Free The Darkness Beyond by Alexis Morgan Page B

“Let’s get a move on. It’s a beautiful day. I’ve got a class this afternoon, so I want to spend some time out in the sun while I’ve got the chance.”
    Cody looked marginally happier. “Okay. I’ll skip the cereal and settle for a fruit smoothie and an elephant ear at the market then.”
    She gave him a mock frown as she thought about the delicious combination of fried dough, cinnamon, and sugar. “Only if you’ll share it with me. I love those things.”
    He grinned. “Not a chance. You’ll have to buy one of your own.”
    â€œEasy for you to say. You’re not the one who’s going to have trouble fitting into her jeans if she keeps eating all these sweets.”
    Cody snickered. “I’d say I like your jeans tight, but I’ve been afraid of you since you flattened Big Ed the other day. Anyone ever tell you that you’ve got one heck of a temper?”
    â€œYes, they have.” She punched him lightly on the arm. “You’d best not forget it either. Now let’s hit the farmers’ market before all the good stuff is gone.”
    They raced down the stairs. She still hadn’t decided what to do about the e-mail or about turning in D.J. when she saw her boss on Monday. For right now, though, she was going to enjoy her day off.

Chapter 6
    D.J. slouched down farther in his seat as Reggie and Cody came out of her building. Didn’t she have anything better to do than hang around with that scrawny punk? Evidently not. At least if she was running around with Cody, that probably meant she didn’t have a boyfriend in her life at the moment. Maybe other guys felt differently, but if D.J. had a woman like Reggie to call his own, he’d be the one hanging out with her.
    But irritating as it was to see her take off with the kid, her absence offered him the perfect opportunity to do a little snooping. She’d never forgive him if she ever found out that he’d riffled through her personal belongings. Luckily, he had a light touch when it came to breaking and entering. She’d never know he’d been there. From what he knew of her, she’d have heavy-duty security protocols in place on her computer, but her apartment, not so much.
    When she and Cody turned the corner, he waited another couple of minutes to make sure they weren’t coming back before getting out of his truck. He crept up the steps, listening carefully to avoid being caught by her neighbors. He’d palmed the key that Cody had returned to Reggie last night, just in case.
    What he was about to do was illegal as hell, but he wasn’t worried about that. He was far more concerned about Reggie finding out. Reggie would kill him or at least give it her best shot.
    The lock opened with a soft click, and D.J. eased through the door. At least she didn’t have a dog to raise hell when a stranger came inside. He put the key back on the counter, tucking it under the edge of a plant where she should find it easily enough. Hopefully, she hadn’t missed it already.
    He looked around the small apartment. Where to start? The computer sat on a small desk in the corner of the living room. Most of the desktop was cluttered with toys ranging from cartoon characters to action figures, not to mention a nice selection of squeeze toys designed to relieve tension. He grinned. At least half matched the ones in his own collection.
    He’d save her laptop for last because he could always hack into it from the outside. This might be his only chance to learn what he could from the nest Reggie had built for herself.
    The kitchen revealed little that he didn’t already know. Her taste in dishes was pragmatic, not fancy. She’d spent her money where it counted—good-quality cookware and high-end knives. Evidently a fondness for steel that would hold a sharp edge was something else they had in common.
    The small living room was furnished with comfort in