Deadly Questions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 8) Read Online Free PDF Page A

area.”
    “It’s sad,” Grady agreed. “The architecture is still great, but there’s not enough money in the world to fix all of the problems down here.”
    “I can see how easy it would be to grab someone from here,” Finn said. “There’s no one around who would report a crime. They’re too busy committing them to want to call the cops.”
    Grady fixed his attention on the two men openly dealing drugs a block away. “Yeah. It’s ridiculous.”
    The Hardy brothers looked up as a car pulled into the spot next to them. Finn broke into a wide grin as he greeted the man exiting the vehicle. “Hey, Sean.”
    “Hey, Finn.”
    Finn introduced Grady to his friend, and after the pleasantries were exhausted, he got straight to the point. “Have you heard anything about women disappearing in this area?”
    Sean shrugged. “You hear a lot of stories in this area.”
    “Like?”
    “I heard just last week that aliens were taking over the city.”
    Finn made a face. “Um … .”
    “We’re talking about real stories,” Grady said, cutting his brother off.
    “I know,” Sean said. “The problem is, every story I hear seems like the person telling it to me believes it. This isn’t the suburbs. There’s so much sadness around her, so much desperation … everyone is self-medicating down here. Everyone. All that self-medication makes for some interesting urban myths.”
    “But have you heard about women disappearing?” Finn pressed.
    “Yeah,” Sean said. “I didn’t hear five, though. I heard fifty. You just … you can’t believe what you hear down here. It’s awful, and it’s sad, but those are the realities.”
    “Do you think there’s any truth to the stories?” Grady asked.
    Sean shrugged. “Maybe. I mean, I don’t put any stock in the alien stories, and I don’t believe the governor is trying to introduce zombies to the downtown area so he can legally firebomb it, but disappearing women isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Especially down here.”
    “Can you just keep your ear to the ground?” Finn asked. “If you hear the story again, try to get a name or a contact?”
    “Yeah,” Sean said. “Can I ask why you’re interested?”
    Finn and Grady exchanged a look.
    “A friend asked us to investigate,” Grady said.
    “A friend?”
    “It’s a long story,” Finn said. “We’re just trying to see if there’s any truth to the stories.”
    “Well, good luck,” Sean said. “I hope they’re not true, for the sake of the women down here, if for nothing else.”
    “Me, too,” Finn said.
    Once Sean was gone, the brothers continued to scan the area.
    “What do you think?” Finn asked finally.
    “I don’t know,” Grady said. “Tracking anyone down with legitimate information in this neighborhood is going to be a nightmare.”
    “Well, we have to at least try,” Finn said.
    “Yeah,” Grady agreed. “For now, though, we need to find Sophie and get out of here. Where did she go?”

Four
    “She promised not to go too far,” Grady said through gritted teeth, his brown eyes flashing as he rounded another corner. “I’m going to kill her.”
    “Maybe she just got distracted,” Finn offered.
    “She promised!”
    “Calm down,” Finn said. “She knows how to handle herself. Three weeks ago she held off ten armed thugs from Bermuda. She’ll be okay.”
    “Have you ever considered that you’re just lucky with Emma?” Grady asked, striding down the street with a purpose.
    “Of course I’m lucky to have found Emma,” Finn scoffed. “She’s beautiful, and kind.”
    “That’s not what I meant,” Grady shot back. “Emma is just so easy compared to the rest of them.”
    Finn ceased his forward momentum. “What is that supposed to mean?”
    Grady sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he lifted his face to the sky. He’d stepped in it. He knew he had. It was too late to backtrack. “I didn’t mean anything bad,” Grady said, apologetic. “Emma is just