Free Zeph Undercover by Jenny Andersen Page B

going to be covering.”
    The two men walked away. Allie gazed after them. Since when did Zeph have an interest in the building trade? Investing, maybe. Lord knew he seemed to have enough money. But he was a private detective, for crying out loud. The penny dropped. He could—and would—pretend anything if his investigation required it.
    She started setting up equipment, contemplating Zeph’s job. If he posed as a horse-loving investor, this must be part of the same case that had brought him to Stone’s Crossing. And he suspected Chaz? Why hadn’t he warned her? Last night, she might have told everyone he was a detective, something he clearly didn’t want broadcast. Jerk. He wanted her help, but didn’t offer anything approaching partnership. Given the way he felt about horses, he deserved everything he got today. She smiled.
    Most of Chaz’s horses were examined, vaccinated, and admired by the time Zeph and Chaz returned. She looked up, wondering how things had gone.
    “He may not know much about horses,” Chaz said, “but he’s hell on wheels with investing. I believe we can do some business, Allie.”
    Zeph smiled.
    She’d seen that wolfish smile before, and it confirmed her guess. Had he switched his suspicions from her father to Chaz? Before she found out, one of Chaz’s employees jogged up and handed him a note.
    His face darkened as he read it. “I’ll be right there,” he said, and turned to Allie. “I need Juan up at the house. Can you carry on without him?”
    “Zeph can help me,” she said. “I’m almost done.”
    “Thanks. Let me know before you leave.”
    When he had gone, Allie faced Zeph. “You don’t have to do anything.”
    “Why did you ask if you don’t want my help?” His mouth set in a grim line. “If you didn’t want me embarrassing you in front of your friend, you should have spoken up sooner. I probably put my foot in it a dozen times.”
    “I don’t care if you put your foot in it.” She swallowed a grin, remembering Monty’s colicky horse. “I want to talk to you.” She shouldered him out of the way and led the last mare out of her stall.
    Zeph leaned against the wall as far from the horse as possible. “Fine.”
    “What are you doing?”
    “Holding up the barn?”
    “I mean, why are you here?”
    “I’m a detective. I detect.”
    “You’re investigating Chaz? Clark?”
    “You know I can’t—”
    “Are you?”
    “Yes.”
    Relief made her light-headed for a moment. “Thank you.” One look at his set face made her think again, and she didn’t like what she came up with. “Wait a minute.” Playing for time, she opened the mare’s mouth and peered inside. “She’s a lovely girl, isn’t she,” she crooned. “I think you’re going to be another champion for Chaz, you pretty thing.” But she had to know. “Both of them? And does this mean you don’t suspect my father anymore?”
    Zeph heaved a sigh and started to move away from the wall. The mare tossed her head and he stepped back. “No, Allie, it doesn’t. Multiple lines of investigation, that’s all. You’ll still have to hate me.”
    Only the presence of the horse kept her from exploding. The untrusting idiot. Suspicious nitwit. Stupid jerk. She took a deep breath and slid the earpieces of her stethoscope in place to listen to the mare’s heart, lungs, and belly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Zeph vibrate with tension. She straightened and glared at him, furious almost beyond words. “You’re not going to have to spring to my defense, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
    “Somehow,” he muttered, “I don’t think you’ll need my help.”
    Allie raised an eyebrow. “Probably not. Is that a problem?”
    “Of course not.”
    Of course not. Her grip on her temper slipped. “You probably want all women to be helpless so you can feel like a big hero,” she said, knowing she sounded waspish.
    He grinned. “Temper, temper.”
    “You don’t even like helping me.” She