3 Buried Leads Read Online Free PDF

outside before I lost it.
    “Were you just going to spring those shoes on me the day of the wedding?” I was incredulous.
    “Basically,” Carly admitted. “I knew you would never agree to wear them. I figured you’d take one look at me in my white dress and not be able to tell me no.”
    Well, at least she was honest.
    “I don’t want to wear dyed shoes.”
    “You can take them off and go barefoot after the photos have been taken.”
    “Photos!”
    Carly bit the inside of her cheek. “Of course there will be photos. Don’t be purposely obtuse. You knew there would be photos.”
    “Will the shoes be in them?”
    “Only a few.”
    I blew out a sigh. “How long until the wedding?”
    “A little less than a month.”
    “No offense, but I’m ready for it to be over with.”
    “You and me both. The less I have to see of that woman, the better,” Carly said bitterly.
    “We could smother her in her sleep,” I offered.
    “We would get caught. I would be the first suspect and Jake would know you wouldn’t let me commit a murder on my own.”
    She had a point.
    When Carly was sure that I was sufficiently calm – or as calm as I was going to get in the next hour – she said her goodbyes and left me fuming on the street. I was so caught up in my righteous indignation, I didn’t notice a pair of feet stop next to me on the street corner.
    “Is this a private freak out, or can anyone join in?”
    I jumped when I heard the voice. I recognized it. I didn’t even have to look up to know that I would find Eliot standing next to me.
    I plastered a fake bright smile on my face and met his gaze. He looked as good as I remembered. His shoulder-length brown hair was glinting under the sunlight and his rich brown eyes were filled with amusement as he regarded me. “I’m not freaking out,” I lied.
    “Then what are you doing?”
    “Contemplating the meaning of life?”
    “And?”
    “And? And it sucks.” Seriously, dyed shoes are just embarrassing.
    “Well, I can’t argue with that,” Eliot’s smile was fairly welcoming. I took that as a good sign.
    “How are you?” I bit the bullet. We might as well have the uncomfortable conversation that was bubbling under the surface. At least, when it was over, I would have a better understanding of where I stood.
    “I’m fine,” he said. “No long-lasting injuries.”
    “That’s good,” I offered lamely.
    “How are you?” The question was pointed.
    “I’m fine.”
    Eliot looked up at the bridal store behind me. There was a question in his eyes. I wasn’t sure if he actually wanted to ask it, though.
    “I was getting fitted for my bridesmaid dress for Carly’s wedding,” I explained hurriedly. I lifted up the lilac sheath, which was covered in a plastic dress bag, as proof.
    “I was wondering,” Eliot laughed. “I didn’t think you and Jake would make a rush for the aisle that quickly.”
    What? “I don’t . . . what?”
    “You and Jake. I figured you’d made up. That was why I hadn’t heard from you.” Eliot steadfastly averted his gaze from mine.
    “Jake and I are not together,” I said. “Why would you think that?”
    “Because you just disappeared after you came and saw me at the hospital.” There was a certain edge of frustration laced throughout Eliot’s words.
    “I did go back,” I protested. “You were already discharged. I figured you would call me when you were feeling better but . . . it never happened.”
    Eliot smiled to himself, the first real smile today. “Do you have one of those phones that only receives calls?”
    “No. I just figured you would call me if you wanted to talk to me.”
    “And I figured you would call me if you wanted to talk to me.”
    Eliot and I both burst out in laughter. It was a surreal situation. We lapsed into silence when our giggles had subsided. Eliot broke the silence. “So you’re not with Jake?”
    “Of course not,” I scoffed. I didn’t tell him that I hadn’t talked to Jake since