he doesn’t warn you about or stop intruders?”
Her head popped up over the side of the pool with her eyes wide and her dark hair plastered to her skull. “What are you doing here?”
Good question. What the hell was he doing here? Why was he drawn to show up in person instead of using his damn cell phone? He didn’t want to answer either of those questions.
“Wanted to talk to you about work.” At least that was true.
“It couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”
“I’m off tomorrow.” Also true.
“You couldn’t call?”
Of course he could. “I was driving by.” Sort of true.
“Do bosses normally show up at their subordinates house unannounced?”
Of course they didn’t. That would be fucking creepy. “It’s not your house.”
Oh, Christ on a cracker, he was such a dick.
“And then just let themselves inside like that?” she continued, with her eyes now narrowed on him.
“I have permission to be here.”
With drops of water sliding down her face, one dark eyebrow raised. “Not from me, you don’t.”
“Again, it’s not your house.”
“Umm… I’m renting it, so technically it is. Do I need to find another place to live?” She shook her head, clearly annoyed. “I just opened the damn pool!”
“No one told you to spend money on opening the pool.”
“Why are you such a dick?”
Another good question. “Because I can be.” And another bullshit answer. He was batting a thousand here.