Read Online Blue Twilight by MAGGIE SHAYNE - Free Book Online

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    â€œOnce a cop, always a cop. And I’ll tell you, kid, after twenty years, you get to know when something’s off, and something about your friend Jason is definitely off. Way off. And then there are the monitored phone calls.”
    â€œYou can’t be sure that’s what that extra click was,” Max said.
    He nodded, conceding that. “Can’t be sure it wasn’t, either.”
    She shrugged. “I can be sure of one thing, though.”
    â€œYeah? What’s that, Nancy Drew?”
    She met his eyes and smiled the most triumphant, smug little smile he’d ever seen her wear. “You’re planning to come with us.”
    He couldn’t even argue with her. Instead, he sighed and lowered his head.
    â€œI need more pizza,” Maxie said. She walked out of the office, a little bounce to her step on her way to the kitchen, where they’d left the extra slices in a box on the island.
    Lou watched her go and tried to quell the little voice that told him it was a mistake to give in to her yet again. But there was an even bigger feeling, one that was far more important. It sat like a brick in the pit of his stomach, and it told him that something very bad was waiting for Mad Maxie Stuart in Endover.

6
    L ou didn’t follow Max to the kitchen right away. He didn’t like the way Stormy looked: pale, shaky, shielding her eyes with a hand, as if the light of the computer monitor was too bright to bear.
    Except for the kitchen, every other room in the place was cluttered with still-packed boxes and crates. Not this one, though. It was huge, fireplace on the far wall, French doors with the small patio just beyond, overlooking the rolling lawn all the way to the cliffs and the sea far below. It held two desks, though they’d all been gathered around one. The second one faced it from the opposite side of the fireplace. Its surface was still empty. No computer, no phone.
    On the wall was a large oil painting of Max’s twin sister, Morgan, and her beloved Dante. She wore a scrap of gossamer with thin straps, and sat in a fur-covered chair with her legs folded beneath her. He stood behind her, hands on her shoulders. Lou got lost while staring at the portrait for just a moment. Morgan’s facial structure, her deep-set green eyes, coppery-red hair and hersmile—so much like Maxie’s. And yet she was pale, had been even before the change. Skin like porcelain. Hair straight and sleek. A body so waif-thin he wondered if she actually cast a shadow. Not that she would be spending any time in the sun from now on. She was frail. A hothouse orchid. Max was a wild rose. Tough, thorny, strong.
    â€œHard to believe they’re twins, isn’t it? I can’t think of two women more different,” Stormy said, looking over his shoulder.
    â€œI was thinking the same.” He dragged his gaze from the portrait to Stormy. “You all right?”
    â€œI’ll be fine. I just…I hate waiting.”
    â€œYou’re exhausted. Why don’t you get some sleep? Give yourself a break.”
    She nodded. “Yeah. I will.” She hit the keys that would shut down the computer, then slid out of her chair as the machine whirred and clicked and finally went dark. “So I take it you’re staying over?”
    â€œMax isn’t giving me much choice.” He drew a breath, sighed deep and long. “My bag still in your car?”
    â€œNope. I brought it in.” She reached under the desk and hauled out the black satchel. “Are you mad?”
    â€œHell, what’s to be mad about? Even smuggling my bag couldn’t force me to stick around with you two if I didn’t want to.” He shook his head. “Max thinks she’s playing me, but I’m only here because I want to be.”
    â€œShe’d sure love to hear that.”
    â€œNo way. I’m not giving her any more ammo to fire at my