Read Online Cause For Alarm by Erica Spindler - Free Book Online

lives.”
    Her eyes filled with tears again. “I don’t know what to do. I just thought…I thought that you…that after today…” Her voice trailed off miserably.
    â€œThink about it. Take a little time.” He stood, went around the desk and took a business card from his center drawer. “Here’s a card with Citywide’s number. Ask for Ellen. She can answer any questions you might have.”
    Julianna took the card and stood. “I will. Thank you, Dr. Samuel.”
    â€œI want to see you back here in three weeks.” He must have seen by her expression that she had no intention of coming back, and he shook his head. “You need medical care, Julianna, insurance or not. You’re not only putting the baby at risk, but yourself, too.”
    She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “I know. It’s just that it costs so much.”
    â€œIf you do choose adoption, Citywide can help you with both your medical and living costs.”
    â€œYou mean, they’ll pay for my doctor visits and stuff?”
    He smiled and stood. “And stuff. They base the amount of support on individual need, so I can’t quote you exactly what they’ll do for you. But I promise you this, you won’t have to worry about any medical expenses. And, if you choose, you can continue to see me.”
    He walked her to the door. “Promise me you’ll at least think about it.”
    She promised, then paid her bill and left the office, head spinning with what he had told her. As she did, she acknowledged that promise was one she would have no trouble keeping.

Part III
Luke
    5
    Houston, Texas, January 1999
    L uke Dallas waited in a secluded booth of a dark, smoky bar. Over the drunken posturings of would-be cowboys, Tammy Wynette whined about true love with a untrue man. From the bar’s far corner came the distinctive crack of pool balls connecting and the occasional throaty laughter of the big-haired women who circled the table, watching their men play.
    Luke’s lips lifted. The bar had been his contact’s choice, but he rather liked it. It had a certain kind of style. An undeniable “Texas, Every Man,” atmosphere. He could imagine his Alex Lawson at the pool table, pissing the local boys off by taking not only their money but their women as well. And not giving a shit that all hell was about to break loose.
    That’s what he loved about Alex, the character he had created in Running Dead, his first published novel. He had balls. He was arrogant, too smart for his own good and deeply scarred from a nightmare childhood. He was a man’s man, but one women could love.
    His editor had been so taken with Alex Lawson and his nemesis Trevor Mann, that she’d had him change the ending of Running Dead and reprise both men for his next novel. That had been three books, three consecutive runs on the New York Times bestseller list and a major motion picture deal ago.
    Luke Dallas was publishing’s new golden boy. His backlist was being repackaged and rereleased; his agent had scored him a fat new multibook contract and subrights agents were in bidding wars for both his new and old work.
    Not bad for a guy who’d been tending bar to keep food in his belly and power flowing to his computer. Not bad at all.
    Luke took a swallow of his tepid beer, turning his thoughts to his new novel, its new protagonist—and the reason he was waiting in this out-of-the-way, redneck bar for a man who might or might not show.
    His new novel’s main character was a former CIA assassin turned vigilante, antihero. Luke had turned to Tom Morris, a contact he’d made at the Agency for some no-bullshit information. Tom Morris was a director of the Operations branch of the CIA, a man impressed by Luke’s bestseller status and his Hollywood connections.
    At first Tom had denied the existence of government assassins—laughable in the wake of documented