“If you’re serious about meeting the bondsman, do you want to go over there now?”
“I sure do. Let’s head over there.”
“His name is George Pinkerton.”
Grayson raised his brows.
She smiled. “Yeah, he claims he is a distant relative of Allan Pinkerton, of the PI fame of around 1850.”
She really hoped George would hire Grayson on the spot.
21
When Grayson and Kendra arrived at the red-brick bonds office where she worked, they went inside, and Grayson saw a large office with four desks, computers, and a staff of four, all of whom greeted Kendra and smiled at him. They were also all grizzly bears.
“I’m Burt MacGowan.” The jovial, hefty, dark-haired man offered his hand to Grayson, and he shook it.
“I’m Louise Stillwater,” one of the women said, dark-haired, tall, and flirtatious, and came over to shake Grayson’s hand. “Single, and interested if you’re our new bounty hunter that we’ve heard George talking about.”
Grayson laughed, amused that the woman thought he would be interested in her in that way. He already had his mate. “I’m Grayson Stone, and I’m engaged to Kendra.”
Louise let out her breath on a heavy sigh. “Well, that was quick, but I guess when it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
“Whoa,” a man said, coming out of an office. “You’re engaged already? And you didn’t even ask me for permission?” Then he laughed. “I’m George Pinkerton, and Kendra’s boss. And you’re coming to work for us?” He shook Grayson’s hand.
“I sure am. Do I need to apply for the job? I’ll still be working with my brother and father when they need my help, but I’ll be living here in Kalispell with Kendra.”
Another woman brought out some paperwork. “George has already checked you out thoroughly. You just need to fill out this paperwork. I’m Ally McCormick.” She shook his hand. She was gray-haired and looked motherly.
“We just hired another bounty hunter today,” George said. “He said he knows you, Kendra.”
“Who?”
Though if he were a grizzly bear in Kendra’s sleuth, Grayson understood how he would know her, and vice versa.
“Ivan Osinger,” George said.
“Oh, not him. He’s a conman!” Kendra said.
George frowned at her, and Grayson assumed he had already made up his mind to keep Ivan on. “He had great references, and he has the background for it. He has the license, completed the agency-approved training, and has no felony convictions.”
Grayson thought of mentioning that he was stealing people’s meals off their front porches, but he figured they had nipped that in the bud. But what if he had forged papers stating he had completed the training?
“Are you sure he actually got the necessary training?” Kendra asked.
“Yeah. Louise did a thorough job of looking into his background,” George said. “He went to a bail enforcement training class, and I verified that he actually did go there for sixteen hours, completed the constitutional law, use of force, and arrest procedures, and obtained his certification.”
“Why do you say he’s a conman?” Ally asked.
"Ivan tells stories all the time, and he's very convincing, charming," Kendra said.
Louise smiled.
"He will wreck your heart if you give him half a chance," Kendra warned her.
"You dated him?" Louise glanced at Grayson as if she wondered if he knew what Kendra's past was with Ivan.
"Not me. But one of my best girlfriends did. You know Amy, right?"
