Necessary Detour Read Online Free PDF

busty woman who’d been all over him at the after party earlier. He was snoring and Nikki realized that problem would soon be some other woman’s, not hers. Strumming the Les Paul on her lap, she thought about all the women who’d pretended friendship with her over the years, then turned around and slept with her husband.
    “Danielle, I sat and held your hand
    While you were working on your plan
    To get your claws back in my man
    By now you know I’m not your biggest fan
    Danielle, I only asked you why,
    The truth was harder now to hide
    My pain is not exceeded by
    Your ability to lie…”
    Burn had been cheating for years and Nikki had been the ultimate good sport for everyone’s sake—Quinn, the band, her fans, even Burn. It was only when she realized that she was still young enough to find love in someone else, she gave up. The marriage ended within the week and the relief was like coming around a corner on a turbulent river to find a calm peaceful pool.
    Nikki was thinking of giving Danielle to Burn’s latest protégée, Rebecca Raven, who’d asked for a Goldy song for her next CD. This lyric begged to be a hit, she could already tell. Burn would know it was about him. They always were. Perhaps Rebecca would too, when it came time for him to bed her. If he hadn’t already.
    Feeling satisfied with the song for now, she moved downstairs to the hammock. A warm breeze blew in off the water. It was frivolous and wonderful to lie around like this. When the house phone rang, she almost flipped over onto the deck’s floor.
    It was Harold, the sheriff in town. “What’s up?” she asked.
    “I just wanted to tell you that Andy Dickerson rented the house. It’s not for sale FYI.
    She offered a tidbit for more information. “I saw him.”
    “Some guy from the city. Andy said he took it for the month so you’ll see him around, if you’re staying.”
    “Who is he?”
    “Dunno. Hey, I read that you’re MIA. Big story. If you’re out there alone at Birch House, I better do a daily check on you.”
    Nikki froze. Harold was the epitome of a nosey neighbor, and she didn’t want him coming to call.
    He grunted like his back was hurting him. “Thing is, I can’t really be driving out there, can I, with the time it takes to get there and everything else I got going on in town?”
    “No. I’m fine, but thank you, Harold.” What was he getting at?
    By the time Nikki convinced him he didn’t need to visit on a daily basis and that phoning would suffice, she realized someone had probably asked him to do this. Probably Quinn. No one else knew she was at Louisa Lake. No one.
    “The man at Dickerson’s looked about forty, forty-five.” She tried to sound casual, even throwing in a yawn like it was no big deal, instead of someone who had nothing better to do with her time than peer at men through the bushes.
    Harold was maddeningly ignorant. “I dunno. Call me tomorrow to report in… and Nikki.” He paused, while he took a bite of something. “Let me know if you need anything.”
    I need to know who this guy is, Harold!
    “Wait, I just remembered something about the renter,” he said.
    “Yes?”
    “About the man renting Dickerson’s house?”
    “Yes? What?”
    “Andy said not to worry about checking on him. He’s not very friendly, apparently. He’s writing a book or something and wants privacy.”

Chapter 4
    Dusk moved in across the lake like a sheer veil as Nikki stood on the deck wondering how she’d last for months in the bush. Already she was worried about how much she talked to herself. If Pete Bayer was writing a book she had to avoid him. Let him write the damned thing and then sue him if it was inaccurate. She’d done it before.
    A thumping noise, followed by an ungodly screech, broke the evening’s silence. Car tires slid across the gravel road and Nikki’s heart jumped to her throat. That order of sounds meant one thing. A vehicle had hit an animal. The yelping was from a dog.
    “Elvis!”