Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

she ended the call. In the silence, Luis’s words echoed in Julia’s head. I can help you, if you let me.

Julia glanced in the rearview mirror. Hand shading his eyes, Luis stood in the middle of the parking lot and watched her drive away.

She was sure he could help her...and really, that was part of the problem. Julia didn’t want to rely on anyone, even someone she respected, like Luis Martinez.

* * *

Luis Martinez watched as Julia’s car disappeared from view. As the bumper faded to nothing, his chest tightened until he couldn’t draw a full breath. It was the same feeling he’d had back in the day when he’d played football and gotten knocked on his ass.

This was no game and he wasn’t a kid anymore.

What the hell had he done to piss off Julia? With a shake of his head, he pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a text to his fellow agent and friend Liam Alexander. Meet me for a beer. Pleasant Pines Inn.

Liam answered immediately. In the middle of the afternoon?

True, Liam had a three-year-old daughter, Sophie. He might not be available to drop everything. Luis typed his response. I have problems. But don’t worry. If you’re busy, I can handle it on my own.

Liam’s response: On my way.

The trip from the firing range to the Pleasant Pines Inn took less than twenty minutes. Liam’s silver car was already in the parking lot as he arrived. He pulled into the next space and killed the engine. Striding through the lobby, he turned left and entered the pub. A long mahogany bar stood along one wall. Several tables filled the rest of the space and a parquet dance floor sat in the middle of the room.

For a split second, Luis recalled photographing every inch of this space. It had been months ago when they’d found the body of Larry Walker, the inn’s cook, hanging in the kitchen. At the time, the evidence pointed to Larry killing himself after being identified as a serial killer. In the end, Darcy Owens had been the culprit.

He blinked, clearing the memories. At this time of the afternoon, on a Saturday, the bar was all but empty. One table was filled with a group of guys in expensive mountain-biking gear—obviously guests at the inn. A few locals—men and women both—in flannel shirts and jeans sat along the expanse of the bar and stared at a baseball game on a flat-screen TV. It was the playoffs—the team from Denver versus one of the teams from New York.

At the end of the bar, Liam Alexander was sitting on a stool. Liam wore a button-up canvas shirt, untucked. His dark hair skimmed the collar of his shirt. He raised a bottle of beer as Luis entered the room.

The bartender looked up as he slid onto the stool next to Liam’s. “What can I get for you?”

“I’ll have what he’s drinking.” The bartender slid a bottle toward Martinez. “Thanks.”

Lifting the beer to his lips, he took a sip. “Women,” he muttered.

“All women?” Liam asked. “Or is there one in particular?”

“Just one. I can’t handle any more.”

“I have Holly and Sophie, and they keep me busy.” Liam gave an exaggerated eye roll. “They were painting their toenails when I left. If you hadn’t texted when you did, I might be getting a pedicure right now.”

The mention of family hit a nerve and Luis winced. “Must be nice,” he muttered before taking another swallow.

“To get my toenails painted on a Saturday afternoon?” Liam asked. He chuckled and Luis knew he was joking. “Never thought I’d be the kind of guy who enjoyed being a family man, but things change.”

Luis nodded and took another drink. “It’s Julia,” he said after finishing his swallow. “She’s still shaken up by what happened in the bunker—not that I blame her.”

“Me, either. Sophie still has nightmares about Darcy Owens. Holly, too, though not as often. I guess her background in psychology helps her process things better. We’ve been trying to make sure Sophie feels safe, especially when she wakes up from those dreams. She screams...” Liam shook his head and took another slug from his bottle. “We did good getting that woman in jail.”

Luis scanned the room. Had anyone heard their mention of Darcy and her arrest? No one was sitting nearby, much less cared about their conversation. “We did good, just not soon enough.”

“What did you want to say about Julia? You said she was upset.”

Shaking his head, Luis said, “It’s nothing.”

“It’s just something, otherwise we wouldn’t be having a beer.”

He turned his attention to the television. An aftershave commercial filled the screen as the home team took the field to warm up.

Liam returned the conversation to Luis and Julia, and asked, “You like Julia, right?”

Luis drained his beer. “Sure. She’s a good sheriff. When she worked at RMJ, she was a good teammate—the kind that always has your back, you know.”

The game started again. Liam lifted the beer to his lips and took a swallow. Setting down the drink, he said, “What do you think about the game?”

He glanced at the screen. “Denver to win.”

“You think Colorado? The team from New York is tough. Care to place a friendly bet?”

Bet. His heart began to race, and Luis’s mouth went dry. His friend knew nothing about his past gambling problem...or what it had cost him in the end. “I never make a wager,” he said. “Even on a sure thing like this.”

The bartender pointed to the empty bottle. “You want another?”

“Better not.” After all, he had to drive home. “I’ll take an order of buffalo wings.”

“Make that two,” said Liam. He paused. “Where did you see Julia?”

“We met at the firing range,” Luis said. “She wanted to practice shooting.”

“How’d she do?”

Twisting the empty bottle between his palms, he thought for a moment before speaking. “Pretty bad, actually. She can’t use her right hand at all, and her aim is way off when she shoots with the left.”

“What will that mean