Free Dangerous Allies (The Ruby Danger Series Book 1) by Rickie Blair

cellphone and beamed at the image on its screen.
    “Oh, look, Emily. That’s a good one.”
    Ruby’s head throbbed and she looked longingly at the wine bottle. Gareth tapped his glass with a vacant stare. Tabitha took a bite of her entree and swallowed, staring into the distance. Cutlery clinking against china was the only sound at the table. Until a phone rang.
    Pete dropped his fork and fumbled in his pocket for his cellphone. Checking the screen, he pushed his chair back and paced a few steps away. Walking to the exit with the phone against his ear, he looked over at Jillian and shook his head. She bit her lip and turned back to the table.
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    T hey were halfway through their entrees when Pete returned. Jillian put a hand on his arm and raised her eyebrows. He patted her hand and turned his attention to the prime rib on his plate.
    Ruby tried not to stare. What was that about? She sipped her water, pretending indifference, and then put down her glass.
    “So. Pete. I hear you’re keeping a tight rein on those grandkids.”
    He looked up with a forkful of prime rib halfway to his mouth.
    “What has Jillian been telling you?”
    “She says you’ve got their cellphones bugged.”
    Pete looked at Jillian, who raised her wine glass at him with a mischievous grin. He shook his head.
    “It’s in case they get stolen, is all. I can find out who’s got the phone.”
    “How does it work?”
    “It’s a keylogger program. It tracks everything that’s typed into the phone.”
    “And then?”
    “Then it e-mails the keystrokes to me. I never look at it.”
    “What about that device on the car that tracks how fast they’re driving?”
    “Oh, come on.” Pete put down his fork. “That’s a safety measure. The boys know it’s there. I would never—”
    “Pete, I’m kidding.”
    “Sorry. Sorry, but Jillian is always ribbing me about it.”
    “Well, it is a bit unusual,” Ruby said.
    “Pete was a fraud investigator,” Jillian said. “He used a lot of unusual devices to track people.”
    “Are you tracking someone now?” Ruby asked. “Is that what that call was about?”
    “Oh no, my tracking days are over. That was a colleague, making sure I’m not bored.”
    “Oh, c’mon, Pete. Tell us.”
    “Can’t tell you anything. I mean, I couldn’t tell you if it was anything, which it’s not.”
    “But you’ve had dealings with the Russian mob, right?”
    “Not that much. Although a few years back we found one of their victims in an alley. He was stabbed through the eye and left to bleed out.”
    There was a sharp intake of breath around the table and Jillian shook Pete’s arm.
    “Hon, nobody wants to hear that at dinner.”
    “Sorry, folks.” Pete shrugged. “But yes, I’ve come across them,” he said, looking intently at Ruby, “and it’s never a good idea to underestimate them.” He kept his eyes trained on her for several beats before returning to his food.
    Ruby made a face and turned to Jillian.
    “I bet you’re glad he’s retired.”
    “You have no idea. Show Ruby your wallet, hon.”
    Pete pushed his plate away, pulled a thick leather wallet from his pocket and placed it on the table. He flipped it open. A tiny pistol fit snugly into the molded interior.
    “Is that a … real gun?” Ruby prodded it gently with her finger.
    “Yep. These wallet holsters are useful if someone takes your backup weapon. I’ve never used this one. It was a retirement gift.” With a shrug, Pete closed the wallet and slid it back into his pocket.
    Ruby looked around the table. Everyone was staring at Pete. Time to change the subject.
    “Let’s order that special dessert. The one they make at the table with liquid nitrogen.”
    “Oh, let’s,” Jillian said. “That will be something to tell the grandkids, won’t it, Pete?”
    But Pete wasn’t listening. He had swiveled his head to face the entrance, where someone was shouting.
    “I think,” he said, turning to Ruby, “your husband has