Read Online In Too Deep by Sharon Mignerey - Free Book Online Page B

giving them an apologetic smile. “Don’t mind me.”
    â€œNo problem.” He glanced down at Lily and managed to slip from between her and the counter. “I’ve got to go.”
    â€œCocoa Puffs isn’t much of a breakfast,” Lily said. “Let me make you something.”
    â€œI really do need to…” His gaze caught hers once again.
    â€œGo?” Rosie supplied, looking from him to Lily.
    He nodded, pulling keys out of the pocket of his jeans.
    â€œIf you can give me about fifteen minutes, I can get dressed and go with you,” Lily said.
    â€œI, uh, need to check with Hilda before going to work.”
    â€œFine. I thought you might.”
    A flush crawled up his cheeks, and Lily realized he was trying to find a tactful way to leave without her. “I think I’d like to go home before going to work.”
    â€œI can take you to work, Lily,” Rosie said, waving one of the crackers. “Another half dozen of these and I’ll be fine.”
    A look of pure relief passed over Quinn’s face. “There. A solution. You have a ride to work.” He headed for the door. “See you later.”
    â€œOkay.” Lily watched him leave, one more regret heaping on all the others. She had ignored the possibility that he might not want her the way she wanted him.
    â€œYou slept with him, didn’t you?” Rosie accused.
    Â 
    The call came into the payphone near the marina exactly when the man was expecting it—dreading it.
    â€œIs it done?” asked the raspy voice.
    â€œAccidents are dicey things,” he said, watching a floatplane land beyond the line of boats. “Not predictable like more traditional methods. This will be a helluva lot easier with the direct approach.” Stealing the keys out of a desk—that had been easy. Pushing a car down a slope at exactly the right time to kill somebody—that was a gamble in anybody’s book.
    â€œNo,” was the immediate answer. “So you’re telling me that the status quo hasn’t changed.”
    â€œShe’s not dead, if that’s what you mean,” he answered, tired of the stupid game of refusing to name what he’d been hired to do. The chances of anyone listening to a conversation made to a pay phone from a pay phone were slim and none. “You want an accident, that’s going to take time.”
    â€œAnd expenses on our clock. Mr. Lawrence expects results from you. I expect to read in the paper that a terrible accident has had tragic results. The sooner, the better.”
    â€œAnd like I said, accidents aren’t that easy.”
    â€œLet me put this another way, so you’ll understand perfectly. Mr. Lawrence is an engineer, did you know that?”
    â€œGet to the point.” So he was an engineer. So what?
    â€œHe always ensures there are backup systems and fail safes.”
    Which explains why he’s in prison, he nearly retorted.
    â€œIf a fail safe is required for this situation,” the voice continued, “you won’t be needing a single dime of the payment that was agreed to. Now, then. Since you seem to be unable or unwilling to think on your own, you will find a way to get close to her, and you will see to it that she’s involved in a very tragic, life-ending accident.”
    The line went dead.
    He stared across the water. A fail safe? A chill slithered down his spine. He got it. Somebody would kill him if he didn’t kill Lily Jensen Reditch. So far, he hadn’t been able to get close enough, which was only one of the problems with “accidents.”
    As for thinking on his own, he already had an employment application in to go to work at the research center. He hadenough of a chemistry background to create fire out of water, to even blow up a building. Plus, he knew for a fact he had the party-hearty merchandise a couple of the students wanted—they’d already made a buy from