Hardheaded Brunette by Diane Bator Page A

Mick, despite checking her phone several times.
    The image she discovered of Mick with Razi, Mena, Kane, and Charlie on the website earlier haunted her. She should have printed it off and researched the other two guys, Gomes and Sanchez, before she left the school.
    She sat back on her heels and huffed. Why hadn't she thought of that earlier? There was obvious friction at the party between Sanchez, Gomes, and Charlie. Not to mention between Kane and Charlie, Razi and Charlie… actually, pretty much everyone and Charlie that she'd noticed.
    This was one of those times Gilda was glad Mick insisted on getting a cheap laptop computer so she could work from home. She'd never really needed a computer at home until this past summer, but it had become a worthwhile investment. Too bad she'd left the laptop in the filing cabinet at work. At least she could pop into the school once things quieted down, pull up the photo, and print it off.
    Mick had already asked her to go home and stay out of things because he didn't want her to get hurt. Did that mean he already knew who'd killed Charlie?
    Gilda wiped her hands on her shorts. The police must have wrapped up their interviews with everyone at the school by now. She should be able to do some online research without anyone even noticing and brush up on the backgrounds of everyone who'd attended the grand opening event. Maybe a little knowledge would help her figure out who she could and couldn't trust.
    Kane and Mena were definitely out. The hairs on the back of her neck bristled around both of them.
    While Mick and Razi might not tell her the full truth, supposedly for her own protection, they would both make sure no one caused her any harm. Not unless she did something stupid. Did doing a little research qualify as stupid?
    Gilda tucked away her gardening tools in the shed then went inside and glanced at the clock. Five o'clock. She washed her hands then reached for her cell phone. One message from Marion, probably sent on her coffee break. Two texts from Mick to let her know the police were done at the school and he was locking up for the night. While he mentioned he was heading out for dinner with Razi and Kane, he didn't extend an invitation to her to join them. Gilda was on her own, which suited her just fine. She had things to do.
    She changed clothes, grabbed a sandwich, then headed out into the rapidly cooling evening. While she'd hoped not to see anyone she knew on her way to the school, much to her chagrin, she spied Gary parked near Happy Harvey's Hangover Hut. Sure he hadn't spotted her, she turned to dart across the street.
    "Hello, Gilda." Gary dropped his cigarette butt onto the sidewalk and ground it out with the toe of his shoe. "I see the police have wrapped up things at the school. How did everything go? Did they get any answers?"
    "I'm not sure." She walked toward him reluctantly. "Mick sent me home hours ago, right after I got them coffee."
    His thick eyebrows twitched. "He sent you home? Didn't the police need to interrogate you?"
    Gilda sighed. "I thought they would, especially after everything that happened at the party last night, but no one's called me so far."
    "Odd." Gary frowned. "Do you think you know anything that can help them?"
    "I'm not sure." She shrugged. "I really didn't know many people there, except the ones from our school. Now that Mick has it in his head he wants to offer more programs at the new school, I imagine I'll get to know more of the fighters."
    "Huh." He pulled a pack of gum from his pocket and offered her a stick. "I'm trying to quit smoking. So all of this MMA stuff is new to the school? What arts did he teach before?"
    "Just karate and jiu jitsu," she said. "Mick and Razi opened the Phoenix school together with the intention of offering more options. Now we have MMA, yoga, and weapons classes too. Between them they know a lot of people who are qualified to teach the classes they want to offer."
    Gary unwrapped a stick of gum and