Heated Beat 02 - Lucky Man Read Online Free PDF Page A

of excuses to wait around for her.
    Danny left Bob in the car and approached the street corner, head down, low profile, until he was close enough to call out without attracting unwanted attention. “Hey, Lexi. How’s tricks?”
    “Well, well, well. If it isn’t my favorite copper.” Lexi loomed out of the shadows and huffed a cloud of weed smoke into the frosty night air. “Come to smack my wrist for my dirty habits?”
    “Maybe. Got anything juicy to distract me with?”
    “Like what?”
    Danny shrugged and leaned against a lamppost, half an eye trained on the hollow faces around them, watching for lurking pimps and creeping cars. “Anything. Everything. Where’s Netty at? Haven’t seen her around for a while.”
    “She went to Birmingham with her fella.” Lexi flicked her spent joint into the gutter. “Reckoned she was getting clean. Believe it when I see it.”
    “Why would you see it if she got clean, eh? Not like she’d come back here, is it?”
    Danny had Lexi there. The streets were no place for an ex-tom. If Netty really was clean, chances were neither of them would ever hear of her again.
    If only. Danny knew of only one girl who’d escaped the life of hooking and junk, and she’d had a damned sight more going for her than any of the women he’d seen in recent months. “What about Jeanie? She still working this patch?”
    Lexi spat on the ground. “You probably know better than me.”
    “Try me.” Danny took another glance around. He was running out of time. Chatting Lexi up much longer would bring trouble for both of them. “What about Terry, Brandy, and Ebony? Anyone you haven’t seen for a while? Anyone you’re worried about?”
    Lexi eyed Danny as sharply as her clouded gaze allowed. “Why are you asking me that?”
    “Why not?” Danny pushed off the lamppost and started to turn away. “Do you still have my card?”
    “Feeling lonely, DC Jones?”
    “Do you have it or not?”
    Lexi sighed. “Can’t blame a gal for trying, and yeah, I still have it, pinned to my bedroom wall.”
    Danny chanced a rueful grin over his shoulder. “Good girl. Give me a call if your mates don’t show up, okay?”
    He walked away without waiting for an answer. Lexi wouldn’t call him, but with any luck, she’d remember the conversation and take notice if the faces around her began to disappear. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
     
     
    D ANNY WIPED his sweaty palms on his jeans. He spent more time than he cared to admit parked up outside questionable establishments, but this was the first time in as long as he could remember he’d felt so damned fucking nervous.
    Man up. It’s just a bloody curry.
    But was it? Really? Part of Danny hoped so, but then the other, louder side of him wanted it to be far more than just anything. Wanted… needed to know the magical thirty-six hours he’d spent with Finn McGovern had been real. Danny’s memories were enough to leave him breathless, but what if he was wrong? What if Finn wasn’t as hot or quietly charismatic as Danny remembered? Or worse? What if Finn’s beer goggles had been faulty too? What if Finn took one look at him sober and cringed?
    Would serve you bloody right, daft idiot.
    Danny got out of the car with a wry smirk. He hadn’t been on a date in years, and there was only one way to find out if Finn was as gorgeous as he remembered.
    The curry house Finn had texted him directions to was in a dodgy part of the city, close to the motorway, but Danny was used to that, used to blending in with his trainers, worn jeans, and scruffy coat. He debated leaving the coat in the car, but it was too bloody cold for vanity. He pulled his collar up against the wind and looked up and down the street. There was no one about save a pisshead leaning on a phone box and a group of young lads loading a van.
    He headed in the direction of the van. He got closer and saw the pavement stacked with guitar cases and half a drum kit. He thought of