Morning Cup of Murder Read Online Free PDF

on her lips.
    “Glad I could be the first,” she said. He was so close and so pretty. Never before had she been this physically attracted to someone. Previously she had prided herself on valuing a man’s mind over his body. Personality and intelligence had always been at the top of her list of requirements. Now she began to see why some women went for looks. Jason’s handsome face and well-cut physique made her weak-kneed and addlebrained. When she realized she was the one who put her hands on his shoulders and began to close the distance between them, she came to a sudden stop and jerked back against the car seat. Jason, who apparently came to his senses at the same moment, jumped away from her as if she were a puff adder.
    In his haste to get away from her, he hit the steering wheel, causing the horn to beep. The loud sound shattered the stillness, making her already frazzled nerves dance. She jumped down from the car, stumbling a step and using the driver’s side mirror to steady her balance.
    “Okay?” he asked, his tone clipped.
    “Okay,” she replied. “Thanks for the lift.” She didn’t look back as she practically ran to her car. She wished he wouldn’t follow her home. She wanted to take a few minutes to rest her head against the steering wheel and gather her senses. Instead she drove home on autopilot, let herself in the door, and waved to let him know she was okay.
    Once his Jeep was out of sight, she leaned against the door, slid to a sitting position on the floor, and rested her head on her knees. What was wrong with her? She had vowed to have nothing to do with men ever again, and now she had almost kissed a Jason . He was everything she didn’t want in a man--cocky, too handsome, a small town guy, and irritatingly out of her league. If she ever decided to date again, she wanted a nice man who was smart and could make her laugh. If he wasn’t horrible on the eyes that would be a bonus, but not a necessity. No matter what, she vowed not to get involved with Jason Cantor. But even as she made the vow, there was a part of her mind that was busy continuing their aborted kiss attempt. How would it feel to kiss Jason Cantor? He was and had always been the nicest-looking guy of her acquaintance and she, Lacy Steele, had come thisclose to kissing him. With a groan of frustration she closed her eyes and let her skull thump against the door.

Chapter 4
     
    Lacy was sure she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Thoughts of the confusing evening with Jason as well as the heartbreaking vision of her grandmother rotting in jail were certain to keep her up all night. But they didn’t; she slept well and soundly, only waking the next morning when the phone began to ring.
    “Hello,” she said, reaching blindly for the jangling instrument and speaking into the wrong end.
    “Miss Steele, this is Ed McNeil. I run a law firm in town, and I hear your grandmother is in need of my services.”
    Lacy adjusted the headset, frowning into the correct end now. Ed McNeil was a familiar name in this town. He was a smarmy ambulance chaser, always defending guilty criminals who found themselves on the wrong end of the law. The police hated him. Other lawyers resented him. Even the people he defended disliked him because his fees were so steep, even though he was usually successful at getting them off.
    “No, thank you,” Lacy said sleepily. “I have someone else in mind.”
    “Now, ma’am, from what I hear, your grandmother doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance. I’d say I’m your last hope. You don’t really want to turn me away.”
    Her frown deepened to a scowl. Was that true? Was this oily creature her grandmother’s only hope? No. Truth would prevail; and, more importantly, she didn’t want her family associated with this man and his unethical defense tactics. “No thank you,” she restated more firmly.
    “But I really think…”
    She hung up on him. The phone rang again. She let it go to her grandmother’s