A Geek Girl's Guide to Arsenic (26 page)
Read A Geek Girl's Guide to Arsenic Online
Authors: Julie Anne Lindsey
He frowned. “I look like a cop?”
I wasn’t expecting the frown. I gave him another long look. The light bulb flickered on in my scrambled brain. “Oh.” I dug into my handbag, searching for my business cards. “Are you looking for some technical assistance?” I stage-winked. Detailed internet research was my specialty. If the information existed, I could find, compile and deliver it with great discretion. For a reasonable fee.
“Technical assistance?”
“Sure. Online. I can clean up anything you need or get details on anything you want.”
He tented his brows.
I backpedaled. “Research is a passion of mine.”
He shifted foot to foot and stretched a hand in my direction. “Before you say anything else and this conversation takes a whole new turn, I need to introduce myself. I’m Jake Archer. I’m the new Horseshoe Falls Head of Security.”
“You’re not wearing a uniform.” I gave him another once-over. “Why are you in a suit?”
“It’s my first day. I’d hoped to make an impression. Disappointed?”
Disgusted with my lack of insight. Of course he was the new guy. Bernie described him on her blog. Handsome. Sullen. “I thought you’d be more brooding.”
He slouched forward and looked at me with narrow eyes. Like I wasn’t making any sense. Which I wasn’t.
I pinched my lips between my teeth. “I mean, someone said you were brooding. Not me.” I flailed mentally. “Not brooding.” Swarms of staffers rushed past us. The meeting was over.
A nervous laugh bubbled up, and I tamped it down. “I meant serious. You’re very serious. Probably in cop mode. Security mode? I’m sure you’re not at all brooding. I’ve got to go.” Ugh. I turned away, stuffing napkins and sugar packets into my bag for later. I’d finish mixing my coffee behind the safety of my office door.
He followed me down the narrow hall toward the line of employee offices, easily matching his pace to mine. “Anything you want to tell me?”
“I sometimes help people erase things they don’t want online. I also help them with research. I thought you were approaching me for my help.”
“Anything else?”
“Nope.”
“Why’d you assume I was a cop?”
“Or a salesman.” I slowed my pace, relieved to reach my office door. “It was just a guess. You know, like when you go to a restaurant or a party and someone catches your attention, so you make up what you think they’re saying, what they do for a living and why they’re there. Then you get closer to see if you’re right.”
Jake blinked. “No.”
Of course not. Normal people didn’t do that kind of thing. Socially awkward girls with insane imaginations did. “Well, anyway. This is my office.” I turned my back to the door, hoping he wouldn’t follow me inside. “I’ve got work to do if I want to get the system’s problems worked out before we’re all fired, and I’m having a rough day anyway so...”
He didn’t make a move to leave.
My heart stammered. Why was he grilling me like this? I couldn’t take confrontation. I babbled. I behaved stupidly. I filled quiet moments with my personal brand of crazy.
Two seconds later, I caved. “First, some jack—someone took my parking space, and now I have to fix whatever has happened to the email system or lose my job.” I exhaled deeply. “You should go.”
His scrutinizing blue eyes pierced me to the door. “Why do I make you nervous?”
I tugged at the neckline of my dress to circulate the suffocating air and chomped on the inside of both cheeks. You’re too close. Asking a whole heck of a lot of questions and way too close. My fingers curled at my side. I shut my eyes and cried out to the Universe, Help!
“Nothing else you want to tell me?”
I rolled the back of my head against the office door. “Uh-uh.”
