Read Ghost Layer (The Ghost Seer Series Book 2) for Free Online Page A

in her purse, setting it in a cubby between the seats. “I’ll look at them later.”
    “You’ll scrutinize every word later.”
    “That’s true. Settle in, Zach.”
    He grunted and strapped in and tilted back the seat, then reeled off the address in Boulder for his mother’s facility, and seemed to fall asleep before she’d programmed the GPS.
    Clare glanced over at him. She hadn’t often gotten to see him asleep. The few nights they’d slept together, he’d awakened before her.
    He still appeared dangerous, and tingles jumped inside her. Her very own bad-boy-slash-good-man. Bad because she sensed that edge in him, and she’d been around a few times when he’d acted violently—defeated thieves and a kidnapper and had gotten the job done. A good man, because he controlled his aggression and used it, and he was grieving at the loss of his career in the public sector. He’d taken that “serve and protect” peace officer motto to heart.
    She thought of how, if she signed the contract, she’d be working for or with Tony Rickman. She got the idea that man had maneuvered Zach into consulting with him, too. Zach had made his disdain for private investigators plain, yet here he was, a valued member of Team Rickman.
    The changes in her life were altogether odd, but this job consultation thing was the least of it.
    She remained a private, introverted person. Mostly in revolt against her extremely casual upbringing by parents who had no problems with drama, outrageous scenes, and an open marriage.
    Clare hadn’t seen her parents in two years. They hadn’t bothered to come to Great-Aunt Sandra’s funeral, didn’t even send flowers or a card, and Clare and her brother had had to arrange with their attorney where the older Cermaks’ share of Great-Aunt Sandra’s furniture would be warehoused.
    Clare swallowed. Most of her feelings for her parents were irritation and pain with traces of love. She understood now that their priorities were themselves and having a good time, and as much as she told herself not to judge, that was difficult.
    But for
her
to be fulfilled, she had to contribute to society, do work she felt was meaningful. Before her gift, it was helping people understand their finances as an accountant. Now, she didn’t know, but at least she had a significant amount of money to donate to charities . . .
    Zach grunted in his sleep. He’d miss his work, too. He said he’d gotten disability and retirement benefits from the county where he’d been shot in the line of duty, enough so he could retire. Of course, she hadn’t pressed about the figure, but he’d made it clear he hadn’t wanted to retire at thirty-five.
    She knew his father was in the military. Two of the things they had in common were living a lot of places as children, and a need to make their own way.
    As for his mother . . . Clare felt he loved his mother deeply, but pain and frustration were wrapped in with that love. A woman he intended to visit weekly because of that love and despite the pain.
    But his family had been torn apart by the drive-by killing of Zach’s beloved sixteen-year-old brother when Zach had been twelve.
    Clare ran into traffic and concentrated on her driving for the rest of the way.
    When she pulled into the parking lot of a three-story building with lovely landscaping and stopped, Zach woke up and stretched, then rubbed his face with his hands.
    “God, too much time in a damn vehicle.” He opened the door and stepped out, and Clare noticed he used his brace as well as his orthopedic shoes. Still, he hauled out his cane.
    When she locked the car and came around it, he twirled the cane.
    She smiled. “I noticed the new one.”
    “Better for bartitsu.”
    “Ah.”
    “I’ve signed up for regular classes at the studio in Denver.”
    “What mixture of martial arts is it again?”
    “Cane fighting, boxing, and jujitsu.”
    “Okay.”
    “I think I’ll put my own spin on it.”
    “Naturally.”
    “We’ll