Read Ashes to Dust (Las Vegas Mystery) for Free Online Page B

Stapper, the CEO of Dep Tech, to answer. Though Snow was sure he would be in today. Probably sitting there right now at his desk in the heart of Silicon Valley , Snow thought. Sifting through paperwork and e-mail messages.
    The recorded voice of his executive assistant came on the line. Snow left a message and waited.
    Fifteen minutes later, Snow’s phone rang. It was Leon Stapper. He sounded a little anxious. “You left me a message about Corina?”
    “Who is Corina?” Snow asked.
    His voice grew louder. “My daughter! You left a message saying you needed to talk to me about my daughter.”
    “Oh. My mistake,” Snow said. “I should have been more specific. You have a daughter named Alice?”
    Silence. Snow waited a few seconds. “Mr. Stapper? You have a daughter named Alice James?”
    Finally he answered, his voice low. “How do you know about her? Who are you?”
    “I’m Jim Snow—”
    “Yes, I already know that,” he snapped. “How do you know Alice?”
    “She’s a close friend,” Snow said. “I work with her.”
    Stapper hesitated for a moment. “Is she alright?”
    “She’s fine—thriving in fact.”
    Stapper sighed. “I’m glad to hear that; it’s been a long time. Where are you? What is she doing now—for a living?”
    “Las Vegas,” Snow replied. “She was a homicide detective here, a good one. Spent quite a few years on the force. We recently started a private investigation firm together.”
    Stapper’s voice evened out—his daily business voice. “The two of you need money? Is that why you called?”
    “Money is a little tight right now, as to be expected, but we’re fine. That’s not why I called.”
    Stapper said nothing.
    “I called,” Snow continued, “because she talks about you all the time. I just wanted you to know that it would mean a great deal to her to be able to talk to you. It’s obvious that you’re on her mind a lot.”
    “Oh…well…that’s good to know. I’ll have to give her a call when I get a chance.”
    “She’s in the office right now,” Snow suggested. “She’s there alone; it would be the perfect time to call her. Would you like the number?”
    “I’m a little busy right now,” Stapper insisted. “Well, hell, I’m always busy. Why not. Go ahead—I’ve got a pen here.”
    “Now, there is one thing I’d like you to do for me, Mr. Stapper…”
    “Certainly.”
    “Don’t tell her I called you.”
    “How do I explain how I got her work number?”
    “Oh yeah, I didn’t think of that,” Snow said. “Well, tell her you got the number from a private detective. Then it won’t even be a lie. She can assume you hired one to find her.”

With butterflies fluttering about inside his stomach, Snow opened the front door to the suite of offices, hurried past the vacant reception area, turned right, and strode down the hallway into Alice’s office.
    Standing in front of her desk, he put his hands on his hips and let out a breath. “Sorry I’m late,” he said.
    She nodded, smiling. Stood up from her swivel chair, her fingertips lightly touching the desktop. “I just want you to know that is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
    Snow forced a look of mock confusion. “What are you talking about?”
    “You know what I’m talking about,” she said. “My father. You called him and asked him to call me.”
    A half grin formed on the right side of Snow’s mouth. “I did not!” he protested.
    She lifted her fingertips off the desk, turned slowly, and walked out from behind it—toward Snow. She stopped in front of him, her face only inches from his. She kissed him, then wrapped her arms around him and placed her head on his shoulder.
    Snow felt his own arms encircling her waist, as if they had a mind of their own. And the two of them stood like that for a few moments, her warm breath on his neck.
    “What did he have to say?” Snow murmured.
    “He wanted to know if I needed any money,” Alice replied.
    “Well, that’s