Read Online Christmas Conspiracy by Robin Perini - Free Book Online
Authors: Robin Perini
Tags: Suspense
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us. They’re going to have to buy it for scrap though. I don’t want anyone driving the SUV on the road in case it eventually gets tracked down and the gunmen shoot first and ID the occupants later.”
Kat shuddered. “I hadn’t even considered. They’re that desperate?”
“Maybe. And maybe they’re just getting paid very, very well.”
“Your world is frightening,” Kat said with a frown. She studied the beat-up station wagon and several old pickups in the parking lot of the diner with new eyes. None of them looked suspicious. “Should we order our food to go?”
He shut off the vehicle. “You and the kids eat fast, while I get the supplies and trade in the SUV. I don’t like being apart, but the fewer people that see us together, the better.”
Kat clutched Lanie close, emotion catching in her throat. Anyone who did see the four of them together would think they were a normal family. Little did they know that Logan and Kat were virtual strangers who may not live until tomorrow.
She followed Logan into the diner and they sought out the most secluded booth possible near the back. Within moments he’d ordered a spread of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, quick fare that both kids would eat. After strapping Lanie into her high chair, Logan bent close to Kat’s ear. “I’ll be right back. If you see anything suspicious, run. I’ll meet you out back.”
She held his hand tight. “You’ll be careful?”
His eyes crinkled. “Don’t you worry. I’ve done this before.”
She watched him walk out, confident, certain and oh-so-sexy in those jeans. She shouldn’t be thinking that way, but Logan’s intelligence and resourcefulness made her want him all the more. She survived. He planned—and won.
By the time the waitress delivered their meal, Logan had returned with new keys in his hand.
“I traded for the station wagon. They’re going to sell the SUV for parts,” he whispered. “I told them to keep it out of sight. From the looks of the place, by tomorrow, the SUV won’t exist.”
“Good. Now no one gets hurt,” she muttered.
Logan’s smile melted away. “I couldn’t risk that.” Logan glanced at his watch. “We should get on the road. Are the kids almost done?”
“Yes.” Kat placed her hand on his for a moment. “You’re a good man, Logan Carmichael.”
He turned his hand over and held hers tight. “I missed you, Kat. I wish things had gone differently.”
She held her breath.
He ran his thumb over her sensitive skin. “Do you think, once this is over, we could try—?”
“Mommy! Look! I opened the belt.” Hayden climbed onto the table. “Vrooom!” He drove his fire engine through the chicken nuggets, then over his sister’s hand. Lanie screamed and Hayden dove onto the bench seat, then under the table.
“Hayden. You come up here and apologize to your sister,” Kat ordered.
Logan bent across to wipe Lanie’s tears and in seconds, Hayden had scrambled out from his hiding place and bolted across the small, nearly empty diner, heading for the door.
“Hayden,” Logan’s deep voice warned.
Her son stopped and stared, obviously unsure of just how much he could get away with around this new “daddy.”
The waitress did not look thrilled about a little kid running around the restaurant. Nor did the few patrons eating there.
Logan stood. “You stay with Lanie. I’ll get him.”
Logan strode toward Hayden, but Kat recognized the mischievous glint in her son’s eye. “Hayden, no!” She bolted toward him.
Grinning, Hayden crouched down, ready to run. “Come get me, Daddy!”
In the few seconds it took for Logan and Kat to cross the distance, Hayden had scrambled onto the bench seat beside the door, then onto the top. Logan caught Hayden before he sailed through the front glass window, but his fire engine flew from his hands and smashed on the ground. Several pieces littered the linoleum floor.
Stunned, Logan sat on the bench seat, clutching his
Kat shuddered. “I hadn’t even considered. They’re that desperate?”
“Maybe. And maybe they’re just getting paid very, very well.”
“Your world is frightening,” Kat said with a frown. She studied the beat-up station wagon and several old pickups in the parking lot of the diner with new eyes. None of them looked suspicious. “Should we order our food to go?”
He shut off the vehicle. “You and the kids eat fast, while I get the supplies and trade in the SUV. I don’t like being apart, but the fewer people that see us together, the better.”
Kat clutched Lanie close, emotion catching in her throat. Anyone who did see the four of them together would think they were a normal family. Little did they know that Logan and Kat were virtual strangers who may not live until tomorrow.
She followed Logan into the diner and they sought out the most secluded booth possible near the back. Within moments he’d ordered a spread of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, quick fare that both kids would eat. After strapping Lanie into her high chair, Logan bent close to Kat’s ear. “I’ll be right back. If you see anything suspicious, run. I’ll meet you out back.”
She held his hand tight. “You’ll be careful?”
His eyes crinkled. “Don’t you worry. I’ve done this before.”
She watched him walk out, confident, certain and oh-so-sexy in those jeans. She shouldn’t be thinking that way, but Logan’s intelligence and resourcefulness made her want him all the more. She survived. He planned—and won.
By the time the waitress delivered their meal, Logan had returned with new keys in his hand.
“I traded for the station wagon. They’re going to sell the SUV for parts,” he whispered. “I told them to keep it out of sight. From the looks of the place, by tomorrow, the SUV won’t exist.”
“Good. Now no one gets hurt,” she muttered.
Logan’s smile melted away. “I couldn’t risk that.” Logan glanced at his watch. “We should get on the road. Are the kids almost done?”
“Yes.” Kat placed her hand on his for a moment. “You’re a good man, Logan Carmichael.”
He turned his hand over and held hers tight. “I missed you, Kat. I wish things had gone differently.”
She held her breath.
He ran his thumb over her sensitive skin. “Do you think, once this is over, we could try—?”
“Mommy! Look! I opened the belt.” Hayden climbed onto the table. “Vrooom!” He drove his fire engine through the chicken nuggets, then over his sister’s hand. Lanie screamed and Hayden dove onto the bench seat, then under the table.
“Hayden. You come up here and apologize to your sister,” Kat ordered.
Logan bent across to wipe Lanie’s tears and in seconds, Hayden had scrambled out from his hiding place and bolted across the small, nearly empty diner, heading for the door.
“Hayden,” Logan’s deep voice warned.
Her son stopped and stared, obviously unsure of just how much he could get away with around this new “daddy.”
The waitress did not look thrilled about a little kid running around the restaurant. Nor did the few patrons eating there.
Logan stood. “You stay with Lanie. I’ll get him.”
Logan strode toward Hayden, but Kat recognized the mischievous glint in her son’s eye. “Hayden, no!” She bolted toward him.
Grinning, Hayden crouched down, ready to run. “Come get me, Daddy!”
In the few seconds it took for Logan and Kat to cross the distance, Hayden had scrambled onto the bench seat beside the door, then onto the top. Logan caught Hayden before he sailed through the front glass window, but his fire engine flew from his hands and smashed on the ground. Several pieces littered the linoleum floor.
Stunned, Logan sat on the bench seat, clutching his
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