Free PENITENCE: An Andi Comstock Supernatural Mystery, Book 2 (95,893 words) by Ann Simas Page B

email?”
    Yes, initially, but then I was told to purchase a disposable phone, and once I did, someone texted me with additional questions.
    “Why do you say ‘someone’?”
    I…I’m not sure. I suppose because the questions were redundant. I’d already provided him with the information. He paused again. You know, I remember thinking at the time that he might have turned the job over to someone else.
    “Did you bother to ask?”
    No.
    Andi found that peculiar, but didn’t say so. “What kinds of questions?”
    How much could I pay? Where did I live? Was the mark in the same city? What was my relationship with the mark?
    Curiouser and curiouser. “What did you do with the phone?”
    Nothing. I carried it with me during the day, when I was at work, but I kept it in the bureau drawer when I got home. He paused a moment. You do know that I began my death spiral at home, don’t you?
    “All I know is that you had an aneurism. The medical examiner confirmed that, but he also did a toxicology screen on you and he’s awaiting results.”
    No one poisoned me, although I wish to God someone had before I got a wild hair up my ass to kill my wife.
    Andi made a strangled sound.
    What’s that about?
    “Wild hair,” she said. “The game app I’m writing is called Wild Hare , h-a-r-e, as in from the rabbit family. I was taken aback by your choice of words, that’s all.”
    I like your rabbit wild hare better than my idiot wild hair.
    Andi understood why, but even so, just like that, he was gone again before she had a chance to ask more questions or tell him that she would be meeting with Denise that evening.
    . . .
    Vaughn texted Andi at twelve-fifteen that he was waiting for her downstairs. She saved her work and logged off her computer, then used the restroom, grabbed her coat and purse and headed out.
    “Where would you like to go?” Vaughn asked. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a bear.”
    Andi grinned. “There’s a steak house nearby, but I don’t think they serve bear.”
    He grinned back. “Walk or drive?”
    “Too far to walk, especially since I didn’t wear my boots and the sidewalks may not have all been cleared yet.”
    “Your carriage awaits, then.” He took her elbow and escorted her across the street, which was still icy in spots. “I don’t get this city. They’re never ready for snow.”
    “Go figure,” Andi said facetiously, climbing into his Mercedes GL. “Wow, this is luxurious.”
    “Sherry picked it out. She wanted something comfortable to drive while she was carting kids around.”
    “She always did have good taste.”
    “That she did.”
    They arrived at the restaurant five minutes later. Vaughn ordered a ribeye and Andi ordered a french dip.
    “I take it your meeting with Orion went well,” she said.
    “What gave me away?” Vaughn asked, his eyes twinkling.
    “Gee, I don’t know. Maybe your dour expression and overall depressed mood?”
    He laughed. “I can’t give you any particulars yet, but suffice it to say, Orion and I hit it off and we’re both excited about what the future holds for us.”
    Andi was happy to see Vaughn finally enjoying himself. He’d taken Sherry’s death hard, and being thrust into the role of single-parent to two sets of twins, was no picnic. Though life had been tough on him, he was mastering it. “I’m glad. You deserve a bit of good fortune.”
    He smirked. “That’s the problem. I have a fortune and it needs to be put to good use.”
    Andi knew he wasn’t exaggerating. He’d sold his software company for reported mega millions and in December, the employees at Sherry’s real estate firm, located in Bellevue, Washington, had asked if he was interested in selling the business to them. They’d offered a fair price, Vaughn said, so he accepted. “Did the closing go okay on Sherry’s company?”
    He nodded. “It did and I gifted the proceeds to Eddie and Sally. They’ve got a lot of years ahead of them, and I want them to be worry-free