that job had recommended an assistant, one in particular who had a nose for tracking money. He hadn’t objected. It wasn’t going to cost him anything and would probably lead him to finding the people involved in the ring sooner.
Susie, under the name Sonja at that time, had arrived on a train from Romania. Even without the red hat and scarf that served as a recognition code, he would have noticed her. A brunette at the time – he wasn’t sure how he felt about the current blonde rendition – Sonja would have stood out in any crowd. She was a waif of a girl at first sight, light and fragile. It should have been his first clue that she was a pro at disguises, but what did he know at that time? He was blinded. A beautiful young woman had just stepped off a train from Romania, that was all he knew. And she was his for the duration of the assignment.
It had been cold, the January air bone chilling. Moscow was beautiful in the winter, but not as stunning as Sonja. The ice outside disappeared whenever they were inside the hotel. Of course, the plush suite, lush carpeting and satin sheets all helped. He hated to imagine how many bottles of champagne and brandy they went through during that job.
That was before he figured out that their motives in the case were different. For Bryce, it had always been about justice, bringing the guilty party in. Never vindictive, he simply believed people needed to be held responsible for their actions, whether legal or ethical. On that particular job, the counterfeiters all deserved to be caught. That was the reason he was there.
Sonja had other intentions, though it took him a few weeks to wise up. Looking back, he could see that each time he started to get close to figuring out her game, she maneuvered him in another direction. It might have been a complicated tip that she had on the whereabouts of one of the ring members or something as simple as a lace negligee. But she managed to distract him any way she could.
By the time he realized she was after the ring’s money, real or not, he was already under her spell. It took a major confrontation over the ethics they both lived by before the truth hit him. She chased money, not criminals. She was a gold-digger of the detective variety. He was a smart man. He backed away quickly.
Sonja’s reaction had not been pleasant. She accused him of lying and using her. How could he have resisted, anyway? She was good at what she did, a true chameleon. It was a shame they weren’t on the same side. Meanwhile, he suffered through the rest of the assignment under her overbearing, spiteful guard. He had suspected she didn’t get over it then. Now he knew for certain.
This posed a problem; they had opposite goals. He wanted to find evidence of Molly’s innocence, and Susie wanted her guilty, simply for the sake of finding the money. Susie wasn’t going to be any help this time, and she might even block his success. If he were a different man, she might have proved a distraction, especially with their history from Moscow. But he wasn’t. The fling with her had been one thing when he thought she had admirable motives. However, when he realized she’d been deceitful, he lost his trust in her. Lack of trust destroyed relationships. And, in the detective arena, it wasn’t just dangerous; it could be deadly. And here she was in Cranberry Cove. He was certain she was not to be trusted.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sadie put on a new layer of lipstick and blotted it with a tissue. She leaned in toward the dresser mirror in her room to inspect the final look. Approving, she put on a jacket and walked the few blocks to Eleanor’s for something to eat.
What an odd interaction she had witnessed between Susie and Bryce. Was this how the younger generations greeted each other now? Why, in her day, people would be on their best behavior during introductions, not fall into repartee as if they’d known each other forever. There were guidelines, whether spoken or
Susie, under the name Sonja at that time, had arrived on a train from Romania. Even without the red hat and scarf that served as a recognition code, he would have noticed her. A brunette at the time – he wasn’t sure how he felt about the current blonde rendition – Sonja would have stood out in any crowd. She was a waif of a girl at first sight, light and fragile. It should have been his first clue that she was a pro at disguises, but what did he know at that time? He was blinded. A beautiful young woman had just stepped off a train from Romania, that was all he knew. And she was his for the duration of the assignment.
It had been cold, the January air bone chilling. Moscow was beautiful in the winter, but not as stunning as Sonja. The ice outside disappeared whenever they were inside the hotel. Of course, the plush suite, lush carpeting and satin sheets all helped. He hated to imagine how many bottles of champagne and brandy they went through during that job.
That was before he figured out that their motives in the case were different. For Bryce, it had always been about justice, bringing the guilty party in. Never vindictive, he simply believed people needed to be held responsible for their actions, whether legal or ethical. On that particular job, the counterfeiters all deserved to be caught. That was the reason he was there.
Sonja had other intentions, though it took him a few weeks to wise up. Looking back, he could see that each time he started to get close to figuring out her game, she maneuvered him in another direction. It might have been a complicated tip that she had on the whereabouts of one of the ring members or something as simple as a lace negligee. But she managed to distract him any way she could.
By the time he realized she was after the ring’s money, real or not, he was already under her spell. It took a major confrontation over the ethics they both lived by before the truth hit him. She chased money, not criminals. She was a gold-digger of the detective variety. He was a smart man. He backed away quickly.
Sonja’s reaction had not been pleasant. She accused him of lying and using her. How could he have resisted, anyway? She was good at what she did, a true chameleon. It was a shame they weren’t on the same side. Meanwhile, he suffered through the rest of the assignment under her overbearing, spiteful guard. He had suspected she didn’t get over it then. Now he knew for certain.
This posed a problem; they had opposite goals. He wanted to find evidence of Molly’s innocence, and Susie wanted her guilty, simply for the sake of finding the money. Susie wasn’t going to be any help this time, and she might even block his success. If he were a different man, she might have proved a distraction, especially with their history from Moscow. But he wasn’t. The fling with her had been one thing when he thought she had admirable motives. However, when he realized she’d been deceitful, he lost his trust in her. Lack of trust destroyed relationships. And, in the detective arena, it wasn’t just dangerous; it could be deadly. And here she was in Cranberry Cove. He was certain she was not to be trusted.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sadie put on a new layer of lipstick and blotted it with a tissue. She leaned in toward the dresser mirror in her room to inspect the final look. Approving, she put on a jacket and walked the few blocks to Eleanor’s for something to eat.
What an odd interaction she had witnessed between Susie and Bryce. Was this how the younger generations greeted each other now? Why, in her day, people would be on their best behavior during introductions, not fall into repartee as if they’d known each other forever. There were guidelines, whether spoken or
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