Murder in the River City Read Online Free PDF

Hal. I’m going to be around as well. I should never have left.”
    “You can’t be a barmaid your entire life, not with that degree and all that talent.” Shauna had a degree in architectural design and her dream was to work on historical renovations. But her dad’s construction company that she’d helped run since his heart attack made its money in industrial construction and some commercial renovations. Boring for her, but it was bringing the company back into the black. The side projects she enjoyed were few and far between.  
    “He’s my granddad,” she said. “He needs me. I can work from the bar. I used to study at that bar every night.”
    “That you did.” Hal smiled, then frowned when he glanced over at Austin. “You’re not back with that weak-chinned loser, are you?”
    “Austin has neither a weak-chin nor is a loser. You’ve been talking to Dooley too much. And no, I’m not back with him. I was never with him—a handful of dates, that’s it. But he’s worried about Dooley.”
    Hal snorted. “Doubt it.”
    She wrinkled her nose at Hal, then picked up her mug and walked across to the window seat Austin had saved for her. He immediately took her hand. “I was so worried about you, baby.”
    “Don’t call me baby ,” she said. She squeezed his hand, then extracted it from his grip. “I came here so you’d know I’m fine. It’s Mack who’s dead, and the police are investigating.” Not that they were doing enough. She was trying to figure out how to learn what they knew. But mostly, she wanted to follow through on the baseball. She could tell Detective John Black didn’t take her seriously. That irritated her almost as much as Austin calling her baby.
    “If you need anything, Shauna, you know you can come to me.”
    She smiled. Austin wasn’t a bad guy, just clingy, insecure, and a spendthrift. He thought the way to make friends was to spend money on them. People took advantage of that, and Shauna wasn’t going to be one of them. Austin was a smart guy—book smart. He’d earned his money by working hard, and she didn’t like most of his friends.
    “I know, and I appreciate it.”
    “Promise me you’ll stay away from that place. I’ve always thought it was too dangerous for you to come down here at night.”
    Shauna glared at him and had to bite back her initial, knee-jerk comment. “Austin,” she said in a voice harsher than she wanted, “you have no say in what I do. Dooley’s is my granddad’s place. I was raised there. I’m not walking away.”
    “Then let me escort you when—”
    “ No. ” She took a deep breath and reminded herself that Austin was just helping the only way he knew how. “I appreciate your concern,” she said slowly, “but we’re not dating. We’re not together. You’re my friend , and as a friend I’ll take your concern to heart. But if the police are right, this was a robbery connected to others downtown and they won’t be coming back. Dooley has never been robbed before this, other than an employee stealing from the till now and again.”
    “I was hoping you’d come to a gala with me Friday night. One of my clients is putting on a charity casino at the Hyatt—it’ll be fun.”
    “Austin—”
    “No strings. Not a date. I get that.” But he glanced away. Shauna knew what he was thinking—that if she had fun, she’d get back together with him. Because Austin could be fun. He was smart and generous.
    But she wasn’t going to use him just for a little fun, especially since he had given her that creepy feeling on their last date.
    “Thank you, Austin, really—but no.” She finished her coffee. “I need to get back to Dooley, make sure he gets home, then go through the insurance papers. He shouldn’t do it alone.”
    “I’ll walk you back.”
    She almost said no, but he looked at her so wistfully, so full of chivalrous concern, that she couldn’t dash his spirits.
    She smiled with genuine appreciation and understanding.