Tacked to Death Read Online Free PDF

wished he
wasn't away for the week on a Caribbean cruise with his daughter,
Katie. Michaela and the detective had been dating for a few months.
It wasn't anything serious, not yet anyway, but she realized that
she missed him. His calm demeanor in stressful situations like this
would have been exactly what the doctor ordered. Needless to say,
there wasn't much more she could do than play diplomat. Tonight
though, when this thing was over—one long hot bath, oh
yes.
    She followed Erin to the door. Camden
looked at her wide-eyed and tapped her wrist several times,
indicating that the clock was ticking. "I'm doing what I can,"
Michaela muttered. Never again would she agree to something of this
magnitude—for charity or not. She'd rather get smacked by a polo
mallet than deal with this.
    Erin pulled out a pack of Marlboros
from the black apron holding a variety of makeup brushes in the
front pockets. She lit one and took a deep drag. Michaela knew time
was of the essence, but she also understood she was likely dealing
with someone who, when push came to shove, could shove back pretty
hard.
    Michaela tried to subtly wave away the
toxic plume. "So, Sterling was being an ass to you." She presented
it more as a statement rather than a question, and decided to keep
going along those lines. "He's a real jerk. You should see that guy
up on a horse playing polo. He whoops and hollers when he scores,
as if he's made the winning touchdown in the Super
Bowl."
    "Yeah, I bet, like his shit don't
stink." Erin snorted.
    "Exactly. He gets under my skin. Who
would have ever voted him most eligible bachelor?"
    "Eligible? Isn't he hooking up with
that Juliet chick? The one whose folks own the club?"
    "It looks like they're dating to me.
But you know, I haven't seen them hanging out this past week at the
field. They're usually all over each other. So, I don't really
know. I'm not interested in his love life." She had to wonder
though, if Juliet and Sterling were together, then how did Juliet
feel about her boyfriend being considered an "eligible bachelor"?
Juliet Mitchell was Ed's daughter. Michaela knew Juliet from the
field because she also rode. She seemed like a nice girl. But it
was a wonder how she tolerated Sterling. Juliet was from a
priveleged family and Michaela doubted she would tolerate playing
second fiddle.
    "Yeah, probably her and about a hundred
other stupid chicks are dating him."
    Michaela nodded as she let Erin speak.
She was pretty sure she'd won the woman's trust.
    Erin continued: "I've seen him around,
you know. At clubs. He works a room. Got all the girls after him.
He thinks he does, anyway."
    Michaela hoped this was going
somewhere. "I'm sure he does. You've seen him out and around
then?"
    "Uh-huh. And he's seen me. He made a
point of letting me know it, in there." She pointed to the tack
shop.
    "I take it he said something rude to
you?"
    Erin nodded. "About me and my
girlfriend."
    "Girlfriend?" Michaela tried not to
allow shock to creep into her voice. Did Erin mean girlfriend or
girlfriend? Either way, it didn't really matter. She didn't know
why, if Erin had a girlfriend, this would surprise her, but in a
way it did. She would have pictured this woman having a tattooed,
biker-type boyfriend. So much for stereotypes.
    "Yes. Sheila. She's my girl." She
arched her brows. "I'm gay."
    "Oh."
    "Don't tell me you're one of those
redneck homophobes, too."
    "No. Not at all. I just didn't expect
that."
    "Why not?"
    Oh great, now she was making waves with
the makeup artist. "I don't know. But it doesn't bother me. Look, I
don't know what Sterling said to you. I can only imagine it was
something nasty. But right now, we're running short on time. I
promise that you won't have to deal with him again. The jerk can do
his own makeup as far as I'm concerned."
    Erin tossed down her cigarette,
stubbing it out with her boot heel. "Double my pay."
    "Double?"
    Erin nodded. "I'm the best and, right
now, the only one you have here. You're in a