Free Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennifer Crusie

embezzlement and
    tax fraud perked her right up. She was completely cordial by the time she’d thought it through.” Anthony
    shook his head. “This is a waste of time, Zack. Granted somebody shot at you today, that still doesn’t
    necessarily tie Lucy Savage’s Bradley Porter with our John Bradley.”
    Zack scowled. “He’s not Lucy’s Bradley. He’s nobody’s Bradley, the rat. And there’s got to be a tie.
    Come on, Tony. We get a tip that John Bradley’s going to be at the diner, and Bradley Porter asks Lucy
    to meet him there on the same day? That’s too much of a coincidence.”
    “Maybe.” Anthony leaned back. “I’m not convinced.”
    Zack stared at the ceiling while he thought. “So what have we got? We’ve got John Bradley somewhere
    in the city with a million and a half in embezzled government bonds. We’ve got Bradley Porter
    somewhere in the city with an unidentified blonde. We’ve got an unidentified female caller who tips us
    that John Bradley will be at the diner. We’ve got Bradley Porter’s letter to Lucy telling her to meet him at
    the diner, or we will have as soon as she remembers what she did with it. And we’ve got somebody
    shooting at Lucy.”
    “Or you,” Anthony put in. “Don’t underestimate your unpopularity.”
    “Or me,” Zack amended. “Hell of a coincidence, though, to get shot at when Lucy’s right beside me. So
    what have we got?”
    “We have nothing.”
    “The two Bradleys have got to be in it together,” Zack said.
    “I suppose it’s remotely possible,” Anthony said. “If Bradley Porter is keeping a blonde on the side, he
    could probably use a couple of government bonds. But it’s hard to believe that John Bradley would steal
    the bonds in California and then come clear out here to share with Bradley Porter out of the goodness of
    his heart.”
    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    “Blackmail?”
    “Let’s not make this any more complicated than it already is. Here’s a good question. Why would
    somebody try to shoot Lucy?”
    “Bradley’s mad at her about the divorce,” Zack said.
    “So he shoots at her on the street? I don’t think so.”
    “Here’s a better one. Why is somebody trying to break into Lucy’s house?”
    Anthony jerked his head up, suddenly interested. “Somebody’s trying to break into her house?”
    “There are scratches on her locks, and the next-door neighbor saw somebody sneaking around the
    house. Granted, the next-door neighbor is not totally wired, but even so, if she says she saw somebody, I
    bet she did.”
    “You interviewed the next-door neighbor?”
    “No.” Zack looked pained. “She won’t talk to me. She thinks I’m a punk. I had the patrolman ask her.”
    “A punk. That’s not so bad.” Anthony grinned at him. “At least punks are young.”
    “Thank you.”
    “So you think somebody’s trying to break in to get Lucy?” Anthony shook his head. “That doesn’t make
    sense. There are a hundred easier ways to grab somebody than breaking into a house. Hell, you grabbed
    her on the street today.” Anthony looked at Zack’s lip. “Well, it might not be that easy. She does seem
    to have a fairly healthy sense of self-preservation.”
    Zack gave him a dirty look. “I was trying not to hurt her. If I’d wanted her, I’d have had her. Hell,
    anybody could have grabbed her.”
    “So they’re breaking in for something else.” Anthony leaned back in his chair. “Like to get a million and
    a half in government bonds that John Bradley gave to Bradley Porter who put them in the silverware
    drawer and then forgot to take with him when Lucy kicked him out? I don’t think so.”
    “Wait a minute.” Zack swung his chair around and planted his feet back on the floor. “He couldn’t get in.
    Tina put locks on. She wouldn’t let him in.”
    “So he just went meekly away and left a million and a half there? No,” Anthony said. “I bow to no one
    in my