Read Online Silent Fall by Barbara Freethy - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara Freethy
Tags: Contemporary
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and I was waiting for my chance to get her." Catherine's voice broke off, and she pulled away from him. "I just want to go home. I can't help you. I'm sorry. It's too hard."
"You're not afraid of something being hard," he told her.
"You don't know anything about me."
"I know that two months ago, when Jake and Sarah were in danger, you were brave enough to knock down a man with a baseball bat. You showed more than a little courage in a difficult situation. I was very impressed." To this day he wondered if they would all still be alive if Catherine hadn't been willing to put her life on the line the way she had.
"That was different. I knew what was real and what wasn't—who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. I acted on instinct. But I can't help you if you don't believe me, and I can see in your eyes that you don't. You think I'm conning you or something."
"I'm a logical person. I believe in what I can see."
"Sometimes you have to have faith."
"I lost my faith a long time ago."
"You don't believe in anyone or anything?"
"I trust my brother, Jake, because he's never let me down. He's the only one. And I've certainly never had any experience with the supernatural, so forgive me if it all sounds a little bizarre."
"I understand. You're not the first person to judge me. And I doubt you'll be the last. To be honest, I don't always understand the visions either. So I should just go home and leave you to get on with things. You can do this on your own."
"You're not the kind of woman to run away, Catherine." He didn't know why he felt such a need to keep her with him, but all of his instincts were screaming at him to hang on to her.
"I've been running away my whole life. You have no idea how good I am at it." She met his gaze head-on, and he saw nothing but truth in her eyes.
"Then it's time to stop running." He shifted his feet, searching for the right words. "Dammit, Catherine, you're the one who started this with your prediction about Erica coming into my life. Two women, you said: One is danger; one is salvation. If Erica is danger, then you have to be salvation. You're the only one here who fits the bill."
"You're used to getting your way, aren't you? Don't bother to answer. That was a rhetorical question. I'll say one thing: You're persuasive, and very good at arguing all sides of a discussion."
"So, have I convinced you to stay?"
"For the moment. Then we'll see." She gave him a small smile. "What you don't realize is that by asking me to stick around, you're putting yourself directly in my line of vision, so if you have any secrets don't expect to keep them."
Her words made him uneasy, but he told himself to get over it, because if he didn't believe in her visions then he had nothing to fear. She might be a little more perceptive than most people, but he'd learned a long time ago how to hide what he was thinking or feeling. He could keep her out of his head, and he would keep her out, because there was a part of him he couldn't let anyone see.
"So what's next?" Catherine asked.
He was relieved by the question. They were getting back to business, what he did best. "I need to check out my room in the lodge, see if Erica left me any surprises there."
Upon entering the building, Dylan felt like a marked man. The man and woman working the reception desk both gave him long, wary stares. And when he requested another room key, the woman looked very much as if she wanted to say no, but in the end she just handed him a key and asked him to be sure to check out by eleven o'clock.
"I'd like to stay another night," he said.
"I'm sorry, but your room is booked for today," the woman replied. "You'll have to collect your belongings and check out."
Dylan could see the firm resolve in her eyes. Management obviously wanted him out of there as soon as possible. He couldn't blame them. Having a possible murderer or assault suspect staying in the hotel was bad for business.
"I'll go up and pack." He paused. "Has
"You're not afraid of something being hard," he told her.
"You don't know anything about me."
"I know that two months ago, when Jake and Sarah were in danger, you were brave enough to knock down a man with a baseball bat. You showed more than a little courage in a difficult situation. I was very impressed." To this day he wondered if they would all still be alive if Catherine hadn't been willing to put her life on the line the way she had.
"That was different. I knew what was real and what wasn't—who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. I acted on instinct. But I can't help you if you don't believe me, and I can see in your eyes that you don't. You think I'm conning you or something."
"I'm a logical person. I believe in what I can see."
"Sometimes you have to have faith."
"I lost my faith a long time ago."
"You don't believe in anyone or anything?"
"I trust my brother, Jake, because he's never let me down. He's the only one. And I've certainly never had any experience with the supernatural, so forgive me if it all sounds a little bizarre."
"I understand. You're not the first person to judge me. And I doubt you'll be the last. To be honest, I don't always understand the visions either. So I should just go home and leave you to get on with things. You can do this on your own."
"You're not the kind of woman to run away, Catherine." He didn't know why he felt such a need to keep her with him, but all of his instincts were screaming at him to hang on to her.
"I've been running away my whole life. You have no idea how good I am at it." She met his gaze head-on, and he saw nothing but truth in her eyes.
"Then it's time to stop running." He shifted his feet, searching for the right words. "Dammit, Catherine, you're the one who started this with your prediction about Erica coming into my life. Two women, you said: One is danger; one is salvation. If Erica is danger, then you have to be salvation. You're the only one here who fits the bill."
"You're used to getting your way, aren't you? Don't bother to answer. That was a rhetorical question. I'll say one thing: You're persuasive, and very good at arguing all sides of a discussion."
"So, have I convinced you to stay?"
"For the moment. Then we'll see." She gave him a small smile. "What you don't realize is that by asking me to stick around, you're putting yourself directly in my line of vision, so if you have any secrets don't expect to keep them."
Her words made him uneasy, but he told himself to get over it, because if he didn't believe in her visions then he had nothing to fear. She might be a little more perceptive than most people, but he'd learned a long time ago how to hide what he was thinking or feeling. He could keep her out of his head, and he would keep her out, because there was a part of him he couldn't let anyone see.
"So what's next?" Catherine asked.
He was relieved by the question. They were getting back to business, what he did best. "I need to check out my room in the lodge, see if Erica left me any surprises there."
Upon entering the building, Dylan felt like a marked man. The man and woman working the reception desk both gave him long, wary stares. And when he requested another room key, the woman looked very much as if she wanted to say no, but in the end she just handed him a key and asked him to be sure to check out by eleven o'clock.
"I'd like to stay another night," he said.
"I'm sorry, but your room is booked for today," the woman replied. "You'll have to collect your belongings and check out."
Dylan could see the firm resolve in her eyes. Management obviously wanted him out of there as soon as possible. He couldn't blame them. Having a possible murderer or assault suspect staying in the hotel was bad for business.
"I'll go up and pack." He paused. "Has
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