Free Jolie Blonde (Vigilare Book 3) by Brooklyn James Page B

“What were you about to say?” He grows antsy to know her true mind.
    Brianna breathes in deeply, her chin jutting out as she attempts to embrace his provocation, knowing her true mind is not always as suitable as the edited version. “I was going to say, I was taught it is only proper and appropriate to apologize if I’ve hurt someone’s feelings. Although I wouldn’t expect you to know anything about manners,” she snips.
    Johnny releases a devilish laugh. “Atta girl!” He swoops in closer to her, his playful eyes begging of hers. “Now doesn’t that feel a hell of a lot better than resorting to I’m sorry?”
    She can’t help but smile, affected by his full audacious grin. “Maybe,” she admits.
    “Now, get out of here.” His sentiment is twofold. One, the thrill of the chase, he really wants to get to the bottom of her parents’ murder; two, his growing discomfort in being so close to her, the porcelain skin on her face calls for the touch of his hand.
    “Thank you, Johnny.” She holds his eyes with hers, making a point to doubly acknowledge him.
    His posture, as arrogant as his ego, makes a show of throwing his arms out to his sides, his palms facing up, dismissing the unwarranted praise. “For what?”
    “Being persistent.” Her lips curving up at the corners, she continues, “unrelenting…like a gnat.”
    “Buzz. Buzz. Buzz,” he jousts.
    Brianna laughs. “Really, thank you for pushing me out of my comfort zone.” She backs away from his cell, her once insecure frame of mind now growing confident. “Your believing that I’m more capable than I think I am, might be just the thing I need to prove myself wrong.” She turns away from him, headed for the exit.
    “Hey, rich girl,” he calls, causing her to turn around, facing him. Johnny now finds himself going against his mantra by quenching his own true mind, wanting to tell her to be careful. The sentiment proving too soft, too difficult for him to muster, he quickly diverts. “Take a camera. Get pictures of everything…the tracks, before and after you impress them…the scene. Link everything back to that marsh.”
    She nods, valiantly slipping out the exit.

 
     
     
Pretty Little Rolling Stone
     
     
    Pretty little rolling stone
    What do you do when all you got is gone
    You search within yourself
    Dig deeper than anyone else
     

     
     
    Late in the evening after an eventful day at the marsh, preceded by a close-call at the dentist’s office, Brianna returns to the Castille residence. Rowing up to the dock in the flat-bottomed pirogue that Lon conveniently left for her on the other side of the swamp, she quietly hops out securing it to a hitch beside the Castilles’ large motorized airboat. Under the impression everyone is asleep, she tiptoes around.
    Out of the darkness a blinding light shines, spooking her as it flashes into her eyes, causing her to scream.
    “Shh,” Lon’s voice soothes, his eyes peeking out from under the mini spotlight he wears attached to his forehead by a stretchy band.
    “Jeepers, Lon!” Brianna exhausts in a whisper, clutching at her heart. “You scared the crap out of me.”
    He holds back a chuckle at her reaction, intent on being put out by her involvement with Johnny Vito.
    “What are you doing?” she inquires at his peculiar headpiece.
    He stoops over, ducking his head back down, focusing his spotlight on the airboat engine, his hands busily tinkering. “I’m fine-tuning this engine for Pop. Started acting up on the way back in today.”
    “You know how to do that?” she asks, a hint of intrigue in her voice.
    He stands erect, removing the spotlight band from around his forehead, relieving the warm glow. “Johnny Vito’s not the only one who knows how to do things,” he gruffs.
    “Lon,” she begins, the words ‘I’m sorry’ prepped on the tip of her tongue. Her mind returning to the jailhouse and Johnny, his reprimand rings through her head— Stop apologizing! Brianna