Read Online Heart of the Highland Wolf by Terry Spear - Free Book Online

on him.
    â€œThrilled? He was pretty hard-nosed about how much they wanted, and we went back and forth with him for months. He nearly delayed the production. Guthrie said an Iris North had spoken to him and told him to get in touch with me.” Maria raised a brow at Julia. “I figured he’d say a Julia Wildthorn had spoken to him. It took me aback, until I figured out you’d used an alias.”
    â€œI didn’t want them hearing my ‘Julia Wildthorn’ name and realizing, if they discovered I was an author, that I might be trying to write about the off-limits parts of their castle, even though in my story the name and location will be masked.” Hoping that would satisfy Maria’s curiosity, Julia smiled broadly.
    â€œAnd now he thinks you’re Julia Jones. Or did you tell him the truth while I was with Duncan?”
    â€œNo, we didn’t discuss it. Wildthorn is my pen name. A red name. It suits my books. Iris North was a made-up name also.”
    â€œI thought Julia Wildthorn was your real name.” Maria sounded surprised.
    â€œEveryone knows me as Julia Wildthorn. I identify with the name. It’s really Julia MacPherson. But that was in the past and I never use it, ever. It’s just easier that way.”
    â€œMacPherson is a Scottish name,” Maria said, her tone indicating she still thought Julia was being devious about something more. “This has nothing to do with the MacNeills or their castle or anything. No old-time clan feuds, right?”
    Julia bit her lip. Omission was one thing. Out-and-out lying, another. “My MacPherson family lived in the castle at one time.”
    Maria stared at her goggle-eyed. “Are you serious ? So they actually owned it?”
    â€œLived there, like guests.” Not really guests, though, Julia didn’t think. Not from the way her grandfather sounded so cryptic. Not knowing what the situation really was, she was unable to hide her exasperation. “It’s no big deal.”
    â€œYou want to write about something that’s more historically accurate? About your family having lived there?”
    â€œWell, yes.” In a way Julia did—it added more realism.
    She thought Maria was finished with the interrogation, but her friend continued to quiz her as she moved quickly about the place, looking for something. “Are you sure your family hadn’t taken over the castle at some point, which I think is incredibly cool, and they truly owned it? At least for a brief time?”
    â€œNo, my family didn’t own the castle.” As far as Julia knew.
    â€œWhat if you had some claim to it? We could move in and open the place up for tours.”
    Julia gave her an incredulous laugh. “Yeah, right. If my family had owned the place, they would still be running things. And probably would have to put up with a crew filming a movie here like the MacNeills. But no, it’s nothing like that.”
    In the kitchen, Maria said, “I found the phone.” Maria began speaking but not to her. “Hello, Chad? We’re here. You called the police about the car? The car rental company, too? Yes, I’ll talk to them tonight. You’re an angel. Can you come and get me? Ten minutes? Thanks for bringing the bags by and getting the keys to the place for us. See you in a few.”
    Maria hung up the phone and rushed to the bathroom, peeling off her wet, muddy clothes as she went. “Something is in the castle that your family wants you to steal back. What is it, and what is its importance?”
    In disbelief, Julia stared at Maria’s retreating backside. “How could you have possibly known?”
    â€œRemember the night before we left on this trip when you told me to check movie times on your computer? You were making us chicken rice soup, and you wanted to go see that Scottish time travel.”
    Julia had a sinking feeling she’d left something on the computer she