Free The Detective Inspectors (The Doorknob Society Saga Book 4) by MJ Fletcher Page A

the table.
    “Jess has scouted some great places we can go to. I want us all to go out tonight and have a good time.” Val stopped, needing to take a deep breath, she’d been speaking so quickly.
    “You want a night out?” I asked.
    “Yes, with friends.”
     Val had buried herself in her studies since Edgar had been captured and for her to ask this of us meant she wanted, or perhaps needed, it pretty badly. But then I guess we all had been missing our friendship. Even with the day I already had, and though I would much rather crawl under the covers in my bed, I couldn’t deny her request.
    “Fine, where are we going?”

Chapter 12
    Status: Crash Course.
    The banging in my head wouldn’t stop. I dragged the pillow over my face and tried to block out the tormenting sound, but it refused to go away. I yanked the pillow away and forced one eye open. The sun felt like a death ray attempting to end my life.
    The banging wasn’t just in my head, it was also echoing around the apartment. I struggled out of bed and stumbled out of my new bedroom. After my charge down pathetic lane and feeling I owed it to Val, our little group had made the night of it, staying out until almost dawn.
    I decided I liked London just for its Old Kind night life, though my head seemed to disagree. I crashed at Val’s new apartment where I would be living, though I hadn’t completed the move yet.
     I passed Slade sleeping on the couch and chuckled as Jess lifted her head off the chair she was crunched in, her hair sticking up in a million different directions.
    “What’s that?” she mumbled.
    “Door,” I said and winced against the pounding sound as I walked to the front door and pulled it open.
    “Rule one... always check who is at the door before you open it.” Archibald Masters brushed past me into the room.
     My uncle was tall and thin with hair graying at the temples and a Fu Manchu mustache. His suit was cut to perfection but then my uncle would never consider buying a suit off the rack, every suit he wore was custom made.
    “Uncle Archie?” I blinked looking at him several times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
    “Hello, sweet girl.” He leaned over and kissed my forehead, and then yanked off his tailor made camel haired overcoat and tossed it on the couch.
     Slade popped up yanking the coat off his head and looking around befuddled. “What’s going on?”
    “And you are, young man?” Uncle Archie stared down at Slade, one eyebrow arched disapprovingly.
    “Michael Slade, sir.” Slade looked from Archie to me in confusion.
    “Well, Mr. Slade, I do hope you plan on sleeping on the couch when you stay here,” —his eyes shot a warning at him— “I wouldn’t want to catch you anywhere else.”
    “Uncle Archie!” I yelled and he glanced at me winking. I punched him in the shoulder and he laughed.
    “I kid, now get ready, it’s time to get started.”
    “What?” I shook my head. “I haven’t finished moving here yet. I was visiting,” —it was my turn to shoot my uncle a look— “how did you even know I was here.”
    “This city has been my home for some time, along with that come a plethora of close friends and business acquaintances. You don’t think someone would mention to me that they saw my niece out all night last evening?” He tapped the side of his head and then pointed back at me.
    “Right, I hadn’t thought about that.”
    “Plus, if I leave it up to you to decide when your training starts, it never will. You’ve been avoiding me for weeks. Now get yourself together so that we can finally begin.” He slid onto the chair beside Jess who ran her hands frantically through her hair trying to get it in some semblance of order.
    “Fine,” I sighed and walked to the kitchen. “First, I have to have my coffee.”
    “No time, get ready, and we’ll grab some on the way.”
    I agreed with a grumble and headed to my room where I rushed through a fast shower, tossing on a change of clothes that