Let Them Eat Cake Read Online Free Page A

nothing. He was that good.
    She heard the little chime over the coffee shop door as it rang, announcing new customers, and she looked up in anticipation. Bill filled the doorway. She watched as he headed for her, concern and caring in his eyes. Looking at him, she reminded herself he had to be pushing seventy. Bad Boy Bill had definitely aged into just Bill—maybe this hadn’t been such a great idea. He still possessed the body of a brick shithouse, but his hair had turned gray and he moved a little slower than when she’d first met him. His eyes radiated intelligence and the constant stress of being responsible for the lives of others. She knew his quick mind remained intact.
    “Maria, are you alright?” he asked, as he came to stand over her.
    “I’m fine, Bill. Thank you for coming to meet me.”
    “You never really ask for help, always just sort of let me participate, and now you have me worried.”
    “Well, join the club. And I hate to tell you but I think it’s only going to get worse,” she mumbled sadly, as she rested her head on her hands.
    Bill blew out a deep breath and then turned, motioning to the man standing behind him. “Somehow I knew this would be bad,” he said to Maria. “I want you to meet someone. I am getting too old to run down alleyways with you and slay demons.”
    “I never took you demon hunting with me, Bill,” she stated softly with all seriousness, wondering whom he would want her to meet at a time like this.
    “Smart mouth. I don’t even know if there are demons,” he replied just as quietly, evidently wanting to keep this part of the conversation strictly between the two of them.
    Maria just raised her eyebrows at him. He shook his head. “Maybe I don’t want to know. Like I said, I’m too old for this shit!”
    Bill stepped aside to let the other man approach the table. At first glance, she drew in a sharp breath. Before her stood one very scary-looking human. His eyes held deep pain and sadness. Those eyes said clearly the man had seen the worst humanity offered, and if he couldn’t kill it, he hurt it bad. Those dark, dangerous blue eyes somehow held both the promise of pain and the guarantee the man behind them could make you squeal in pleasure. And the eyes were only a very small part of an incredibly intriguing package. “ Oh mon beau, puis-je vous enmener maintenant sous mes draps ?” She’d always been a sucker for very bad boys.
    Without cracking a smile the man replied in a husky, serious voice, “ Donnez moi un petit moment et je serai peut-etre partant pur cela .” Loose translation in English—“Give me a minute and I’ll take you up on your offer.”
    The man spoke French.
    Which meant she’d said, “Oh, my beautiful man, can I slide you right now between the sheets of my bed?” out loud. Maria groaned. Could tonight get any worse?
    “I don’t speak French, so I have no idea what you two just said. Maria, I would like you to meet my son, Justin. Justin, this is Maria.”
    Oh, yeah. Going downhill fast. “Your son?”
    At his father’s introduction, Justin moved to shake Maria’s hand. “It is nice to meet you, Maria,” he said with a wicked grin.
    “I didn’t fill him in on our, um, relationship. But I know you need someone to take my place. I’m getting older, Maria. I can’t keep up with you, and obviously you still need a working contact. My son served in the military, in Spec Ops of some kind he won’t talk about, but he should be able to handle whatever you throw at him. Justin can fill you in on his investigative skills. He is fully trained in specialized techniques if you should need them. I am happy to say he just moved back to town and I hired him to head up our Unique Crimes task force. You know—difficult, nasty, unexplained cases. You should be able to help him as well,” Bill stated.
    Justin had just started to touch her hand with his when he withdrew it at the mention of his father’s relationship with her. Oh, good