Free Deadly Intersections by Ann Roberts

Edgington’s name and found his website. He was a commercial real estate investor and speculator. After she clicked on all the links she’d still learned very little. He’d created a teaser, a website designed to give prospective clients a preview but not much real information. Anyone interested in Mr. Edgington’s services would need to call. When she scrolled to the bottom she found a message from his wife, thanking his clients for their past business and notes of condolence.
    She closed the articles and began writing her thoughts into the file. A knock drew her eyes to the doorway. A slash of dark hair leaned casually against the jamb, her thumbs looped into the front pockets of her jeans. The visitor smiled broadly at Ari.
    Ari swallowed hard at the sight of Biz Stone, a private investigator who’d helped save Jane’s life recently. “Hello, Biz,” she said.
    “Hey.” Biz motioned behind her. “There wasn’t anybody in the lobby so I came on through. I hope I didn’t scare you.”
    “No, of course not. I’m sorry there wasn’t anyone to greet you. Our receptionist leaves at four.”
    Biz shrugged, bypassing the client chairs and strolling to the couch with a sense of familiarity. She sat down and stretched her legs. Ari noticed that today she wore a Joan Jett and the Blackhearts T-shirt with her tight jeans. She looked incredibly sexy. That’s why you need to stay away from her .
    “It’s been a while, Biz.”
    Biz glanced at her watch. “Three months, nineteen days and nine hours.”
    She smiled weakly. “You’re very precise. What are you doing here?”
    Biz sat up and rested her hands on her knees. “Actually I’m here on business. I’m looking for a real estate agent. I want to buy a place.”
    She shifted in her seat while warning bells went off in her head. She knew if she joined Biz on the couch and stared into her brown eyes with the gold flecks, she would become confused again, lost in dangerous feelings. That couldn’t happen. She raised her head with complete resolve. “I can’t help you, Biz. You know that. You need to ask Lorraine.”
    Biz held up her hands. “Why do I need Lorraine? I thought we were friends.”
    “We are friends, but you know as well as I do that our relationship is complicated.”
    “Complicated? Complicated by what?”
    Ari glared and Biz feigned recognition. “Oh, you mean Molly. It’s complicated because she has a problem with me being in your life and you don’t want to upset her—”
    “No, that’s not it at all. You’ve summarized everything incorrectly. Molly doesn’t have a problem—”
    “So, you do?”
    She sighed in exasperation. “No, I don’t have a problem.”
    Biz jumped up and started pacing. “Well, I don’t have a problem. Maybe it’s Jane. Maybe she has the problem or maybe it’s the waiter at Oregano’s. Maybe he has the problem.”
    “Stop,” she said.
    She looked at Biz, totally dejected. She couldn’t explain her feelings. She knew helping her was wrong. It was a risk that would jeopardize her relationship with Molly. It was irrational, but it was the truth.
    “I can’t,” she said simply.
    Biz strolled behind her chair and hovered over her. She said nothing for a long time, allowing their nearness to wash over her.
    “I don’t want to ask Lorraine or Jane,” she whispered. “If we’re truly friends then this shouldn’t be a problem. And if your relationship with Molly can’t endure a business client, who also happens to be attracted to you, then it’ll never last with her.”
    She returned to the other side of the desk and dropped into a client chair. “Besides I’m going to make you a ton of money.”
    The money is the last thing I care about .
    But Biz was right. What would happen the first time an attractive lesbian client hit on her? Was Molly going to be jealous of every single woman in her life? This shouldn’t be an issue. She’d just have to figure out a way to tell Molly.
    Ari looked into her