The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The First Collection by Frost, J (great novels .txt) 📕

“Oh. I didn’t realize you were linked, or um, whatever to Rick online.”

I bite my cheek to stifle a giggle. “I follow him on Twitter and Instagram. He probably doesn’t realize it’s me since the account’s in my erotica pen name.”

“No, I don’t think he does. He asked me not to tell you about it.”

Well, that stings. It’s fine for him to prance around in his underwear but not for me to see what all of Twitter and Instagram saw? Screw you with a horse cock, Mr. RespectABitch.

I reign in my resentment, because I’m pretty sure that expressing it would not make me the bigger person, and, in fact, might land me back in the playpen. Instead, I ask, “Why not? I mean, it’s public knowledge.”

“Rick doesn’t think you like him very much. He doesn’t want you thinking worse of him.”

He’s right about me not liking him very much. I’m not sure I could think much worse of him, nasty man. “He must not think very much of me if he thinks I base my opinions on what a bunch of internet trolls say. Although some of what they were saying was pretty ugly.”

“Agreed. The rape allegation doesn’t seem to be true, though.”

The what? I didn’t see anything about a rape allegation, just the whole RespectABitch hashtag. I’ll admit I lost interest after watching Rick squirm for a while.

“Are the police involved?” I ask. “Is that why Rick’s asked you to help?”

“No, no police. Yet. But the allegation is hurting Rick professionally, so I’m trying to track down this EvonneBringsTheTruth.”

I make a mental note of the name to look up as soon as I have a minute alone.

“I’m glad you know, baby doll. I’ve wanted to talk with you about it, and it’s been wearing on me that I couldn’t. Also, I might have to go to DC; I wouldn’t ever leave you alone here, but taking you to DC without telling you why we were going could have been problematic.”

“We’re going to DC?”

I bounce a little on his lap, much to Sable’s disgust. I love DC. Maybe we’ll have time to go to the Smithsonian and visit the dinosaurs while we’re there. And my online friend Posypony lives in Bethesda. I might be able to meet up with her, too.

Logan chuckles, which is the first happy sound I’ve heard out of him in hours. That makes my heart hurt. Even as he answers, I’m thinking of what else I might be able to do for him today that would lift his spirits.

“Nothing’s set in stone, little girl. I haven’t even spoken to this woman yet. But I want to meet her face-to-face, if she’ll agree. It probably won’t be until after Miranda’s left, though.”

“Oh.” That squashes some of my excitement. Still. The Smithsonian! Dinosaurs! Posypony! “I’d really, really like to go to DC, Daddy.”

“Yeah? Okay. If things don’t work out with this interview, then we’ll plan a long weekend in DC. No reason we can’t go down just for fun.”

“Cool!” I bounce on his lap again. “I love DC. Do you think we might have time to visit the dinosaurs at the Smithsonian?”

That gets me a full, daddy laugh. “Yes, little girl, if there are good dinosaurs at the Smithsonian, we’ll make time to visit them.”

“And crab cakes? The blue crab is really good in DC. Can we have crab cakes?”

Logan wraps his arms around me and wiggles me against his chest. That’s the last straw for Sable, who jumps off my lap with a grumbly meow, but it delights me. I feel so little and loved when Daddy rocks me in his arms.

“Yes, sweetie, we can have crab cakes. Are you up for oysters? I seem to remember good oysters in DC.”

Oysters are gross; they’re like eating snot. But I’ll eat them if Daddy wants to. “Yes, Daddy.”

“Mmm, that’s a plan. Let’s give Lizbeth a call, since I said we’d call her back this morning, and then how about a bath?”

A bath sounds great to me. I’m still sticky, and probably smelly. “Yes, please.”

“I also want to talk more about selling your flat. I’m going to have some conditions on accepting the money and relaxing in the bath feels like a good place to talk about them.”

I’m not sure what conditions he could put on accepting money from me, but as long as paying off his medical bills takes the worry away and doesn’t risk his house, I’m fine with whatever they are. “Okay, Daddy. After the bath, could I please give you a foot rub?”

“Ah, little girl, are you trying to make me feel better?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“It’s working. Yes, I would love a foot rub. You might, if you’re very persuasive, even talk me into letting you give me a blow job.”

I stretch my arms back until I can cup his neck with my hands and smile over my shoulder at him. “I’ll be my persuasive-ist, Daddy.”

“That’s my good girl. I was going to suggest a video-call with Lizbeth, but I like you naked, so audio only, huh?”

“Definitely.” I really like Lizbeth, but she’s more vanilla than vanilla ice cream. She would not react well to seeing me naked on Logan’s lap.

Lizbeth doesn’t react well, in fact, but my nakedness is not the cause. When she hears that that Miranda is arriving tomorrow, she throws a fit. She squawks, curses, and grumbles at Logan while I muffle my giggles with my hands, thinking of how much trouble I would get in if I said any of those things to him.

“I’m coming up,” Lizbeth announces.

That stops my giggles. She would? I’d give my right arm to have Lizbeth here when I have to face the Mir-beast.

“I’d love that,” I say, just as Daddy says, “No.”

Oops.

“Lizzy, putting you and Miranda in the same room is like throwing dynamite on a bonfire,” Daddy says. “Her visit’s going to be fraught enough, don’t you think?”

“I won’t say a word to her if you don’t want me to. I’ll just be there for