Free Secrets of the Lynx by Aimée Thurlo Page A

wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go into details.”
    The microwave dinged just then, and she didn’t press him.
    After a quick dinner, Kendra helped him pick up in the kitchen. “Are you good to go?” she asked, glancing at his shoulder.
    He moved his arm in a circle. “See? No problems now.”
    Paul called Nick as they got ready to leave. “Keep an eye on my place, will you? I can’t monitor the cameras where I’m going, so I’d like you to stay alert.”
    “You’ve got it, Mr. Grayhorse.”
    Hearing the howl of the wind outside even before he opened the door, Paul turned to Kendra. “You’re going to need a coat. Take my black leather jacket. It’s on the back of the bedroom door.”
    He grabbed another, a well-worn, brown leather jacket from the hall closet.
    “We’re going to have to watch each other’s backs in that alley,” Kendra said after they were on their way.
    “Just stay cool and don’t tense up,” Paul said. “Some of my informants hang out on that street, and I expect they’ll come right up to us.”
    Ten minutes later they parked a block down from the alley, then strolled up the sidewalk. Drive time traffic had picked up since their bookstore trip.
    They were on the side of the street that was sheltered from the wind by the tall buildings. Comfortable, Kendra fell into step beside Paul.
    “Slouch a little more, and pick up some street attitude. You’re walking like a cop,” Paul said softly.
    “Okay,” she said, trying to correct her lapse.
    They turned the corner beside the bus terminal and continued down the block. The alley between Third and Fourth streets was just ahead.
    A tall redhead in a loose open coat, wearing a short skirt and a skintight top, greeted Paul with a huge smile. “Hey, Paul. How’s it going?” she said, standing at an angle to emphasize her assets. “I didn’t expect to see you downtown. You looking for some fun?”
    “Hey, Brandy, how are you doing? Cold evening to be working.”
    “Pays the bills,” Brandy answered with a shrug. “So you looking for a threesome?” she added, giving Kendra the once-over.
    Kendra forced a smile, glad she hadn’t choked.
    “Thanks, but, no,” he said, placing his arm over Kendra’s shoulder in a familiar, yet casual gesture. “Actually I’m looking for Annie Crenshaw—slim, blonde and a little shorter than you. I heard she hangs here sometimes.”
    Brandy made a face. “Oh, Antsy Annie? She’s messed up. Don’t waste your money. You can do a lot better.”
    “We just need to talk to her. Give me a call if you see her,” Paul said, then reached for his wallet.
    Kendra figured he’d give her his card but, instead, Paul handed Brandy a couple of twenties.
    “You still got my cell number?” he asked her.
    “Burned into my memory,” Brandy said, giving him a big smile “555-1967.”
    A small, buxom brunette in jeans so tight they left nothing to the imagination came up and put her hand on Paul’s arm. “Hey, handsome, it’s good to see you.”
    “Hey, Kat,” Paul greeted. “How’ve you been?”
    Kendra watched Paul as he spoke to the women. He treated them with respect, looking past their present circumstances and seeing who they were at heart—women trying to survive. That kindness seemed to bring out the best in them.
    Soon a tall, slender man wearing a stocking cap and a long leather coat climbed out of a parked Mercedes and came over. “These are my girls, so quit wasting their time with chitchat, Grayhorse. Make a deal or move along. Time is money—my money.”
    “Don’t disrespect me or the ladies, Bobby. Get back in the car.”
    “Yeah, yeah. Talk big. Now look, man, you’re hurting my business here, and my girls are trying to make a living. You got five minutes, then be gone before you scare away any customers, comprendes? ” Bobby glanced at a passing car with a solitary driver. The man eagerly eyed the women, but when he saw Paul watching him, he accelerated down the