The Ex (The Corny Myers Series) by Sharon Kleve

CHAPTER ONE

    Have you told Steve about the jury summons? You need to tell him how to take care of me in case you get sequestered. Pete grabbed his tail with his tiny paws and chewed on the tip, a sure sign he was agitated.
    “How do you know I didn’t tell him already?” I asked.
    I knew what his answer would be, because his answer was always the same.
    I have excellent hearing, Pete chattered.
    My name’s Corny Myers and I have a unique psychic ability—I can communicate with animals. My parents told me my gift was handed down from Great Aunt Harriet on my mother’s side.
    It only seemed natural to open a pet detective agency and use my skills. From day one, Green Hornet Investigations thrived and nobody seemed to care how I got the job done.
    “No. You’re a little spying devil,” I said.
    That’s the only way I know what’s going on around here, Pete said and then pouted.
    “I promise to tell Steve. You have nothing to worry about. I’ll have to go through the jury selection process. If I do get selected for a case the chances of me being sequestered are slim. You’ll be fine.”
    You better be right. He scurried down the hall.
    Steve’s an aggressive, tough, Seattle narcotics cop and he looked sexy as hell in his faded jeans, Mariners T-shirt, sneakers and 9mm gun hooked to his belt. He grabbed a leather jacket out of the bedroom closet and flung the heavy material over his shoulder.
    “Hey Steve, can you check on Pete real quick? I might’ve hurt the little guy’s feelings.”
    “Sure. What am I looking for? Will he be blowing his nose or wiping his eyes with a tissue?” Steve asked and smirked.
    “Very funny.”
    Pete’s beady eyes appeared around the door before Steve could move.
    Tell Steve, I’m sensitive and need special care.
    Pete didn’t seem upset; he cleaned his face with his tan paws.
    “Like I told you earlier, you have nothing to be worried about. Please stop spying on us. You’re being creepy.”
    Hey, I was eating my breakfast and minding my own business.
    He sat back on tiny hind legs and looked indignant.
    “Your kibbles are in the spare bathroom. If you were minding your own business, how come you know what we were talking about?”
    Steve cleared his throat, “I hate to interrupt your conversation, but I have to get going.”
    “Wait. Pete reminded me I haven’t told you my exciting news. Can you spare a couple of minutes?” Pete sat down and listened. I assumed he wanted to make sure I didn’t leave anything out.
    “Sure. I can spare a couple minutes for you. I guess this is a good time to tell you my news too.”
    Steve acted hesitant to tell me, which made me anxious to hear what he had to say.
    “Sit down and I’ll pour us another cup of coffee,” I offered.
    We sat down at the kitchen table and I said, “Okay, you go first.”
    Steve took a sip from his cup and hesitated.
    “I received an invitation to attend a seminar held by the FBI on new drug detection techniques.”
    “Steve, that’s great,” I said.
    “Yeah… incredible, actually. I found out that only a few detectives from Washington have been asked to attend. The rest will be coming in from other states.”
    “Don’t take this the wrong way, because I know you’re a great cop and all, but how did you get selected?” I asked.
    “I’m sure my old girlfriend Celeste, arranged for my invite.”
    “Why would your old girlfriend do something like that?”
    “She works for the FBI, and she’ll be teaching the class,” Steve said.
    “Oh…? You’ve never mentioned her before. When did you two date?”
    His old girlfriend would teach the class? They’d be taking breaks together or maybe even go out to lunch together, while I could be tied up in jury duty. Jury duty didn’t sound that great after all.
    “We broke up about six months before I met you. She was offered a great job in D.C. and I didn’t want to give up my career here. And, I never considered a long distance relationship with