Dead Presidents (An Aria Raymond Thriller Book 3) by Thomas Ransom (that summer book txt) 📕

Nicole rolled her eyes and started frantically looking for her keys, “Just go away then. You are useless to me right now.” She dropped her bag in her haste. “Uggghh!!!” Just as she was about to pick up her bag, she started feeling dizzy. Everything was spinning. She grabbed her head with both hands to stop the dizziness, but soon everything went blank.

A sound jolted her awake. “Ugh!” she sat up and looked around. She was on her couch, and sunlight was streaming through the windows in the living room. It was morning already, she thought, confused. She spotted Mark in the kitchen, looking at her as if she had caught him red-handed.

“Oops! Sorry, I was looking for a saucepan to make breakfast for you.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“You don’t remember, huh?” he smirked.

“What? What happened?” Diaz asked, startled. “Did we…?”

Mark chuckled and shook his head. “Relax. Nothing happened. You just passed out outside your apartment last night.”

“Ugggh!!” groaned Diaz as she felt the full-blown hangover headache taking over.

“You will be fine after I make some breakfast for you.”

Diaz laid down on the couch again, too tired to argue. She watched as Mark started preparing an omelet for her. She was glad she didn’t object to him making breakfast once the delicious aroma filled the air. Her stomach growled. Mark placed the plate on the center table in the living room, along with a glass of orange juice.

“That smells amazing! I missed your cooking.” Diaz smiled as she started gulping the food down.

Mark smiled, “Yeah, you always liked it.”

Diaz finished the plate in no time, and the night’s events started coming back to her. Even though the night out with the girls was fun, she had clearly had too much to drink. She remembered how she had found Mark standing outside her apartment, looking fine. She smiled, glancing at him. He was finishing his breakfast. Suddenly she remembered that she had also tried to kiss him. Diaz gasped. Mark was in the middle of clearing the tabled and froze when he heard her, “What? What is it?”

“Did I … I try to kiss you?”

Mark laughed, “Well…”

Diaz’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, “Gosh, I am so sorry!”

“Don’t be.”

“Shoot!”

“We didn’t…?”

“Nope.”

“I am so sorry!”

“It’s fine, Nicole.”

“I was really trying to get you, huh?”

Mark laughed. He started washing the dishes, and Diaz sighed. Her heart was filling up with happiness as she remembered all the good memories they had shared.

“Thank you, Mark.”

“For what?”

“You know… for refusing. And, of course, for taking care of me.”

“That was nothing. Come on Nicole, you know I would never take advantage of you like that.”

Diaz nodded.

“You are all set? Feeling better?”

“Yeah. Thanks!”

“Okay, then. I have to leave now, or I will be late for an appointment.”

“Ah! Of course. The busy life of a politician.”

He chuckled, “Not as busy as the life of a lawyer.”

“Oh shoot! I am also late.”

“See?” Mark teased. “I will see you soon hopefully. Do let me know if you need anything. Okay?”

Diaz made her way toward him and gave him a kiss, “How about I see you tonight?”

Mark stared at her, “Really?”

“Uh huh.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup!”

“You are giving me another chance?”

“Let’s see how tonight goes.”

Mark’s face broke into a wide grin, and he gave her a hug. “Thank you so much… you have…. You have no idea how happy I am… thank you.”

The entire day went in a dreamlike state. While she was unsure about giving Mark another chance at first, Diaz had finally given in. A small part of her kept tugging at her to back away from it and go the other way, but she brushed it off. Everyone deserves a second chance. She told herself as they enjoyed the amazing dinner Mark cooked at her apartment. He wanted to stay in and be alone with her. She giggled like a teenager throughout the meal. By the time they went to bed, all the doubts were long gone. She cherished each touch and kiss. She had truly missed him. Even after all these years, the spark between them was still there. She melted even at the slightest of his touch. No one had made her feel the way he did. Everything with him was magical.

“Ummm… Are you okay?” Sanjay asked. Nicole had been thinking about the blissful days she had with Mark and had no idea what Sanjay was saying for the past few minutes. She blushed. “Yeah. Yeah. Sorry, I spaced out a little. I am sorry.”

She was finally meeting Detective Sanjay and Sergeant Jake to work on the case, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. Diaz noticed Jake giving her a hesitant look. Focus, Nicole. She told herself firmly. She had barely interacted with Jake before, and he was trying to help with this case. She must not lose focus now. She had a goal. Jake might think she wasn’t as serious as he thought and could change his mind about helping.

She ordered another cup of coffee and turned to them, “I … I didn’t sleep well last night. Just a bit hazy. I am sorry. You were saying?”

Sanjay cleared his throat and continued, “These murders are clearly connected. Those people are targeting the heads of financial firms. They are stealing from these organizations too, and they are getting more confident. They have now gotten away with not just one but three more murders. They have probably gotten rid of more too that we don’t even know about.”

“Five actually,” Diaz added. “Ellen and that guy who saved me.”

“Yeah.”

“And now that guy… Wayne, was it?” asked Jake, looking at Sanjay.

“Yeah. He’s in a pretty bad state.”

“What?” Diaz looked up, “Wayne? Isn’t this the guy who worked