Christmas Angel Read Online Free PDF Page A

studied her intently. “You must be new in town, then?” He rubbed his gloves together, and she tried not to show her knees were shaking.

 
Chapter Two
     
    Shado kept his eyes on her face, valiantly trying to avert his attention from how her flimsy dress swirled around her shapely legs. To the untrained observer, her fresh-scrubbed face and shoulder-length blonde hair might be the epitome of innocence, but he saw what the average citizen didn’t. He assessed the expensive rabbit fur jacket she wore over her vintage Western wear dress and those boots— they were the real deal. She smelled expensive, like a kept woman. Her down-home country garb didn’t fool him for a minute. That rat Espinoza would do whatever he had to in order to stay under the radar. He held her gaze and circled around her, causing her to turn toward the surveillance camera in the van. “You’re kinda pretty.” He tossed the remark, adding a wicked grin for good measure. Acting was not his forte, but with any luck, he might distract her a bit.
    Maybe get her to talk. “Where’d you say you were from?”
    She looked at him with a cool expression, indicating she was onto his game and not in the mood to play along. With the response of a woman confident around strange men, she pinned him with a no-nonsense look. “Listen, mister, whatever you’re trying to sell tonight, I’m not interested in. I’m interested only in finding the Magnolia… except now it’s called the Imp….” She snapped her fingers as though trying to summon the name from thin air.
    “The Imperial?” he answered and glanced toward the van.
    She pointed her finger at him. “Yes, that’s the name.” Can you please tell me where it’s located? A very nice man told me it was across from a Christmas tree lot… whatever that is.” A friendly smile lit up her face, and Shado had to stumble through his thoughts to come up with a response.
    “You know, I suppose to some people, it’s considered a house of ill-repute,” she leaned toward him and whispered. “I would have expected it to be located farther from town.”
    Shado regarded her with mute surprise. She was, if nothing else, straightforward. He could play along and see how far this would go. He pointed to the building behind her, rising high in the star-laden Reno sky. “You’re a short walk from it, actually. Just across the street, right in the middle of town, where it’s always been.”
    She followed his gaze and longing came over her face, not unlike when seeing an old friend. But in the next instant, her expression fell. She swallowed, her gaze fixed on the building, and then she brushed her cheek. Was she crying?
    Shado tapped his earring and raised his voice. “There’s the Imperial. She’s a grand old dame. I hear Madam has only the finest women for her call girl service.”
    She turned to study him with a curious expression. “There’s no need to yell.
    My hearing is quite good. And pray tell, what is a call girl service?”
    He chuckled. The little pigeon was a hoot. She had this county-bumpkin thing down to a finely tuned fiddle.
    “Don’t piss off the dove,” a voice issued in his earpiece.
    Shado regarded her with interest, searching for any sign she was a plant sent by Espinoza. “Madam Lee employs discreet women to entertain her clientele.”
    She searched his face. “Not everything has changed, it appears,” she muttered softly as she glanced back at the Imperial. Her mood shifted with a friendly smile, but he detected a hint of sadness. “I must be going. Thank you, sir, for your kindness.”
    “Tail her,” his earpiece urged.
    Shado nodded, and as she walked away, took a moment to appreciate the gentle sway of her hips and the sassy way her dress flounced with every step. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman’s gait had enticed him. He mentally slapped himself from his musing. “Uh, Merry Christmas. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” He sauntered behind,