Free Death Takes a Holiday by Elisabeth Crabtree

upgrade their ticket while they're waiting. In that case you wouldn’t end up on our list, but . . .” He looked apologetically at Grace. “I just don’t remember taking your ticket this morning. I’m afraid, I’m going to need to see your ticket stub.”

 
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
    “I’m telling you , she’s in love with me,” Steve whispered.
    Kyle brought his attention back from the picture -perfect winter scene outside the lounge car. “I invited Grace here, Steve. She’s not stalking you.”
    “That’s what she wants you to th ink. That it was all your idea.”
    Kyle scoffed. “ Don’t be ridiculous.’
    “Didn’t you tell me that she found the tickets and just assumed you wanted to take her?”
    Kyle nodded reluctantly. “Yeah, so?”
    Steve blew out a breath. “Now don’t take this the wrong way ‘cause I know you’re kinda sweet on her, but she’s just using you to get to me.” Steve looked over his shoulder. Grace stood next to the bar talking to a rather unhappy looking server. When she caught Steve staring at her, she scowled and slammed the jar in her hand on the counter.
    Kyle looked at him doubtfully.
    Steve turned back and shook his head. “See the way she’s staring at me? I’ve seen that look on women’s faces before. A lot. Trust me, she wants me. She somehow found out that I was on this train and tricked you into bringing her along.”
    “Steve, I think you may be wrong on this one.”
    “Haven’t you learned anything from me? I’m training you to be a detective and you’re missing all the clues,” he said, snapping his fingers in the air in front of Kyle’s face.
    Kyle resisted the urge to grab Steve’s hand. “Such as?”
    “Haven’t you noticed that she’s been showing up at the office quite a lot lately? And she’s been wearing these really sexy outfits.”
    Kyle had noticed, but was pretty sure Grace wasn’t wearing those outfits for Steve’s benefit. He ripped open a packet of sugar and poured it into his coffee. “Steve, Grace and I—”
    “Nope. I know what you’re going to say , but you’ve got it all wrong. Hey, I thought she was interested in you too, at first, but now I see that it’s really me that she’s after. You can’t see it because your powers of observation are really low.”
    Kyle choked on his coffee. “Really ?”
    “I mean , don’t get me wrong, you’ve come a long way in the short time you’ve been working for me.”
    “ With you. ” Kyle carefully set the coffee cup down on the game table. “Working with you , Steve. My name is printed on the door right next to yours.”
    Steve rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I’m the detective here, not you pretty boy. You’re just the bait to bring in the big bucks,” Steve said , referring to his agreement not to rat Kyle out to the authorities about Kyle’s made up New York detective agency.
    Kyle leaned back in his seat. “I think I’ve been doing pretty well the last few months. If it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t have ever found out who stole all of Evan Orr’s money or even how they did it.”
    “I just said you’ve come a long way under my guidance, didn’t I? But you seem to lose all focus when Grace is in the room. And as a detective that’s not a good idea. You need to know exactly what’s going on at all times. Your life may depend on it.”
    Kyle lifted up his hands in a sign of surrender. “All right. Fine. G ive me some examples of Grace’s all-consuming love for you.”
    Steve lifted his hand and began counting off his fingers. “One. She keeps calling me all these little cutsie affectionate names, like pumpkin or pookie. Last week she called me cupcake.”
    “You don’t say?” Kyle refrained from pointing out it was usually done sarcastically and in response to whatever sexist drivel Steve had just thrown at her.
    “ Two. She keeps showing up wherever I am.”
    “That’s because you’re usually with me.”
    “Yeah? Remember last Wednesday,