LITMIR.BIZ

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to work last night, and she told me then that she felt like someone had been tailing her.”

      Of all the nerve! The last thing she needed was someone to fuel Denny’s mothering instinct. “Stay out of this, Quinton.”

      His glare plainly said not on your life. “By the time I got here this morning, Ashley was already inside. As you said, her Civic is easy to spot. I started in, but I noticed a car across the street just watching the diner. It was an ancient Buick, white but covered in rust and dirt. When I started to approach, it pulled away.”

      With each word Quinton spoke, Denny seemed to get bigger. Ashley figured it was the bulging of muscle that gave that impression.

      The fury built in his scarred visage. “Why didn’t you call me?”

      Alarmed at the outburst, Quinton again started to stand. Ashley shook her head at him. Denny didn’t scare her, but the rest of the folks in the diner were getting nervous.

      “Calm down, King Kong. You’re making the natives restless.”

      Denny peered around, scowling at one and all, until his gaze landed on Quinton. With a roll of his eyes—but in a quieter voice—he said, “I respect the intent, son, but she doesn’t need protection from me.” Then to Ashley, his tone moderated, “You damn well should have called me right away.”

      “Don’t come in here bossing me around, Denny. You might be known for bullying fighters into shape, but I’m not that easy. And don’t you dare go upsetting May with any of this. This is her time, and God knows she deserves it. If someone is following me, which I doubt, there’d be absolutely no reason to assume it’s Elton. He doesn’t even know me so—”

      Suddenly Quinton snapped to attention. “I knew I recognized you. You’re Denny Zip, DZ, the legendary trainer of the SBC.”

      The smoke settled around Denny, and he actually preened. “That’s right. You’re familiar with the sport?”

      “What red-blooded man isn’t?”

      Denny went from ignoring Quinton to admiring him. “When you approached that car, what did you plan to do if he hadn’t driven away?”

      He shrugged. “Whatever I had to. Something about it didn’t feel right, and with Ashley inside, I wasn’t going to take chances.”

      New respect brought a smile to Denny’s face. “You’ll do.”

      Quinton gave a droll, “Thank you.”

      Ashley stared at the ceiling. She had a feeling that with Denny’s stamp of approval, Quinton would be in her life whether she wanted him there or not.

      Crossing his arms on the table and leaning in, Denny said, “Hey, do you realize you’re dating—”

      “We’re not dating,” Ashley clarified. Not yet, anyway. “We’re only sharing one breakfast.”

      “The future sister-in-law to Jude Jamison?”

      “Damn it, Denny.” She had really wanted to keep that to herself for a while longer. As a movie star and celebrated cage fighter, Jude’s name was well known.

      “No shit.” Quinton blinked at Ashley. “That’s the wedding we’re going to tomorrow?”

      Ashley twisted her mouth in disgust. Men. In so many ways they were all the same. They shared an admiration for cars, boobs, and brutal sports. “Jude’s marrying my friend May, but May and I…” She tripped over the words, then finally spit them out. “We aren’t sisters, so I won’t be Jude’s sister-in-law.”

      Denny blustered a moment, his expression odd. “Yeah, well…” With palpable discomfort, he insisted, “You’re just like sisters, anyway.”

      What they had was better than a blood bond, and that was what mattered most. Ashley nodded. “You’ve got me there.”

      Quinton again glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry, but I’ll need to get going soon or I’ll be late.” He, too, leaned in to speak privately. “Can you quickly explain to me what’s going on? Who’s Elton Pascal and why would he bother Ashley?”

      Denny gave a furtive glance around before divulging the details. “You know Jude was accused of murdering that young starlet?”

      “I read about it, yes, but he was acquitted some time ago.”

      “Damn right he was, because Jude would never hurt a woman.” Just talking about the accusation had Denny bristling with fury all over again. “Elton Pascal is the murderous bastard who killed both her and Jude’s driver at the same time. The sick fuck has an affinity for homemade bombs.”

      Ashley reached for Denny’s hand and gave it a squeeze. He could not be dispassionate when it came to this topic.

      Denny calmed, saying in a more controlled tone, “Elton hates Jude and anyone who knows Jude. He had some of his goons work over May’s brother, Tim, who I reckon you’ll meet at the wedding.”

      “Lucky you,” Ashley said.

      Denny slanted her a look. “Tim’s working on changing, girl, so cut him some slack.”

      Not likely. She didn’t tell Denny that the last few times she’d seen Tim, he’d come on to her, and it really creeped her out. He was such a weasel. But again, for May, she tolerated him.

      “Anyway,” Denny continued, “Elton had thought to use Tim to get to Jude, but his plans backfired. They caught one of Elton’s henchmen, who spilled his guts on Elton’s involvement in the bombing, and now the cops from Hollywood, where it happened, the local police, and the ATF all want him for questioning.”

      “This is unbelievable,” Quinton muttered, watching Ashley with growing concern.

      “They should have had Elton by now, but he’s disappeared, and it seems no one can find him. Until he’s behind bars, our little hedgehog here needs to show more caution.”

      Ashley tried to slug Denny in the shoulder, but with hardly any movement at all, he dodged the blow and she ended up sprawled over his lap.

      “Easy, now.” Grinning like a loon, he dragged her upright again. “Was it the hedgehog remark?”

      Mortified, she shrugged off his hands, smoothed her hair out of her face, and reseated herself. “Listen up, Gramps—”

      He laughed, then pulled her into a bear hug that squeezed all the breath out of her lungs. In the next second, with Ashley still snuggled up to his side, his gaze pinned Quinton to the spot. “Ashley recognized Elton having dinner here in town. She called Jude, and like dominoes, it all fell apart for him.”

      “So I know how to use a phone,” Ashley murmured. “You might as well call me Superwoman.”

      Quinton still watched her, now with purpose as well as amazement.

      Denny put his elbows on the table and leaned in. “So. What’s up between you two?”

      It needed only this. “Back off, Denny.” Again she took her own seat.

      “I’m just lookin’ out for you. For all you know, Elton could have hired him.”

      Such an active imagination. “Since he’s as rich as Elton, that’s not likely.”

      “Really?” Denny sized up Quinton in a long perusal. “What business are you in?”

      “Consulting.”

      “On what?”

      “Everything. I show businesses how to make more money by cutting out unnecessary expenses, maximizing for efficient human capital composition, and at the same time providing better benefits to employees.”

      Denny blinked. “Helluva mouthful.”

      “I’ve rehearsed it.” Quinton’s lazy smile showed loads of confidence. “Basically it means that my

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