Turn on a Dime - Blane's Turn Read Online Free PDF Page A

time, now.”
    “We’re not sure if he managed to get the information to anyone else,” Richie added. “The election is in two weeks, you know.”
    “I’m aware.”
    “See that you don’t forget.”
    The threat was there, behind the words, and Blane stared long and hard at Richie. He didn’t appreciate being threatened.
    “Listen, Kirk,” Frank cut in. “We have a little . . . party coming up, right after Halloween. We’d like you to come.”
    “What kind of party?”
    Frank leaned closer. “The kind people don’t talk about, if you know what I mean.” He chuckled. “I’ll send you what you need to find it and get in. We’d love to see you there.”
    Blane wanted to question Frank further, but Kathleen was waiting, so Blane gave a curt nod and walked out the door. By the time he reached Jimmy and Kathleen, Jimmy was doing what he did best—being an asshole.
    “. . . because I’d hate to mess up that pretty face,” Jimmy sneered.
    “Knock it off, Jimmy,” Blane snapped. Kathleen looked terrified, her face white as a sheet. She jumped to her feet as Blane approached, moving toward him as he squared off with Jimmy.
    “You got a problem, Kirk?” Jimmy had pulled his trademark switchblade. Word had it, he liked to slit his victims’ throats and carve his initials into them while they bled to death. He was an ice cold killer without a conscience or a shred of humanity. It made Blane anxious just to have him in the same room as Kathleen, never mind him knowing her name or anything else about her.
    Blane took Kathleen by the arm, tugging her behind him. She came along quite willingly, her frightened gaze on Jimmy’s knife. “Stay away from her, Jimmy,” Blane threatened. It would be a pleasure to take Jimmy down, but he didn’t want Kathleen anywhere nearby when he did.
    After a tense moment, Jimmy smirked. “Watch your back, Kirk.” The knife disappeared and he backed away, his malevolent gaze still fixed on Blane.
    Blane wasted no time in hustling Kathleen out of there. It had been a bad decision to bring her along. He should have just jumped her car and sent her on her way. Irritation with himself made him walk fast and he didn’t even realize how tightly he was gripping Kathleen until she said, “You’re hurting me.”
    Blane immediately loosened his grip, noticing that she was nearly jogging to keep up with him. He slowed down, glancing back at the building before opening the car door for her. She didn’t speak again until they were pulling out of the parking lot.
    “Who was that guy?” she asked.
    “He’s called Jimmy Quicksilver,” Blane answered. “His real name is James Lafaso.”
    “Why is he called Jimmy Quicksilver?”
    Blane hesitated before answering. He didn’t want to scare the girl even more than she already was, but neither did he want to lie to her. “Because he’s good with knives,” he finally said.
    He couldn’t tell how she took that. Glancing over, he saw her rub her forehead. A stab of guilt pierced Blane. The girl had already gone through enough today without an asshole like Jimmy scaring her even more.
    “You all right?” he asked.
    Her answer seemed a little dazed. “Um, yeah. I guess so.”
    It had probably been hours since she’d eaten. She was probably hungry. A little thing like her couldn’t afford to skip meals.
    Up ahead, Blane saw one of his favorite restaurants. Making a spur-of-the-moment decision, he pulled into a parking spot along the street and turned off the car. Kathleen looked around, confused.
    “Why are we here?” she asked.
    Yeah, Blane, what the hell are you doing? Take the girl home. She’s on the Do Not Touch list.
    But Blane ignored the voice inside his head. He was close enough to her to get another whiff of her perfume and temptation reared its head. His gaze dropped briefly to Kathleen’s mouth before he replied.
    “I thought you might be hungry,” he said. “And I could use a drink.”
    Her look of shock would’ve