Free Hardheaded Brunette by Diane Bator Page A

know you have strong feelings for Mick and have an obligation to help, but—"
    "But you don't want me to get in over my head again."
    "Exactly." Doc emptied his pipe and spread the ashes over the rocks to cool then gave her a hug. "I like you just the way you are. Please don't get yourself beat up, or worse this time." He hopped over the rocks, making his way toward the hospital.
    Once Doc reached the parking lot, Gilda frowned and turned to face the lake. This time. He made her sound like a serial crime solver. A habitual truth seeker. Maybe he was right. Maybe she needed to take up knitting or painting in her spare time and leave the crime solving in the past. Her dad had been the cop, not her.
    Tears stung her eyes as they always did when she thought about him. Being killed while on duty during a bank robbery had made him a hero, but that didn't ease the pain of losing him.
    "Hey, love. What's happening?" Kane ran toward her up the boardwalk as a blustery wind picked up. His hair was plastered to his forehead and his shorts were blotchy with sweat, while his bare, broad chest shone.
    Gilda gave an inward groan. So much for not getting involved. "I thought Thayer already locked you up?"
    "Nah." He slowed to a walk, wiping his forehead with the back of one hand. "He tried, and heaven knows Mena gave him more than enough ammunition against me. Mick convinced him to do a bit more investigating before he did anything rash."
    "That's good," she said, not so sure she meant it.
    Kane raised both eyebrows. "You don't look very happy to see me running loose around town, love. Would you rather I be locked behind bars?"
    Gilda bit her lower lip and hesitated. "I don't know what to think. I heard you and Charlie trained together."
    "He was my coach and mentor." He shrugged. "We trained. We sparred. We traveled. We did everything together."
    "Everything?" she teased, raising her eyebrows.
    "It was like we were married, but I never had to see him naked." Kane met her gaze. "We were a team. He was the brain. I was the brawn. He planned the matches. I just showed up and fought to win. We worked well together for a long time."
    "Did he ever ask you to do anything you didn't want to do?"
    He hesitated. "Daily."
    "Like what?"
    Kane grinned. "You really don't want me to answer that, love. Let's just say I'm not the kind of guy who can look myself in the mirror much. Not the way your boyfriend can."
    Gilda's stomach knotted as Kane started to walk away. Had Charlie made Kane lose fights, or take dives, on purpose, or had he turned Kane into a mob enforcer outside of the ring as well?
    Kane paused. "Hey, where's Armadillo Street from here? I'm supposed to meet Mena there to check out her building, and I have no clue where the bloody place is."
    Armadillo Street sounded like a great place for someone to curl up and hide. She gave him simple directions.
    "Great. Thanks, love." He blew her a kiss, walking backward away from her. "Once I'm done with my run, I guess I'll head over there."
    "Wait. What's her new store called?" she asked. "I might drop in sometime."
    "Spirit something. Healing Spirit. Something lame like that. See you later, love."
    As he ran down the boardwalk through the park, she sighed, filled with far more questions than answers. She needed to find Gary. If anyone had the lowdown on the fight scene, it would be a bookie.

CHAPTER SIX
     
    After learning about Mena's new store from Kane, Gilda grew curious enough to make a detour on her way home. She crossed the busy street in front of the Phoenix school then headed two streets over and away from the lake. Armadillo Street held an eclectic blend of quilting shops, kitchen shops, restaurants, a sex shop that made her blush and face the other direction, and an old smoke shop which sold everything from cigarettes to cigars and paraphernalia from around the world.
    Mena's store, Healing Spirit Gift Shop, stood between a fabric store and the tattoo parlor which had animal skulls and