Page 93 of Harmless Scandals

The man opened his mouth to argue with her, no doubt, but she barreled ahead.

“I talked to your editor and to your paper’s owner just this morning. You are not supposed to be here.”

“I can sell to other papers.” He offered her a smug smile. “Freedom of the press, lady.”

Mick could tell from the way her back straightened, that she did not like that moniker.

“Oh, this bloke is digging his own grave,” Jensen said beside him.

“Okay, so you’re going to be an asshole. Let me explain to you something. See, I called HPD about you already.”

He shook his head. “I haven’t broken the law.”

She pointed down to his feet. “You are standing on private property, but that’s not what I’m talking about. When I got your name from your boss—yep, he handed you over—I spent a couple of hours researching your background. Do you know what I found?”

“No, what?”

“You’re wanted in Illinois.” The man’s face turned white. “Yep. I know about the four years of unpaid child support. I’ve alerted the authorities.”

“That’s not right.”

“What? That I research a private citizen and turn their world upside down? It’s all true. There’s a warrant out for your arrest.”

“She’s not a private citizen.”

“Yes. She is. But, you see, I only spent a couple of hours on you. I’m about to crawl up your ass—metaphorically speaking that is. By the time I am done with you, you’re going to look at a colonoscopy as a playdate. I will find every little dirty deed you did. Wasn’t your divorce because you liked to beat up your wife? Oh, and you had a taste for the hookers?”

His mouth opened and then snapped shut.

“You have about ten minutes before HPD shows up, so you should get out of here while you can, or you’ll be snatched up as soon as they see you.”

“I...goodbye.”

The man turned around and practically ran to his car.

“Isn’t she amazing?” Jensen said. The tone of his voice was filled with more than admiration.

“Yeah, she is,” Adam said.

Nicola walked back. “That was easy.”

“So, you let him off, just like that?” Adam asked.

Serenity laughed. “Not likely,” she said. “Tell them. What did you do? I know you did something.”

“HPD is supposed to gather him up at the airport.”

“You are a mean woman, Nicola,” Jensen said. “It’s why you are the perfect PA for me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Now, I believe breakfast was offered.”

Mick smiled. “Anything for the woman who made that man almost wet himself.”

She laughed as she walked toward their house. “I did do that, didn’t I?”

After an amazing breakfast, Nicola and Serenity had some time to themselves. She’d brought her best friend over to her house and they had looked over her new pics for the book. By the time they were done, Nicola looked ready to pass out.

“How many hours have you been up?”

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