Available wherever Carina Press ebooks are sold.
www.CarinaPress.com
Copyright © 2015 by Julie Anne Lindsey
Acknowledgments
I can’t stop thanking Carina Press and Harlequin for their amazing support and encouragement. I’m frequently awestruck by the obvious love they have for their authors. Their endless patience and enthusiasm put me on track to become a proper mystery writer. I hope I’ll make them proud. I’m also amazingly thankful for my blessed editor, Deborah Nemeth. I think I owe her a bottle of wine, or perhaps, a pledge of my fealty. She’s basically fantastic, and I love her. Huge, humongous thanks to Jennifer Anderson, Dawn Dowdle, Melinda Crown and the rest of my girl crew who keep me going when I want to give up. Finally, big bear hugs to my precious parents for believing I can change the world, and to my colossally fantastic husband and offspring for loving me while I try.
Also available from
Julie
Anne
Lindsey
and Carina Press
And
stay
tuned
for
the
next
book
in
The
Geek
Girl
Mysteries
series
,
Coming
Fall
2016
About the Author
Julie Anne Lindsey is a multigenre author who writes the
stories that keep her up at night. She’s a self-proclaimed nerd with a penchant
for words and proclivity for fun. Julie lives in rural Ohio with her husband and
three children. Today, she hopes to make someone smile. One day she plans to
change the world.
Learn
about
Julie
at
:
Don’t
miss
geek
girl
Mia
Connors’s
first
case
in
A
GEEK
GIRL’S
GUIDE
TO
MURDER
—
available
now
!
The Geek Girl Mysteries,
book
one
“Anyone looking to step further than the usual cozy crime
story will enjoy this book, and geek girls won’t need a second invitation when
they see a fun title like A GEEK GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER.”
—
Fresh Fiction
IT manager Mia Connors is up to her tortoiseshell glasses in
drama. A glitch in the Horseshoe Falls email system disrupts security and sends
errant messages to residents of the gated community. Her best friend has
disappeared. And she finds another of her friends murdered—in her office.
When the hunky new head of Horseshoe Falls security
identifies Mia as the prime suspect, her anxiety level registers on the Richter
scale. Eager to clear her name, this geek girl must put her high IQ to work
uncovering the killer!
The Geek Girl Mysteries
continues
with
A GEEK GIRL’S GUIDE TO JUSTICE
.
Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to
exclusive offers and much more!
Visit
CarinaPress.com
We like you—why not like us on Facebook:
Facebook.com/CarinaPress
Follow us on Twitter:
Twitter.com/CarinaPress
If
you
loved
A
GEEK
GIRL’S
GUIDE
TO
ARSENIC
by
Julie
Anne
Lindsey
,
you’ll
want
to
meet
Patience
Price
,
resident
crime
-
solving
counselor
on
Chincoteague
Island
in
The Patience Price Mysteries
series
!
The Patience Price
Mysteries
,
book
one
Armed with a new counseling degree, Patience Price is eager
to move back home to Chincoteague Island to help folks with their problems. But
the streets are awash in more than East Coast charm. There’s been a murder, and
Adrian Davis, the town golden boy who once stomped her heart into a zillion
pieces, is the main suspect. Now he’s on the run, claiming he’s innocent.
Patience finds this...poetic. Not that she holds a grudge.
Things really heat up when a hunky former coworker, an FBI
agent, arrives to help. But he may be too late; the quaint island harbors deadly
secrets—and Patience is running out of time.
The Patience Price
Mysteries,
book
two
“This sequel to
Murder by the Seaside
has plenty of
action and a heroine who is a trouble magnet.”
—
RT Book Reviews
Most islanders celebrate the reprieve of summer tourism with
cider, mums and cocoa, but sharks, birders and a possible serial killer seem
intent on ruining autumn for Patience Price.
The Patience Price
Mysteries,
book
three
“Another fine mystery....An enjoyable read.”
—
RT Book Reviews
When a popular reality show host is murdered at the local
bed-and-breakfast, Chincoteague Island is overrun with grieving fans, paparazzi
and a gunman who puts Patience Price in the crosshairs.
Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to
exclusive offers and much more!
Visit
CarinaPress.com
We like you—why not like us on Facebook:
Facebook.com/CarinaPress
Follow us on Twitter:
Twitter.com/CarinaPress