Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62923 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
After the detectives left, they’d ordered Chinese take-out and the three of them were currently sitting around the coffee table, watching what the news had to say about Kris and Jason’s rescues and the murder of Gary Lacasse. So far, each news station had alluded to the possibility of a psychic finding Kris and Jason before they were killed, but, thankfully, no names were mentioned. Most stations treated the whole psychic idea as ludicrous...which was good for them.
Mary’s plane had been delayed, so she wouldn’t arrive until sometime tomorrow. The tension in the room was thick. Well, except for Remi. He was clearly delighted with the leaps and bounds he and the stray cat were making. He only half listened to the news reports as he fed the cat he’d named Gilley, after Veronica Giles Westfall, bits and pieces of his Sweet and Sour shrimp.
Out of the blue, Jeremy said, “I think I’m going to quit.”
Ryder smiled. “I was just thinking the same damn thing! Through this entire event, they’ve treated me and Remi like murder suspects, and they haven’t treated you much better. Don’t get me wrong; I understand that Remi’s gifts are difficult for someone to believe, especially without having any knowledge of psychic abilities, but they never put any faith in me, one of their own, whatsoever,” Ryder spat. “From minute number one, the captain believed I was involved in a fucking attempted murder!”
“Yeah, and they only kept me around because they hoped to spy on me and learn something about you,” Jeremy added. “I’m finished. We both deserve better than what we’ve gotten.” He winked at Remi, “We’ll just live off Boy Wonder’s money.”
Remi looked up from playing with the cat, aka ex-enemy number one, and said, “I have plenty of money to go around. No problems, there.” He winked back at Jeremy and said, “I mean, you’ll both have to earn your keep, though. I’m thinking you can keep Cassie’s house clean, do chores for me around the house, walk the cat…naked, of course. I’ll need both of you to be neekid while earning my trust-fund cash,” he teased.
Ryder growled. “You’ll not be seeing Jeremy naked, Remi,” he countered. “If you need chores done around the house, I’ll be the one doing them.” He winked. “Neekid, of course.”
Remi nodded and said, “Gilley, I think this can work out for us, can’t it? It’s a win/win situation. I’ll get your disgusting litter box cleaned on a regular basis and I get to lust after a total hottie.” He picked the cat up and tried to snuggle it against him. Gilley scratched the holy hell out of him and then issued a low, scary growl. Once finished with its act of rebellion, the cat crawled up into the very spot Remi had just tried and failed to place her. He simply shrugged, and asked, “What should we pay them, Gilley? Minimum wage?”
“Ha!” Jeremy said while laughing at Ryder. “He’s had your dick and he’s only offering minimum wage, dude! That’s not saying much for your cock.”
Ryder knew Remi was teasing, but still felt his cheeks start to warm with embarrassment.
“Stop being an ass, Jeremy. I’ll be paying him for sex…and it won’t be anywhere near minimum wage!” Remi said, defending Ryder’s bedroom antics.
“Okay, enough of this nonsense,” Ryder said, nixing their fun. “You won’t be paying me for sex or for cleaning…although, I will take care of the litter box for you because you whine and bitch every time you have to do it, and I’d rather scoop it with my hands than listen to your griping.” Ryder looked over at Jeremy and said, “I was thinking along the lines of something like our own private investigation business. We could do security work, too. I have the money to finance the start-up and, between the two of us, we have the skills and enough connections to bring on more men and women to make a strong team.” Ryder’s voice grew more and more excited with every new thought and idea.
“Oooohhh, and you can hire me,” Remi said. “My degree in creative writing and philosophy will be absolutely, positively no help whatsoever, but I can keep the offices clean…neekid, of course.” He held up the cat and looked it in the face. “Do you think I can get her some plastic surgery on her ear? I don’t like the idea of all the other cats making fun of her because some monster animal chewed off part of her ear.”
Both Jeremy and Ryder burst out laughing. “No, I don’t think so, babe. Anyway, it gives her character.”
“No, her lazy eye gives her character,” Remi countered. “I think the ear thing makes it look like she’s a wimp; it will make other cats think they can kick her ass. I don’t like the thought of that. We don’t like that idea, do we, Gilley?” He asked the cat in a cute, childlike voice. Gilley answered by smacking him across the face with one of her paws, but at least that time, she didn’t use her claws.