Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“Do you have to pick the absolute worst words to repeat? How about hello or have a nice day?” He turned his head slightly to get a glance at the bird and her light green plumage.
“Hump you,” was the bird’s reply. “Wear a condom.”
MaeBe snorted. “Did this bird spend time with Big Tag?”
Boomer frowned. “I paid the kids to watch the dogs and the bird when we were in California. Sheba went with Tessa because Charlotte’s allergic. I think we can safely say Big Tag took to Molly. When I went to pick them all up, Tag had her on his shoulder, and he was wearing an eye patch. Charlotte told me he’d been playing pirate for days.”
Charlotte had not been impressed.
Boomer had worked for McKay-Taggart Security Services for over a decade, and there was no doubt that Ian Taggart was the head of the business and the family. Like Boomer, Big Tag was both ex-Special Forces and ex-CIA, though the boss had worked intelligence, and Boomer had shot things from long distances. The boss also had a strange sense of humor, hence the parakeet’s new stance on safe sex.
“He’s a menace,” MaeBe said with a shake of her head. “Okay, what’s the rundown? I warn you. You can’t go by what was in the fridge. I snuck in some groceries when I went shopping with Tessa.”
Tessa was a bodyguard with the company and a good friend. She was on the Keep MaeBe Alive team.
Boomer took a long draw on the reusable straw MaeBe had placed in the smoothie she’d offered him and closed his eyes, letting the flavors flow over his tongue. “Spinach, banana, chard or kale.”
MaeBe’s nose wrinkled. “Seriously? You can tell what kind of green I used?”
He was freaky good with flavors. “I would bet chard. It’s got a hint of bitter.” He took another sip. “Almond milk and then there’s a creaminess. Peanut…” He stopped at the way her eyes flared. “No. Almond butter. You tried to cover it with the milk thinking I would go with peanut butter.”
She sighed. “You are a miracle, Brian Ward.”
Not according to most people. He was kind of average at most things, but he could eat something and practically run down a list of ingredients. Naturally his friends liked to test him. Often.
His razor-sharp palate was a happier talent than the other thing he did better than almost anyone else in the world.
Both dogs’ heads came up as though they sensed something was coming. A low growl came from Puddles, and Sprinkles let out what Boomer thought of as an exploratory bark. It let him know someone was coming down the hall. It would get louder the closer the person got.
A gentle chime went through the condo.
MaeBe frowned. “Were you expecting someone?”
Sprinkles started barking like mad, ready to attack whoever was on the other side. Puddles ran and hid behind the couch.
“No.” His gut tightened, but he stayed calm. Assassins didn’t usually ring the doorbell, but it could happen. He reached up and gently offered Molly his index finger. The bird was well trained—and easily trained as evidenced by her new catchphrase—so she accepted the perch. “Can you get the warrior princess?”
MaeBe picked up the Chihuahua, cradling her close as Boomer walked Molly to her cage. She went inside and didn’t complain as he closed the cage door.
Boomer moved into the short hall that led from his living room to the front door but not before picking up the semiautomatic he kept in a lockbox on the bar. His hands worked the combo from sheer muscle memory as his brain went over all the possibilities.
One. Everything was fine. The person on the other side of the door was a friend or a neighbor who needed something. No gun needed.
Two. Everything was mostly fine. The person on the other side of the door was trying to sell him something. Only sometimes was a gun needed in that scenario. He’d met some pushy magazine salesmen.
Three. The person on the other side of the door wanted to finish the job Julia Ennis had started and was here to kill MaeBe, and then he was probably going to have to move because things were going down and hard. The manager of the building was incredibly tolerant of his mini zoo but probably would draw the line at dead bodies.
“Stay back,” he whispered as he flicked the safety off and moved to the door.
MaeBe moved out of sight. Not that it would help because that Chihuahua would give away her position every time.
Boomer glanced out the peephole and saw…nothing. No one was there.
And then the door chimed again.
Was whoever this was hiding under the peephole?
Boomer opened the door and looked down.
A girl in a school uniform complete with a jaunty beret on her head and a backpack on her shoulders stood there. She was the kid next door, the one with the mom with the…very pretty smile.