FADE TO BLACK - Thrilling Romantic Suspense - Book 1 of the BLACK CATS Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

club at her hip, she walked with determination but not haste toward the entrance. Deliberate and thorough, she evaluated the situation with every stride. Through the windows running the entire width of the small building, she noted who was inside, and where. One customer sat at the counter, his back to the kids, completely oblivious to the situation. Or just a damn coward. No one else was in sight. The girl spotted her, the relief on her face saying a lot about how serious the situation was. Shoving the door open, Stacey watched the troublemakers swing around, unhappy with the interruption. Then they saw who had interrupted and paled.
    “A little early to be out causing trouble, isn’t it, boys?”
    “No trouble here, Sheriff, ma’am.” Flanagan. Arrogant little jerk actually shot off a crooked salute. “Just nice, wholesome teenagers. Right, guys?”
    Mike’s signature reply whenever he was up to no good. His two buddies had the sense to remain silent.
    “Cara, are you okay?”
    The girl glanced back and forth among the boys. Stacey could have predicted the words that would come out of her mouth, given that high school was brutal and paybacks a bitch. “I’m fine. My dad just ran to the bank; he’ll be back in a minute.”
    Huh. She wondered if the opportunistic boys had seen the man leave and decided to have some mean-spirited fun. She wouldn’t put it past Mike.
    “See?” he said. “No problem. We just stopped by to eat on our way to practice.”
    Noting their gym clothes, she figured they really were on the way to the field. School started in a few weeks, and the coach was already working his players to death in the heat. Maybe it would sweat some of the aggression out of them. One could only hope.
    She pointed at the two followers. “Go. But from now on, stop for breakfast somewhere else. Or better yet, stay home and let your mamas make it for you.”
    Mike took a step, too, but Stacey stopped him. “We’re not done.”
    His jaw thrust out in pure testosterone-laden male belligerence. “I’ll be late.”
    “You weren’t worried about that before I came in, now, were you?”
    The two other boys scuttled out sideways, as if they didn’t want to turn their backs on her. Cara dashed toward the phone. The obviously deaf and blind customer remained hunched over the counter, ignoring the situation. Staying out of it.
    What would the guy have done if things had really gotten rough? She hated to think that anybody here in Hope Valley would be so uncaring of a girl in need, but that bystander hadn’t moved so much as a muscle since she’d pulled up.
    “Nice job, mister,” she snapped, unable to help herself.
    He flinched, then turned his head to peer over his shoulder. When she recognized him, everything suddenly made sense. Because prissy, fussy insurance salesman Rob Monroe hadn’t had a set of balls in the twenty years she’d known him. He still lived with his parents, never having moved away from Mommy the socialite and Daddy the ass of a mayor. It was all the more embarrassing since she’d actually gone out with him once in high school. To her consternation, he’d been trying to get her to repeat the experience ever since she’d returned to Hope Valley to serve out her dad’s term as sheriff.
    As if .
    “Morning, Stacey,” he mumbled. “Is there a problem? I was reading the paper. …”
    “Well, don’t let me keep you from it.”
    He hopped off his stool. “What’s wrong? Can I help you?”
    “Not on your best day.”
    Their stares met and he had the audacity to look hurt. That why-can’t-you-love-me crap might have worked when she was sixteen and felt sorry for him, since he was the target of a little teen maliciousness. But no more. When she didn’t relent by so much as the softening of her frown, he slapped his paper down on the counter and stalked out.
    Stacey immediately turned her attention back on Mike. “Let’s go.”
    She grabbed him by the upper corner of his ear and