Kissed by Smoke Read Online Free PDF

bit into his corned
beef sandwich. I had to admit his lunch looked really good, but I
was happy with my pancakes.
    “Morgan.”
    I froze, a forkful of pancake halfway to my
mouth. “Trevor? You okay?” He looked rough. There were dark circles
under his chocolate brown eyes and his usually warm latte skin was
almost ashen.
    He slid into the booth beside me. “I’m fine.
You got my text?”
    “Of course. That’s why I’m here. Though I’m
not sure why all the mysteriousness. You didn’t think to, I don’t
know, pick up a phone and call me like a normal person?”
    He glanced around as though to make sure no
one else was listening, then beckoned us both to lean in closer. He
was clearly nervous, which was weird. I hadn’t known my
half-brother long, but Trevor Daly had nerves of steel from what
I’d seen. It was sort of par-for-the-course for federal agents.
    “This is strictly on the down low. I’ve been
ordered to keep things under the radar. No one can know we’re
working on this.”
    “On what, exactly?” I took another bite of
pancake. I didn’t know who the cook was, but he or she deserved a
gold medal. The pancakes were seriously to die for.
    “Two days ago an agent named Daniel Vega was
found dead in his hotel room, in Madras.” His voice was hardly
above a whisper. Fortunately both Inigo and I had excellent
hearing.
    “Madras as in the little town just down the
road?” Inigo asked.
    “Yeah, that Madras.” Trevor gave the
waitress a charming smile as she brought him a cup of coffee. The
woman was twice his age, but I swear she blushed like a
teenager.
    I waited until the waitress left before
asking the question burning in my brain. “What on earth was an SRA
agent doing in Madras?”
    The Supernatural Regulatory Agency kept
itself well hidden within the Environmental Protection Agency. They
had limited manpower and weren’t in the habit of sending agents to
Podunk towns like Madras. That’s why they kept people like me
around. We got to do the dirty work, and they didn’t have the
expense of sending an agent.
    “That’s the thing.” Trevor leaned in closer.
“I don’t know. He wasn’t there on official business and he doesn’t
have any friends or family nearby.”
    Weird. But not that weird. People visited
places for all kinds of reasons. “Okay, so how did he die?”
    “The police are claiming it was
suicide.”
    Inigo and I exchanged a look. “Ah. You don’t
think it was.” I kept my eyes on my brother’s face. I could see his
jaw working.
    “I know it wasn’t suicide. I just can’t
prove it.”
    “I get that he’s a brother-in-arms and all
that, but why don’t you let the agency handle this?” I suggested.
“He’s their agent. What’s this got to do with you?”
    Trevor’s face hardened. “Daniel was my
friend. I’m not about to let them sweep his murder under the
rug.”
    “Whoa,” Inigo spoke up. “What do you mean?
Are you suggesting the SRA wouldn’t thoroughly investigate the
death of one of their agents?”
    Trevor’s expression was bleak. “I’m afraid
so. They want this kept very quiet. So, they’re willing to let me
investigate as long as I don’t make any waves.”
    “You’re sure?” I hoped he was wrong. I
really did. I didn’t like the idea that the agency wouldn’t come in
guns blazing to solve Vega’s murder, but then again, I should know
better. Like I said, the SRA didn’t like dirtying its hands.
    He shrugged. “Sure as I can be. That’s why I
need your help, Morgan. There’s something really weird going on and
the agency is keeping quiet about it.”
    I was getting a really bad feeling. “Weird?
What kind of weird.”
    “Your kind of weird,” Trevor said.
    Which meant supernatural wonkiness of the
scary kind. “I still don’t get why you couldn’t pick up a freaking
phone and call me like a normal person. I mean, if the agency is
willing to let you investigate quietly, what’s the big deal? You
could have just asked to