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all-important case. To not even think about trying to come between me and my father.
Um, Drew? he called from the kitchen doorway. Care to join us?
I entered the kitchen just as Dad topped three tumblers of orange juice with several ounces
of vodka. Arg. Could be a long night.
He handed each of us a glass and held his up. To a job well done, he said, tapping each
of our drinks with a flourish.
We echoed his sentiment and drank, our eyes meeting.
I got a mouthful of pure vodka. Yuck! He hadn t mixed the drinks at all.
Whatsa matter, Cuz? Dennis laughed. Hey, you kids hang out here awhile. I ve gotta run
to the little boys room. Drink in hand, he headed down the hall.
Alone at last. And Mitch looked livid. Even behind what had to be brown contact lenses, his
eyes flashed dangerously. I refused to be intimidated. After all, if he hadn t been such an ass about
his case, I wouldn t have risked my life shooting across the space-time continuum all alone.
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84 Trouble Under Venus
At the sound of a door clicking closed down the hall, he stepped closer. I cannot believe
you took off in the night and came here all by yourself.
What choice did I have? Trying to play it cool, I took another swig of my drink. Nasty.
Definitely in need of stirring. Besides, it looks like you made it here on your own. How could
he chastise me for traveling solo, when he had too?
I found Sudo and told him what you d done. He was worried sick about you. He jabbed
a finger in my direction, took a swig.
Geez. Poor Sudo! I didn t mean to worry the Professor. But hadn t he left that bag for me
on my door? It had seemed like he expected me to use the stuff in there before the Feds came.
Mitch wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. This is the worst drink I ve ever had!
Here. We just need to stir them. I pulled open a drawer in search of a spoon. Somebody
brought me a bag of all the stuff I d need to travel. I think Sudo meant for me to use it.
So you do have a radio? Why the fuck didn t you call and let somebody know you re okay?
Wooden spoons and spatulas stared up at me. I closed the drawer and pulled open the one
beside it.
Randi?
Drew, I corrected.
He stepped to the doorway and listened. He s on the phone with somebody. Goddammit, I
should be down there listening to what he s saying. Instead I m in here arguing with you.
A silverware drawer. Bonanza! After proudly displaying an iced tea spoon, I sunk it into
my tumbler and mixed.
Sudo did not intend for you to run off half-cocked and use his method solo. He probably
hoped you and I would take off together. So did I, when I found that bag on my doorknob. The
first thing I did was go to your room. Only to find out you d split. Lip curled, he snatched the
spoon from my drink and stirred his. How do you think that fucking made me feel? Walking into
your room and realizing you ran off?
How you feel? Pfft! You made it perfectly clear how you felt. You were pissed at me for
messing up your precious case.
You didn t say anything... He rubbed his eyes and took a long, long drink. You just don t
leave like that. He looked miserable. Abandoned.
Damn it, he d hurt me too. Oh, you were pretty damn dismissive. There was no reason for
me to stay. I met his glare head-on, challenging him to say what I wanted to hear.
You need a reason? He set his glass down on the counter, hard enough for some of its
contents to slosh over the side. Then his hands held the sides of my face. His lips, hot and hard,
told me we d both been cheated out of our night together.
But I d still been willing after getting rid of David. I d gone to Mitch s room ready to pick
up where we d left off. And he d attacked.
Autumn Piper 85
With both hands on his chest, I pushed him away. That s a compelling reason. But after our
argument, I had a choice between waiting for morning and the FBI, or taking a risk to complete
my mission.
Speaking of missions. He shook his head. You re in the middle of my case. This isn t
going to work.
Back to his infernal case. Go work your case from a different angle, I all but hissed. I ve
got one father, one chance to figure out what the hell happened to him. I m going nowhere.
Jesus Christ, Randi! You can t be in the middle of all this drug dealing
Drew. My name here is Drew. You wouldn t stop calling me that before.
Look, Drew. Again, his finger pointed at me. You are not getting involved in this drug
cartel.
It s the only way for me to get close to my dad. I stood up taller as I spoke, chin lifted
at his attitude.
You can t rescue him from this.
You can t stop me from trying.
He stepped toward me. I could. You know I could.
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