Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
He opened the door and stepped out of his car, looking right at her. She offered a slight smile, then opened her car door, too, and exited the vehicle. Underneath her open coat she had on a button-down black shirt, black slacks and shoes. He didn’t miss the glimmer of the gun on her hip, and he assumed she didn’t miss the one on his.
“You’re following me. I want you to stop…”
What she had witnessed as she pulled up to the gas station was certainly not what she expected. A large man was speaking politely with another guy, but soon he started getting annoyed. Porsche’s police instinct was to jump out of her vehicle and stop the escalation, but she decided instead to sit back and observe. This Nikolai Raven seemed to have a bit of a temper, but he didn’t just fly off the handle right away. It was evident by his body language that he was getting sick and tired of whoever the little man was that kept engaging him in conversation. Said man launched into a litany of shouting curses and unkind words. By the time Mr. Raven exploded, it was a completely justified reaction. Thankfully, someone intervened and it came to a stop—but her job was just beginning. On a less serious note, she was shocked at what she’d seen. Not the altercation, but Mr. Raven’s physical appearance.
Some people were just not very photogenic. Perhaps due to awkwardness or lack of confidence. It could have been this was the case with Nikolai Raven, because the photos Porsche had looked at before tracking him down did the man no justice whatsoever.
The man was towering. Massive, actually—broad-shouldered and broad chested. Like the lumberjacks that appeared in forests within the pages of a fairytale. Even his energy was huge, but he didn’t have to say a word. It was obvious how strong and physically powerful this man was.
On top of that, he had piercing light silver-blue eyes, and dark brown hair that was tapered on the sides and nape. The thick strands were threaded with amber and deep honey blond, and a couple bits of silver in his goatee caught the light from a streetlamp just so. His facial structure was exquisite, yet he was rough around every single edge. A small faint scar was visible under his right eye. A black raven tattoo covered his throat, and his thick brows seemed to naturally settle into a rut right above his intense gaze.
“Are you a police officer?” he barked.
“Former. I’m a private investigator here on business. My name is Porsche Lee.”
“What can I do for you?” he questioned, not bothering to offer his name. No doubt he was smart enough to realize she already knew it.
“Well, I’d like to have a little talk with you is all. Where are you on your way to? Maybe we could talk over a glass of wine or a beer? My treat.”
“I’m busy. No time for meetings, drink breaks, or long chats today. Talk to me right here if there’s somethin’ you need to say.” He crossed his arms as she approached him until they were standing about three feet apart. As her gaze fell on his gun, she placed her hand leisurely on her own. “You okay? Seem tense…” His lips curled in a dark grin.
There was no doubt he was enjoying this, noticing her noticing him. He had a license for his revolver. She’d already looked into it, and she wasn’t surprised he was packing.
“I’m just fine, Mr. Raven. I’ll make this fast. How long have you lived here in Portland?”
“Thirty-six years. My entire life.”
“Okay, well, then I’m sure you heard about a few bodies being discovered mostly along the Old Orchard Beach. It’s been in the news.”
“Mmm hmm. Yeah.”
“Well, I was hired by someone who was a relative of one of the victims who was discovered there in the ocean, and we’re just trying to get some answers. Provide some closure for the family.”
“What does that have to do with me? I didn’t know the people who were killed. I haven’t been to Orchard Beach in a long time.”
“Well, several people actually stated that they saw you nearby around the time of one of the murders. The latest one in fact. Clark Johnson.”
“That’s a bunch of bullshit,” he scoffed. “I already spoke to the police. They came to my shop and I answered their questions.” He raised his hands then shrugged. “This is redundant at this point.”
“Not when it’s part of an ongoing investigation. I know this may be aggravating to you, but if it had been your loved one who was murdered, wouldn’t you want the police and anyone else who could assist to do the best they could in trying to find their killer?”
“I had an alibi.” She noticed he ignored her emotional plea and stayed on track. Interesting. “I was at work. Street security cameras vouched for me. I can’t be in two places at one time, now can I? Now, if you’ll excuse me, someone else already wasted a lot of my time a little earlier at the gas station you were stalkin’ me at, and I’m tired. It’s been a long day. This chat is over.” He reached for his truck door.