Free PartyNaked by Mari Carr Page A

lieutenant of the drug task force
simply assigned me a couple of long shots to ease me into the case.”
    “Yeah, well, he’s about as long a shot as you could get.
Elias, the drug pusher.” She snorted.
    “He’s a professor at the university where the two girls
ODed. The only thing they had in common was his class. Like I said, he wasn’t
ever a serious suspect. We were just dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s.
What’s the deal with that guy anyway?”
    Stephanie shrugged. “He’s a regular at the bar and a true
gentleman. I think Jayne has the hots for him.”
    “Big age difference, wouldn’t you say?”
    “I don’t know how old Elias is.”
    “According to the information I gathered on him, he’s
forty-two.”
    “Oh. Wow. Well, it doesn’t matter. He’s never asked Jayne
out or expressed any interest. So you had to follow him around all week?”
    “Actually, no. I only tailed him that one night. He was
cleared immediately when we caught a big break on the case the day after you
and I met. That’s when things sped up. We set up surveillance for several days
and then a sting operation. Made the arrest late last night and spent my
morning wrapping up the paperwork.”
    Stephanie took a sip of her coffee. “Good for you. Although,
I must admit I don’t think I’d like your job. Paperwork and I don’t get along.
I drive Jordan nuts because of my lame record-keeping. I think I’ll leave the
law and order stuff to you.”
    He studied her face for a long time and she finally caved
under the unreadable expression. “What?”
    “I just gave you more details regarding a case than I ever
shared with Cheryl, and believe me, she would have been hanging on the edge of
her seat and begging for more.”
    “Into cops, was she?”
    He shrugged. “I guess. Problem was I always ended up feeling
like I needed to embellish the story to make it interesting for her. It was
irritating.”
    Stephanie took the last bite of ice cream and wiped her
mouth with her napkin. “Sorry, but Cheryl sounds like a tool.”
    “Let’s just say I appreciate the fact that you don’t place
the same importance on my stories of work. I love my job, though I’ll admit
certain aspects of it annoy me. The paperwork ranks pretty damn high on the
aggravating list. But being a cop is only a small part of who I am.”
    She nodded, understanding his frustration with his ex. She
felt the same irritation with her mother. “My mom does the same shit to me.
She’s this high-powered executive and a major workaholic.”
    Jarod grin. “Guess the fruit didn’t fall far from that
tree.”
    She knew he didn’t intend to insult her. He didn’t know
about the animosity between her and Beverly, but his words still grated.
“Meaning?”
    “From what I gather, you work your ass off at that bar. When
was the last time you took a night off?”
    “I took tonight off,” she joked.
    He narrowed his eyes. “Before tonight?”
    She bit her lip, refusing to answer his question.
    “That’s what I thought,” he said.
    “What I’m trying to say is, in my mother’s eyes, I’m a
failure. Having a bartender for a daughter isn’t exactly something she can brag
about to her friends at the country club.”
    Jarod frowned. “You’re a hell of a lot more than just a
bartender, Steph. You’re a successful entrepreneur, a creative businesswoman, a
good friend and the best lover I’ve ever had.”
    She smiled at his vehement defense, laughing at the last.
Then she made her point. “Not sure I can brag about that lover part to mom, but
thanks. And, for the record, you’re a lot more than just a cop.”
    He nodded, looking pleased that she got it.
    “I guess now that Elias has been cleared as a hardened
criminal, you don’t have any reason to hang out at Books and Brew anymore.”
    He snorted. “Are you kidding me? I have every reason to hang
out. You’re there.”
    She fell silent. Compliments seemed to come so naturally to
him and she never