Horse of a Different Killer Read Online Free Page B

to join us.
    Being slow on the uptake, it took me a second to realize Jake was trying to give me the time I needed to snag the file off Emma’s computer before it was confiscated.
    â€œUm . . .” I turned my attention to Detective Boyle and said, “I need a minute to get my dog.”
    â€œWhy?” she asked.
    I could feel Moss’s presence on the other side of the door. Roused from a nap by the sound of my key in the lock, he was ready for dinner and a potty break.
    â€œHe’s cranky,” I said, at the same time urging Moss to bark. He growled in protest, not in the mood for games.
    Hungry
, he told me, then added a howl for emphasis.
    Not what I was aiming for but, whatever works.
    Boyle took a step away from the door. “That sounded like a wolf.”
    â€œYes it did. No wonder you’re a detective.”
    â€œYou can’t keep wolves in Florida,” she said.
    â€œActually, you can. Florida Fish and Wildlife categorizes wolves as a Class II animal and thus legal to own. Though, to be honest, most people probably shouldn’t.”
    â€œAnd you’re the exception?”
    Jake snorted at that, earning a quick glare from Boyle.
    Unlike Jake, Boyle had no idea how much of an exception I was, and I had no desire to enlighten her.
    â€œYep. Even so, Moss can get ornery. So I’d like to go in and put him in another room so you can get what you need and leave in one piece. He’s only part wolf, but he doesn’t like strangers.”
    It was all a load of hooey.
    Moss can be a willful and stubborn beast, even a bit territorial around some people, namely Kai, but he was never vicious. The exception being when in the presence of sociopaths and people who mean me harm.
    In truth, Moss would wag his tail in greeting, give the two visitors a quick once-over before demanding to go out and be given food. But I needed to buy time and I was willing to resort to slander to get it.
    Boyle’s eyes narrowed. “You have two minutes.”
    It took me three. First, I had to contend with Voodoo, our new kitten and resident nutcase who’d begun to climb my bare leg as soon as I stood still long enough.
    Up!
    â€œOkay, crazy.” I scooped her up and held her in the crook of my arm, letting her bat and play with a strand of ponytail that had fallen over my shoulder.
    Most of my time, however, was spent blocking Moss’s insistent nudges as I placed Emma’s briefcase on the kitchen counter, pulled out her laptop, and began searching for the yellow flash drive.
    Hungry.
    I know, buddy.
I urged him to be patient.
    Hungry.
    Nudge.
    â€œHang on,” I muttered.
    Out.
    Nudge-nudge.
    â€œStop that,” I whispered as I fished around the pockets of the briefcase for the USB stick.
    â€œGot it.” I smiled when I spotted the bright yellow rectangle.
    Out
! Moss insisted.
    Just a second
. “Hey!” My dog shoved his head under my forearm, causing the flash drive I’d been trying to plug into the laptop to go flying from my hand. I heard it bounce off something in the kitchen behind me as it skittered off to who knew where.
    When I turned and scanned the room, the thing was out of sight.
    â€œCrap!”
    I started to look for it when a trio of knocks sounded on the front door. Loud and authoritative.
    No time. I decided to send myself an e-mail with the file as an attachment. Charlie or whoever checked over Emma’s mail would see what I’d done but I couldn’t worry about that now.
    A few keystrokes and mental reprimands to my canine later, I was turning off the laptop and had just shut the lid when the front door opened and Detective Boyle came striding into view.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” she demanded.
    I tried to took innocent when I turned to her. Holding Voodoo up in one hand, I said, “Had to grab this little girl. Moss is very protective.”
    To emphasize my point, I kept a firm grip on Moss’s