Read Online One Night in Boston by Allie Boniface - Free Book Online Page A

screen to kaleidoscope into view. Steadying her gaze on the screen, she opened a search engine. Dillon Murphy , she typed with trembling fingers. Thirty seconds later she realized she was holding her breath.
    Thirteen possible matches. Maggie almost didn’t want to look. Running a finger down the screen, she eliminated the first ones inside her head.
    “Local mountain biker Dillon Murphy advanced in yesterday’s race…”
    “Dillon Murphy slam dunks to win the Student-Faculty Scholarship game…”
    “Dr. Dillon Murphy presents her findings on molecular research…”
    “Dillon Murphy named Boston’s Young Entrepreneur of April...”
    Maggie stopped. She read the last one again and then clicked on the link.
    Dillon Murphy, owner of Spectacular Scapes, was named the Boston area’s Young Entrepreneur of April. The program honors the city’s brightest new businessmen and women who have demonstrated outstanding vision, leadership, achievement, and social responsibility. Murphy is responsible for the transformation of lawns and landscapes in and around the city…
    As Maggie finished the brief article, perspiration broke out on her upper lip. Spectacular ‘Scapes, huh? Maggie grabbed Neve’s list. There it was, close to the bottom.
    She looked back at the article. Was it possible? Had her stepbrother really become an award-winning businessman? She stared at the screen, as if Dillon himself might glide through it. One leg bounced up and down as nerves took over, and she pressed a palm against her knee, trying to still it. Only one way to find out… Reaching for her cell phone before she lost her nerve, she dialed eleven numbers and closed her eyes.
    The phone began to ring.
    Maggie almost hung up. If Spectacular ‘Scapes was in fact Dillon’s business, if he answered the phone himself, what was she going to say after all this time? How was she going to dance around everything that had happened, all the years that had sailed by since the last time she’d seen him? Her thumb moved to cut the connection. I should think of something reasonable and convincing , she thought. I should call back when I have a plan . She didn’t think blurting out Hi, Dillon, I know it’s been a while but do you think you could loan me fifteen thousand dollars? would be her best opening.
    The line beeped, and a recording came on and saved her. “Hi, you’ve reached the office of Spectacular ‘Scapes. Please leave us a message, and we’ll get back to you. Have a great day.”
    Maggie frowned. It wasn’t Dillon’s voice—it wasn’t a male voice at all—but she supposed that didn’t mean anything. Could be a secretary, or a co-worker. She hung up without saying a word.
    Now what? She couldn’t just leave a message. What if it wasn’t him after all? What if he didn’t return her call? What if he waited until Monday to check his voicemail? She needed to talk to her stepbrother as soon as possible. Really, she needed to see him, to explain face to face what she was asking him for and why.
    Eyes back to the clock. Two-fifteen and counting. No other choice , the voice inside her head began chirping. If you can’t reach him on the phone, then you have to go to Boston and try to find him.
    “I can’t,” she said aloud.
    You have to , the voice answered.
    Maggie rubbed her temples as the headache began to win again. She stared at the dots of lights behind her eyelids and thought she could probably count thousands. Fifteen thousand, four hundred and eighty, to be exact. She peeled open her eyes and ran a finger down Neve’s list, checking the address. If she got in her car now and sped the sixty miles north, she could be in Boston by four o’clock or so. Maybe sooner. But he’s not in his office , the voice reminded her. Where will you find him? What if you can’t find him? What if he’s done for the day? What if he’s on vacation for the next two weeks?
    “Well, someone must be there,” she said. “Right?”
    But she didn’t