Zeph Undercover Read Online Free PDF Page A

Let’s go up front so I can tidy the waiting room. We can talk about where you’re staying.” She rinsed the mop and strode down the hall.
    Zeph followed, hope lightening his steps. He had a choice? Let’s see now. If he had a choice between staying at the shabby old Trail’s End Motel on Main Street or here at Allie’s, which would he pick? Yeah. Faster than light, his mind shot to an image of Allie in his bed…and superimposed on it a gun-toting, tobacco-chewing old rancher, intent on protecting his daughter. “Does your father own a shotgun?”
    “What?” She stacked a bunch of scattered Cat Fancy , Dog World , and Equus magazines on an end table, and he shuddered at the tooth marks and chewed corners of the table. “Of course. Probably everyone in Stone’s Crossing does. Why? Are you worried?”
    The front door opened, and a man strode in as though he owned the place. “Who are you?” he demanded, his voice so full of assurance and command that Zeph straightened involuntarily.
    Shit. Allie’s father, the retired judge. He’d hoped to put this confrontation off as long as possible. Allie’s father was no grizzled rancher, of course, but still one intimidating old dude, every gray-suited inch a commanding presence. If Zeph hadn’t studied preliminary reports, including photos, of the possible suspects in Stone’s Crossing, he wouldn’t have believed the man lived in this little back-country town. The understated stripe of the tie, the glossy shoes, the hundred-dollar haircut, all shouted “City.”
    “Zeph Granger,” Zeph said, trying to sound as though he hadn’t been envisioning the most carnal images of this man’s daughter just a moment ago. “Just visiting. And you?”
    “Lincoln Wentworth.”
    Zeph stood a little straighter, bracing himself. No puffed up self-importance here. Wentworth was the real deal, a powerful, important man who expected some recognition. The file hadn’t covered what the man might be doing in his retirement. Running a building scam, perhaps? “Allie’s father? Glad to meet you, sir.”
    Wentworth nodded. “Yes. Allison is my oldest.” He paused and looked Zeph up and down. Zeph resisted an urge to squirm. “Luke says good things about the way you helped him during his recent trouble. So you’re back. Is this a social call? I would have thought you’d be out at Luke and Hannah’s place.”
    Shit. One more person who knew his profession. This job might be harder than he’d expected. And he didn’t like the suspicious glint in the man’s eye. Would Allie tell her father Zeph had come to Stone’s Crossing under false pretenses or would she cover for him? And would it be worse for the old goat to think Zeph had come on business or hounding after the guy’s baby girl? Double shit. “Actually I—”
    “According to Betty, he’s here to court me,” Allie said from the doorway, shooting an evil look at Zeph.
    He hoped Wentworth didn’t notice.
    Apparently not, because Wentworth’s gimlet stare transported Zeph back to high school encounters with a date’s parents. He shook off the unfortunately unearned guilt and smiled. “That’s right. I’ve got a couple of weeks off and couldn’t think of a nicer place to spend them. Anyplace where Allie is has to be a good place.” He said it without even gagging over the implication that Stone’s Crossing might be a good place. And he’d meant the part about Allie. Seeing her again was actually better than he’d expected.
    “Hmmm.” Wentworth’s stare didn’t soften. “Where are you staying? I hadn’t heard that anyone had checked into the Trail’s End.”
    “Ah, well, no, sir. I stopped for lunch when I got to town and ran into Allie and Hannah at the café. So I haven’t—”
    “Well, hmph. You’ll be more comfortable at my place. I’ll call Martha and tell her to expect you.”
    Stay at Wentworth’s? The man had handed him a gold plated opportunity to investigate. But Allie’s father? Damn.