Tempting the Light: Legends and Myths Police Squad (L.A.M.P.S. Book 1) by Bonnie Gill Page B

head. Abby’s playful kisses were wonderful.
    “Pepper’s the one who owns the dinosaur, ey?”
    “Exactly. You know you’re a real asshole.” The horror on Abby’s face when he fired at the statue haunted him. “Abby’s skittish enough without you shooting everything. They’ll think you’re trigger happy.”
    “I don’t give a snake’s ass. We were sent here to capture or kill Cryptids. Playing sucky face with the ‘locals’ comes second or third if you count going out and getting smashed on some stubbies from the Bottle-O.” That was Ottar—a horde of women and tons of booze—but he never let his extracurricular activities interfere with the hunt.
    True, they did have a job to do, but being on assignment for over fourteen months could turn lonely. He already missed Abby’s gentle touch, her soft laugh, and her sense of humor. When she doctored his wound, her soft caress sent the tadpoles racing for release. He held back, afraid he’d look inexperienced or unable to control himself. He imagined Abby in his arms in his bed, her soft curls splayed over his shoulder and chest. He smiled.
    Ottar cleared his throat. “What have you found out so far?”
    “Charlotte is widowed, twice. Her first husband electrocuted himself in the bathtub with an electric shaver. He had a blood alcohol level of zero point one eight. Her second husband died cutting down a tree in their front yard. The tree fell on him.”
    “Hmm. Both accidents sound suspicious. Did the law check her out?”
    He had pulled both police reports when he moved into town. “She had been present at the time of both accidents but no charges were filed.”
    “Okay, how about this Pepper?”
    “Pepper owns a pet store.”
    “Really,” Ottar said, the word a remark, not a question.
    “I know. No one would have questioned a live shipment to her store. But, she’s one of those animal activists. A vegan, harm and eat nothing with eyes. You know the type.”
    Ottar grunted and paused for a moment. “Some of them love animals but hate people. She might have very well done it.”
    “She doesn’t fit the profile. Her store is doing well financially and everyone likes her.”
    “What about Abby?”
    No not her . “She just moved here last week.”
    Ottar kept quiet for a few seconds before he asked, “Where did she move from?”
    River quickened his pace through the forest. “A few towns over.”
    “Close enough that she could have driven over here and let the Gnome loose. Why did she move?”
    “She caught her live in boyfriend cheating and needed a place to stay. She moved in with Pepper.” River smirked. Her ex’s loss, my gain.
    “So Abby’s on the rebound. You bloody wanker.” Ottar fist-bumped River in the upper arm. “We’ll have to set up surveillance. I brought extra cameras with motion detectors and night vision. We can install them to monitor their yards.”
    Spying on Abby seemed wrong, especially after what they just shared, but if it saved her life, he held no reservations. “I’ve already filed the necessary paper work.”
    They reached Ottar’s SUV and loaded their backpacks into the cargo area.
    Ottar slid behind the steering wheel. “Where does the widow live? I’d like to drive by.”
    “She lives a few blocks east of Pepper’s house.” River tried not to sound tired, but the words came out slower than normal. Charlotte was one person he’d rather not deal with right now. He grimaced as Ottar drove back to civilization.
    Bright sunlight reflected off windshields of cars parked along Charlotte’s road. Temperatures usually ran around eighty degrees in July, and today would be no exception. They bounced over a couple of potholes and River pointed out the widow’s restored Victorian house.
    Ottar crept the vehicle in front of the house. Charlotte opened the purple door, dressed in a pink satin teddy. Her sheer robe with poofy stuff around the edges, flared out behind her. She wobbled down the driveway in