Free Orchid by Jayne Castle Page A

exotics, but something told her that he had. Rafe had extremely sharp hearing. She managed a cool, professional smile.
    “I’m flattered that you asked for my services again so soon, Mr. Stonebraker. But when you dropped me off last night you didn’t mention that you had another job in mind.”
    “I didn’t get my new client until after I left you.” He studied her with an unwavering gaze.
    There was nothing overtly rude, threatening, or intimidating about his gaze. He simply watched her.
    From out of nowhere, the familiar hunted feeling came over Orchid, just as it had last night in Elvira Tur-lock’s gallery. She glowered at him. He blinked, frowned slightly. The sensation vanished.
    If not for the fact that it had left every hair on the nape of her neck standing on end, she could have blamed the incident on her imagination.
    “I’m a little busy at the moment,” she said as the door of the inner office slammed open.
    “No, you’re not,” Clementine announced. “I’ve canceled all of your other appointments. You’re free to work with Mr. Stonebraker for the next month.”
    “A whole month?” Orchid whirled back around to stare at her boss.
    “Yep.” Clementine, built like her favorite form of transportation, an ice-cycle, bristled in her signature black leather and gleaming silver studs. Her stark white hair, styled in a short brush-cut, was set off by steel hoops in her ears. “Stonebraker says his new case may take a little longer than the others.”
    Orchid had no trouble seeing the dollar signs that glittered in Clementine’s shrewd eyes.
    “But I’m not free for a whole month.” Orchid felt pressured. She needed to think about this, she decided. “I’ve got commitments.”
    “Nothing that can’t be rescheduled,” Clementine countered. “I checked.”
    “I’m talking about personal commitments, not Psynergy, Inc., commitments.” Orchid was intensely aware of Rafe listening to the exchange. “I’m going to attend my cousin’s wedding.”
    “That’s a week off and you said you’d only be away overnight, anyway,” Clementine said smoothly.
    Orchid groped for another excuse. “Founders’ Day is coming up soon. Only five days away.”
    “So?” Clementine shrugged one sturdy shoulder. “Have a beer, get a little crazy down in Founders’ Square, sing the Founders’ Anthem. Big deal. There’s still plenty of time to work for Stonebraker.”
    “I do have another career, you know.”
    “You told me just the other day that you were on schedule with your writing.”
    “That’s not the point.”
    Clementine planted her broad fists on her hips. “What, exactly, is the point?”
    “Yes.” Rafe gave her a curious look. “What is the point?”
    There was no point and Orchid knew it. She had no excuse for turning down the focus assignment. She was not even certain that she wanted to turn it down. She was starting to enjoy the private investigation work Rafe did. But she did not like the feeling of being maneuvered into a neat little trap.
    She turned back to Rafe. “When did you want to start?”
    “Tonight.”
    “Impossible.” A ridiculous sense of triumph soared through her. “I have a previous engagement.”
    “Cancel it,” Clementine ordered.
    “I can’t do that.” Orchid gave them all a somber look. “I’m meeting someone at the Volcano Club. We’re going to hold a small wake for a friend of ours who died recently.”
    “Oh, yeah, that’s right.” Byron balanced another stack of notepads. “I remember. You and Morgan Lambert are going to drink a toast to that poor ice-prism you both worked with. The one you said was weird.”
    “Yes.” Orchid challenged Rafe with another cool glare. “An acquaintance died a couple days ago. You know how it is.”
    “Sure,” Rafe said. “I know how it is. I’ll go with you to the Volcano Club. We can discuss the new assignment after you hold your mini-wake.”
    “Uh—” Orchid’s brain shut down for an