Read Online Beautiful Storm (Lightning Strikes Book 1) by Barbara Freethy - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara Freethy
Tags: Romance
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have a history of going to that park?"
"Not that I know of. We never went there together. It was not the nicest park when we were growing up. They've fixed things up in the last few years." Michael paused. "I don't know why she would have been there last night. It was storming. What the hell were they doing out there? They certainly weren't taking photographs."
"No, they weren't doing that." She poured coffee into two mugs then took them both over to the table and sat back down. "If you want cream or sugar—"
"Black is fine," he said, taking a sip. "Nice and strong—just the way I like it."
"Me, too. I've never seen the purpose in turning my coffee into something that looks like a milkshake. I'd rather just drink a milkshake."
Her words eased the tension in his face. "I feel exactly the same way."
"Really? No fancy cappuccino or latte maker in your home?"
"I wouldn't go that far. My company stocked the kitchen with everything I could possibly want."
"Lucky you."
"Not feeling that lucky these days," he said, raising the mug to his lips.
"I guess not. So getting back to the case. What's your next move?"
"I'm out of moves."
"Are you sure?"
"What do you have in mind, Alicia?"
She thought for a moment. The police had probably talked to everyone who had ever spoken to Liliana. But was it possible there had been gaps in the timeline? Could Liliana have tried to connect to any other old friends besides Michael? "When I asked you what you knew that no one else knew about Liliana, you told me that Liliana almost ran off to get married when she was a teenager."
"Yeah, so?"
"Do you know if she kept in touch with that man? Is he someone she might have seen when she came back to town for a few days?"
Michael's brows knit together. "Possibly. Why?"
"I was just thinking that if Liliana reached out to you, perhaps she reached out to other old friends as well."
"She mentioned to me a few years ago that Brad had gotten married, and she was happy for him, that it seemed like he'd finally moved on with his life."
"Does Brad still live in Miami?"
"I think so."
"Did the police talk to Brad when Liliana disappeared?"
He frowned. "I would doubt it. Unless there was some evidence that she connected with him. I've never heard anyone in her family mention him, not that I specifically asked."
"Maybe you should ask. Or maybe we should see what we can find out about him on our own."
He stared at her with a gleam in his eyes. "Are we working together now, Alicia?"
It was probably the worst idea she'd ever had. On the other hand…she wasn't ready to walk away from the mystery. "Well, the police don't seem interested in keeping either of us up to date, and we both want to help find Liliana, so I'm thinking we should join forces and see if we can come up with a new perspective. It's not like we can hurt anything by digging around a little. We can only help, right?"
"Right." He gave her a searching gaze. "But I need to ask you something first."
She knew what he wanted to know. "Yes, I believe you're innocent."
Relief flashed through his brilliant blue eyes. "I think that's the first time anyone has said the words with actual certainty. And it's you," he said with some degree of amazement. "A woman I only met a few hours ago, not a family member or a friend. How can you trust me when people who've known me since I was born have doubts? It sounds a little—"
"Crazy?" she put in with a laugh.
The smile spread across his face in a very attractive way changing his whole expression, lightening his demeanor. "You said it; I didn't. But seriously, Alicia…"
"When you talk about Liliana there's pain in your eyes. If you're faking it, then you're really good at it. But I don't think you're pretending."
"I'm not," he said quietly.
"My gut tells me to trust you. So far, it hasn't steered me wrong. I hope this won't be the first time."
"It won't be."
"Good. Let's see if we can find Brad on the Internet. What's his last
"Not that I know of. We never went there together. It was not the nicest park when we were growing up. They've fixed things up in the last few years." Michael paused. "I don't know why she would have been there last night. It was storming. What the hell were they doing out there? They certainly weren't taking photographs."
"No, they weren't doing that." She poured coffee into two mugs then took them both over to the table and sat back down. "If you want cream or sugar—"
"Black is fine," he said, taking a sip. "Nice and strong—just the way I like it."
"Me, too. I've never seen the purpose in turning my coffee into something that looks like a milkshake. I'd rather just drink a milkshake."
Her words eased the tension in his face. "I feel exactly the same way."
"Really? No fancy cappuccino or latte maker in your home?"
"I wouldn't go that far. My company stocked the kitchen with everything I could possibly want."
"Lucky you."
"Not feeling that lucky these days," he said, raising the mug to his lips.
"I guess not. So getting back to the case. What's your next move?"
"I'm out of moves."
"Are you sure?"
"What do you have in mind, Alicia?"
She thought for a moment. The police had probably talked to everyone who had ever spoken to Liliana. But was it possible there had been gaps in the timeline? Could Liliana have tried to connect to any other old friends besides Michael? "When I asked you what you knew that no one else knew about Liliana, you told me that Liliana almost ran off to get married when she was a teenager."
"Yeah, so?"
"Do you know if she kept in touch with that man? Is he someone she might have seen when she came back to town for a few days?"
Michael's brows knit together. "Possibly. Why?"
"I was just thinking that if Liliana reached out to you, perhaps she reached out to other old friends as well."
"She mentioned to me a few years ago that Brad had gotten married, and she was happy for him, that it seemed like he'd finally moved on with his life."
"Does Brad still live in Miami?"
"I think so."
"Did the police talk to Brad when Liliana disappeared?"
He frowned. "I would doubt it. Unless there was some evidence that she connected with him. I've never heard anyone in her family mention him, not that I specifically asked."
"Maybe you should ask. Or maybe we should see what we can find out about him on our own."
He stared at her with a gleam in his eyes. "Are we working together now, Alicia?"
It was probably the worst idea she'd ever had. On the other hand…she wasn't ready to walk away from the mystery. "Well, the police don't seem interested in keeping either of us up to date, and we both want to help find Liliana, so I'm thinking we should join forces and see if we can come up with a new perspective. It's not like we can hurt anything by digging around a little. We can only help, right?"
"Right." He gave her a searching gaze. "But I need to ask you something first."
She knew what he wanted to know. "Yes, I believe you're innocent."
Relief flashed through his brilliant blue eyes. "I think that's the first time anyone has said the words with actual certainty. And it's you," he said with some degree of amazement. "A woman I only met a few hours ago, not a family member or a friend. How can you trust me when people who've known me since I was born have doubts? It sounds a little—"
"Crazy?" she put in with a laugh.
The smile spread across his face in a very attractive way changing his whole expression, lightening his demeanor. "You said it; I didn't. But seriously, Alicia…"
"When you talk about Liliana there's pain in your eyes. If you're faking it, then you're really good at it. But I don't think you're pretending."
"I'm not," he said quietly.
"My gut tells me to trust you. So far, it hasn't steered me wrong. I hope this won't be the first time."
"It won't be."
"Good. Let's see if we can find Brad on the Internet. What's his last
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