Page 58 of Misadventures With My Fake Fiancé

I was speechless. I wasn't sure if it was because Goldie said I loved Mike, or because he would be the one who could understand.

Mike wasin Jubal's workout room on the treadmill, going somewhere between a run and Mach two. He wore running shorts and a trim fitting, sweat soaked T-shirt which totally worked for me. Man, did it work for me. The last time I'd seen him sweaty and out of breath I'd been straddling him on the kitchen floor crying out his name.

Oh, God.

He pulled ear buds out and let them dangle around his neck.

“Um...”Focus, Violet.“How come you're not running outside? The rain's stopped.”

Mike kept pounding away. “Bears.”

Couldn't fault him for that answer. “Here.”

I held out Goldie's e-reader. I felt like I was in middle school and handing over a bad report card.

“What's that?”

“My book. I want you to read it.” Kind of.

Mike stepped onto the sides of the treadmill, and then shut it down. He used a towel to wipe his face, looked at me closely. When he was satisfied with whatever he read on my face, he took the reader from me and nodded.

An hourlater the clouds had lifted, but I wasn't sure for how long. It was cooler, only in the fifties. I had to get out of the house, away from Mike and his reading, so I dragged Goldie to the Alaska Zoo. We were bundled up in jeans and sweaters, rain boots, raincoats. We both carried umbrellas like walking sticks, just in case.

The place was deserted and quiet. Goldie didn't say much, which wasn't her usual, enjoying the animals without any meddling. For once. Perhaps she sensed my mood and didn't want to push.

Possible, but highly doubtful.

It was a great zoo, housing animals that were only indigenous to the cold climate. There weren't any lions or zebras or other species that lived in arid climates.

We'd made it past the black bears, the caribou and the wolves before stopping and staring at the Siberian tiger. Supposedly, there were two, but only one was pacing, following a circuit all around the large enclosure, surrounded by a very, very high, electrified fence. We were within ten feet of the one tiger, his coat so amazing to look at Goldie and I were mesmerized. The tiger was equally intrigued with us because he stopped right infront of us and gazed right back. Although I figured he was thinking how good we'd taste if the fence wasn't in the way.

My cell rang, interrupting the staring contest. The display read Mike.

“Hi. Have you seen this Siberian tiger? It's gorgeous.” Even with the big fangs.

“Yeah. Um, Vi. The FBI's here and I need you to come back to the house.”

Goldie was watching me as closely as she did the tiger.

“Sure. Give us ten minutes.”

Goldie didn't ask many questions on our way back to the house because she probably was smart enough to realize I didn't know anything. I had no doubt she wouldn't leave my side when we arrived, however.

We found Mike, Jubal and the FBI sitting in the living room. None looked comfortable in the high-backed chairs, the vintage seventies couch. Laurel and Hardy still had on their jackets.

Mike stood, took my hand, leaned in and kissed my cheek, smiled at Goldie and gave her his seat.

“Miss Miller, we're here investigating the theft of a necklace that seems to have been taken from a small museum in Alabama. Looks just like this one.”

If I didn't know any better, he held up the necklace that Jubal had given me.

I pointed at the cross. “That's a duplicate?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

I looked at Mike and then Jubal. Did Jubal steal a necklace? No way. He couldn't pull off something like that. Nor could he have traveled to Alabama while working for the military in Alaska. They might be close in the alphabet, but were definitely far apart geographically.

Hardy continued. “We believe Mr. Jgorgen was sent therealnecklace by mistake.”

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