Read Online Icecapade by Josh Lanyon - Free Book Online

wrapped parcel. “It’s the usual. A jar of my crabapple preserves.”
    She walked them back to the car, talking all the while. As Noel opened the Boxster’s door, she gave him a brilliant smile. “Even without doing Robert’s reading, I can tell that you’re both going to be very happy. If you could only see your auras!”
    Chapter Six
    When they reached Blackbird Farm, Noel broke the silence that had persisted on the short drive home. “I’m going to have a shower. Why don’t you fix yourself a drink?” He handed Robert the wrapped jar of preserves and pointed him toward the drinks cabinet. “Pour me one as well.”
    A hot shower, a shave and clean clothes made a world of difference. Noel was still tired, still short on sleep, but his natural optimism began to reassert itself. He hadn’t dreamed that comment on the knoll. Robert wanted him. He might not like Noel but, if ten years later he was still looking forward to taking his turn in bed, Robert did feel some connection.
    He found Robert in the kitchen doing the breakfast dishes.
    Robert glanced up, his gaze lingered for a moment. He nodded to Noel’s drink on the table.
    “Thanks.” Noel sat down, glanced idly at the stack of old photos, studied Robert’s broad shoulders, the long, muscular line of his back, and his narrow hips. “If you want a shower, I can find Josh Lanyon
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    a pair of sweats that’ll probably fit you and I’ll put your clothes through the washer.”
    Robert rinsed the last soapy mug and placed it in the basket. He leaned against the sink and folded his arms.
    “Here’s the way I see it. Basically you were forced to retire. If your balance hadn’t been affected, you’d still be out there robbing people.”
    Clearly Robert was still wrestling with this. He sounded as though he and Noel were continuing an ongoing conversation. In a funny way it gave Noel hope. Robert wouldn’t be struggling with this if it didn’t matter to him.
    “No. I was already planning to get out.”
    “That’s easy to say.”
    “It’s the truth.”
    When Robert didn’t reply, Noel said, “I’m not trying to pretend it was a moral decision because I don’t regret anything I did. I didn’t steal from anyone who couldn’t well afford it. And I never used violence. I never even carried a weapon.”
    The lines of Robert’s face grew grim once more. “I know all about the romantic mythology of the cat burglar. How cat burglars are supposed to rely on their wits and imagination instead of violence, how they only prey on the super rich and their insurance companies. You still broke into people’s homes. You still took what didn’t belong to you. You know that.”
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    Icecapade
    “I know that.”
    “And you justify that…how?”
    There was no justification. Oh, Noel could have explained about growing up in a home where crime was the family business—and had been for generations—where cat burglary was viewed as typical of something a sissy youngest son who watched too many movies would come up with.
    He could have explained but it would have sounded like an excuse, and he didn’t make excuses. He was what he was—and considering what he’d come from, that wasn’t so bad. In fact, it was pretty amazing. In every sense, Noel was a self-made man, and knowing firsthand how little he’d had to work with, he was proud of that man.
    But that man was still one of the bad guys—
    even if an ex-bad guy—in the eyes of Special Agent Robert Cuffe. That was the way it was.
    “No answer?” Robert prodded curiously.
    Noel shrugged. “I’m not proud of being a thief.
    I’m proud I never hurt anyone—except maybe in their tender insurance policies.”
    “You were a predator. You damaged people, left them feeling violated and afraid.”
    Noel’s fingers tightened around the crystal highball glass. “You want to talk about abuse?
    About damage? About feeling violated? Try growing up —” He caught it back, forced himself to smile. He took a