Read Online Deadly Intent by Christiane Heggan - Free Book Online

dishes she was planning to add to her summer menu, and Ben’s famous triple. She also told her about the new Al Pacino movie that was coming out next Friday. Irene was crazy about Al Pacino.
    As Irene began to relax, so did Abbie. Maybe she had made too much of her mother’s behavior. Why shouldn’t she get upset at the mention of a fire that had killed her husband? In her condition, emotional outbursts were commonplace and certainly not a reason to jump to conclusions.
    A little after ten o’clock, Abbie got ready to leave. “I’d better go,” she said, “before Brady sends out a search party for me.” Irene handed her the Tupperware container. “Give Ben
    a hug for me. And tell him to come and see me. It’s been ages since I’ve seen that boy.”
    Abbie felt a pinch in her heart. The three of them had had dinner together only two nights ago.
    Seven
    When Abbie returned to Campagne, Brady was waiting for her. “Someone’s here to see you,” he said in a low voice. “A man. He says he’s your brother.”
    Abbie bristled. Was that what Ian had meant when he had said he’d give her some time? Less than twelve hours? “Where is he?” she asked.
    “I took him to your office, although what he wanted was to be seated in the dining room and be served lunch. His exact words were, ‘Bring me something expensive and free.’” That Brady and Ian had not hit it off was obvious. “You never told me you had a brother.”
    “He’s a stepbrother, actually. I’ll tell you about him later.” She headed toward her office. “I guess I’d better see what he wants.”
    She found him standing at her desk, a framed photo of Ben in his hand. “Put that down,” she said sharply.
    At the sound of her voice, Ian turned around. “Good looking boy. Doesn’t look like you, though. Must take after his daddy.”
    She crossed the room, snatched the photo from his hand and put it back on her desk. “I don’t want you coming here, Ian.”
    “Would you prefer if I came to your house?”
    “What I would prefer is for you to disappear.”
    His nose up in the air, Ian started walking around the
    room, stopping every now and then to look at one of the many photographs scattered about. This glimpse into her private life made her wish Brady had let him sit in the dining room after all. There was nothing about herself on her family she wanted to share with this man.        ;
    “No can do, sis,” he said, turning around. “As I said last night, we have unfinished business.” He laughed, a good-natured sound, as if this visit really was an innocent family reunion. “I don’t see any pictures of your hubby. You do have a husband, don’t you?”
    “I’ve already told you my private life is none of your business.”
    He raised his hands up in the air, palms out. “Okay,: okay, don’t blow a gasket. I was just curious.” He waited; a beat before adding, “So, did you give some thought to our...little arrangement?”          ;
    “You’re blackmailing me, Ian. I’d hardly call it an arrangement.”
    “And I’d rather call it a payback—for all the misery your mother put me through.”
    “She didn’t do anything! However your life turned out is your doing, no one else’s.”
    He brushed her remark aside with a wave of his hand. “I don’t really care about that. All I want to know is, did you ask her about the fire?”
    “No.” Abbie hoped he wouldn’t see through her lie. “I didn’t see any point in upsetting her by bringing up such bad memories.”
    “You didn’t even tell her I was here?”
    “No, Ian, I didn’t, for the same reason I just stated.”
    He gave her a long, probing look, as though trying to decide if she was telling him the truth. Uncomfortable to; be under such scrutiny, she spoke again, this time forcing; a confidence in her voice she was far from feeling, “And!
    frankly, I don’t know why I’m still here, listening to your nonsense, when I have a million things