Free Bylines & Skylines (An Avery Shaw Mystery Book 9) by Amanda M. Lee Page A

the body,” I admitted. There was no sense lying. He would figure it out eventually.
    “You were there?” Duncan asked, moving up behind Fish’s chair and glaring at me. “You got to visit the convention center early? How is that fair?”
    “If you want things to be fair you’re going to have to sleep with the guy running security,” I said with faux sweetness. “I think you’re a little butch for him, though. I’ll ask if he’s interested if you like.”
    “You’re sick.” Duncan made a disgusted face. “I don’t understand what he sees in you.”
    “I’m talented in bed,” I sneered, earning a stern look from Fish. “Too far? I figured as much the second I said it.”
    “Now if you could just get to the point where you see you’re going too far before the words actually come out of your mouth,” Fish said. “That would be miraculous.”
    “Yes, well, I’m not sure I want to go that far,” I said. “I’ll consider it, though. What’s the deal with the sheriff’s department? Are they having a news conference to release the name of the victim?”
    Fish nodded as he dug through the stack of papers on his desk, ultimately coming back with a release from the sheriff’s department. I took it and studied it, frowning when I realized what it said.
    “He did this on purpose.”
    Fish chuckled. “You saw that, too, huh?”
    “Saw what?” Duncan asked, leaning over my shoulder. I elbowed him to maintain a safe distance and shot him a nasty glare. “I was just looking!”
    “Don’t touch me or I’ll report you to Human Resources for sexually harassing me,” I warned, earning a snicker from Fish. Duncan reported me to Human Resources every chance he got. “Or I’ll tell Eliot you tried to get fresh and we can see what he wants to do about the situation.”
    Duncan swallowed hard. He was understandably terrified of Eliot. My boyfriend was a big guy with broad shoulders who liked to fight when the chance arose. Duncan was a tiny man (and I was pretty sure he was overcompensating for something tiny elsewhere) but he fancied himself strong. The only thing strong about him was his aftershave … and his absolute refusal to be a decent human being. “I’m not afraid of him,” he said, although he didn’t look convinced.
    “You should be,” I said. “He’s even more protective now that we’re moving in together.”
    “Yeah, I heard about that,” Fish said. “Does he really think he’s going to be able to put up living with you?”
    “We practically live together now.”
    “Yes, but he can still take off when he needs a break,” Fish pointed out. “That’s going to change when you live under the same roof.”
    “We’ll have guestrooms. It will be fine.” I said the words, but I’d secretly been worried about the same thing. I’m a lot to deal with. I often think Eliot has infinite patience, but even he was bound to run out of it eventually. “Um … what were we talking about again?”
    Fish sent me a knowing look but then turned back to his computer. “I’m assuming you want to handle the murder and have someone else do a story on the opening day of the convention. Am I right?”
    I kind of wanted to do both, but I knew stretching myself too thin wasn’t a good idea. “Jake is holding the conference in front of the convention center,” I reminded him. “I can do both. He’s doing it because he wants everyone to believe the center is safe – and he’s doing it after the noon news but before the evening news, which is strategic.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Because today is a preview day for guests with passes,” I replied. “The convention isn’t open to everyone until tomorrow. I can do a preview and cover the murder. It shouldn’t be a problem. I can take my laptop and file both from there.”
    “What if you can’t find a spot to write?” Fish asked.
    “Eliot is working security. I have an in.” Of course, Eliot could’ve gotten fired, but I decided not