Battle Scars Read Online Free PDF Page A

pavement, ready to warm up to their parents again. Usually they leave over a small thing, curfews and crap like that. I usually hit the bus station first and then walk the streets for a few nights until they come up. Get Hank to call the beat cops and put the fear of God into the homeless kids until they run home to mom and dad.”
    I flinched inside, thinking about Hank Attersley. The police detective and I hadn’t spoken since he’d had to take me in for my involvement with the Hanovers and Bran’s half-brother. I wasn’t sure if I could count on him for help right now.
    Bran cleared his throat. “That could take weeks.”
    “It could,” I admitted. “These are kids used to roughing it, not pampered socialites looking to scare their parents because they didn’t get a sports car for their birthday.”
    Bran nodded. “You’ll need my help if you want to find them fast. I know it’s been a few years but I can help you cut corners, save you wasting time in some areas and maybe use some old contacts.” He grinned. “Not to mention two heads are better than one, even when one’s mine.”
    I bit down on my lip, feeling the skin threaten to split.
    “Are you going to be okay with this?” Jess asked the question I was thinking.
    “I owe you,” Bran answered. He wasn’t wrong—Jess had been a major factor in finding and saving his baby half-brother a month before. “I always pay my debts. Say the word and I’m with her on this.”
    Jess chuckled. “As if I could keep you out of her business.” Her tone shifted. “Rebecca, are you going to be okay taking him along?”
    I hesitated just long enough for Bran to take and squeeze my hand.
    “I’ll be fine. Besides, the faster we find those two kids the faster this entire thing is over.” He smiled and flexed his free arm. “Better. Stronger. Faster.” He pointed down at his shorts. “As you know.”
    “Faster, yes.” I turned my attention back to the phone, ignoring his exaggerated wincing, and hoped Jess wasn’t getting the joke. “Jess, tell me the truth. Is this going to get nasty?”
    She laughed, a low rumbling that both stirred the hunter inside and terrified me at the same time. “It always comes down to blood, Reb. Always down to the blood.”

Chapter Two
    Within the hour I had all the pertinent information about Evan Chandler on my computer screen courtesy of an email from Jess, including a color photograph my printer screeched out to join the one of Lisa Middleston downstairs.
    The young man had dark hair, cropped almost to the scalp, and a wide smile that would have a dozen girls tossing their panties at him on a good day. He cradled a classic guitar with the care and love of a mother for a newborn. It was easy to see how he’d be a dream date for a young Felis girl, especially if he was a bad boy by birth.
    Standing at my desk I shoved the two photographs next to each other in a large envelope along with duplicates courtesy of my coughing photocopier. I didn’t want to get to the point of plastering their faces on each telephone pole in the city but it never hurt to be prepared to drop off copies. I also scanned the two pictures into my cell phone for backup.
    Bran whistled as he came down the stairs wearing jeans and tugging on a light blue T-shirt with the Toronto Maple Leafs logo on it. I winced at seeing the pale pink scars on his chest.
    We’d both taken a battering over the past few weeks, mentally and physically. I hoped this case would be less of both. We could use a little down time.
    Bran strolled by me, adding a jaunty strut to his walk. “Enjoying the view?”
    I rolled my eyes. “Don’t make me regret taking you to the Cat’s Meow.” Saying the name of the strip club in Penscotta, Pennsylvania stirred up old memories. That was where he’d gotten the scars and we’d cemented our relationship.
    Then he made a less-than-subtle shift of his hips and I forgot what I was remembering.
    I resisted slapping his butt as I