Charlie's Angel by Aurora Rose Lynn

and down her spine as she remembered the feeling of being watched earlier. Why hadn’t she felt those ominous eyes at Charlie’s as they made love?
    She sighed, settled onto her cot with its light throw. Had he been serious about doing a sixty-nine? She’d heard about it, but never tried it. If he asked her again, she’d go for it. But he wouldn’t find her. Then again, she owed Gerry two weeks’ notice. Wouldn’t he turn up a brow at her decision to leave so soon? As for Charlie, she’d have to handle him when he came into the diner.
    If he did.
    * * * *
    Charlie waited in the alley behind Woody’s Diner. He’d quit smoking years ago, but this morning, he’d bought a pack at a convenience store and promptly thrown them away. Instead, he’d opted to suck on a strawberry crème candy he found in his glove compartment. His nerves were on edge, and every muscle in his body was prepared to jump into action. He’d seen the sun rise in muted purple shifting into vivid oranges, but he couldn’t rid himself of the feeling he wasn’t doing enough for Roxie or, as he’d discovered, Elizabeth Audrey Harrier.
    He’d described Roxie to Eddie Jansen, wishing instead that he had a photo to email him. It had been a long shot, but after the astute PI sent him several pics, Charlie had found the right woman. Her hair was dark brown, but he’d know those charming blue eyes, and that kissable mouth anywhere.
    “How did you know who I was talking about?” he’d asked Eddie who was in Boston.
    Eddie had snorted. “You mentioned she was cultured, and that alone ruled out about ninety-eight percent of the population. After that, I ran a crosscheck of society women who’ve gone missing in the last six months, and there you are.”
    Sounded easy enough.
    “That’s what I pay you for.” Charlie had laughed but became business again in seconds. “Who’s after her that she’s hiding out and afraid to be found?”
    He’d heard Eddie riffling through several sheets of paper. Eddie printed everything out and didn’t trust electronic devices much.
    “Several suitors, her father and the bodyguards he hired to protect her who, I might add, were doing a lousy job, and… This just popped up, a biker looking fella with a rap sheet longer than your arm.”
    Charlie had finished for him. “Otis Rowter. Assault with a deadly weapon.”
    “Him’s the one,” the PI had agreed. “I’ve talked to some associates, and the strange thing is that he can’t be found.”
    Eddie’s “associates” were on both the right and the wrong side of the law.
    “I just did,” Charlie had muttered. “Why is Elizabeth his special project?”
    “Looks like her father refused to help him front the medical bills for his only son who was terminally ill. Now he’s on a vendetta of sorts.”
    Charlie had rubbed his chin in irritation. “I suppose he’s about to take away Harrier’s only daughter?”
    “That’d be my guess.”
    Charlie had disconnected, tapping the END button on his cell phone as if it were the enemy. He’d roamed the blocks around the diner half the night, been approached by several winos and a prostitute, but he’d found no sign of Roxie.
    Now as he waited between the alley and the cross street, he worried. The sex with her had been phenomenal, and he knew what she was hiding, and why she’d left so quickly last night. She must have been afraid he’d find out who she was.
    He saw her then. Her glorious hair tied up in a chignon, the ever-present twinkling earrings, and the jaunty walk as if she were enjoying her moments of freedom. Her pale yellow sheath showed her figure off to perfection. She kept looking up at the sky, but a quick survey told him there was nothing unusual there. Of greater interest to him was if there was someone following her. He stepped further into the alley and watched keenly. The nearby cathedral bells pealed out the mid-morning hour.
    About to turn away, Charlie saw a slight flash as of glasses