Read Online Son of the Enemy by Ana Barrons - Free Book Online Page B

his throat.” Thornton was smiling, but Hannah could tell he was simmering underneath.
    “I guess I should thank you for running interference,” John said. “I half expected to spend the night in the local jail.”
    Thornton shrugged. “I’ve donated generously to this hospital, and since you appear to be a friend of Hannah’s…” He glanced between them. “I assume you work together.”
    “John’s the author I told you about. He’ll be hanging around the school for another couple of weeks.”
    John shot her a glance. “At least.”
    A fragile butterfly of a thought fluttered across her consciousness. He’s staking his claim.
    “Oh, yes, that’s right.” Thornton turned to Hannah. “You mentioned it at dinner on Friday night.” He placed a possessive hand on her shoulder, and she resisted the urge to shake him off. After all, if he hadn’t been there, John could well be talking to the police right now.
    Thornton turned to John. “I take it you know Christian fairly well?”
    “Not really. I’ve only been around for a week.”
    “Have you tried Ty’s cell phone, Thornton?” Hannah asked.
    “Yes, but he’s got it turned off.” He pulled her closer into his side. “Let’s go get some dinner while we try to figure out where he might have gone.” He said to John, as though it were an afterthought and not a polite dismissal, “You’re welcome to join us, of course.”
    “Actually, I was just about to suggest the same.” John turned to Hannah. “The coffee machine was broken, but you need something to warm those hands up. You can put my jacket back on if you want.”
    Hannah considered suggesting they pull out the tape measures and get it over with. “I’m really not hungry and I’m not cold anymore. Thanks anyway, both of you.”
    “Well, there’s no sense hanging around here,” Thornton said. “I’ll take you home and we can talk there.”
    “I can get myself home.” His proprietary attitude annoyed her. She couldn’t remember the last time he deigned to step foot in her humble abode, and she preferred it that way.
    “I don’t want you taking any chances,” Thornton went on. “A woman was found murdered this morning in Middleburg.”
    Hannah shivered. “I’ll take a cab when I’m ready.”
    “Fine, then, we’ll talk here. Will you excuse us, John?”
    “Sure. I’ll call you at home later, Hannah.”
    She rolled her eyes at him, something she’d been doing a lot lately. “Fine.”
    When John had left, Thornton led her to a private corner by a pay phone and sat down. “Have the police talked to you yet, about Christian? Or asked any questions about Ty?”
    “No, but I keep expecting them to show up. We told the emergency techs in the ambulance what Christian had been using, and they know another boy was with him.”
    “But you didn’t mention his name?”
    “No, they didn’t ask.”
    Thornton let out a breath. “How much does Larissa know about what happened?”
    “The same as the rest of us. Ty came running into the office…or stumbling, I should say, and said Christian was passed out in the woods and there was a guy there. Oh, my goodness, I forgot about that.”
    “Where’s the guy now?”
    “I don’t know. When we found Christian, he was alone. It didn’t even occur to me to mention—”
    “Don’t,” Thornton said. “I’ll handle it. Just don’t say anything to anyone about Ty or—”
    “What?” Her whisper was shrill. “You expect me to lie to the police?”
    “I will deal with the police.” There was a fierce light in his eyes she hadn’t seen before. “You won’t need to say anything. Who else was there when Ty showed up at school? Was Emerson there?” The way he said the name told her he was jealous of John’s obvious interest in her. Well, too bad. He had no claim on her.
    “No, it was after four and mostly everyone had left, so it was just me and Larissa.”
    “I see.” Just like that he clammed up. Hannah watched him as his