Read Online The Caledonian Inheritance (The Athena Effect) by Derrolyn Anderson - Free Book Online
Authors: Derrolyn Anderson
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produced the documents, renewing the placid smile on his face, “Yes sir.”
Layla could see Ramon shuffle from foot to foot indecisively as he looked them over. “You’re related to Millie?” he asked.
Conrad nodded with another ingratiating smile.
She could hear Ramon exhale before he spoke with a sternness she’d never heard in his voice before, “I’m going to let you go with a warning this time, but you need to slow down. We had to pull a trucker out of a ravine last Friday. He was lucky he make it out of there alive.”
“Officer, I can assure you that it won’t happen again.” Conrad said, his voice dripping with sincerity.
“ Good,” Ramon said curtly, turning to walk away.
Conrad rolled up the window and started the engine back up with a little chuckle. “Dodged that bullet,” he gloated.
Layla twisted around in her seat to see Ramon standing by his patrol car, watching them leave with yellow concern and bitter green frustration. For some reason, every time he laid eyes on her she left him feeling disappointed. She felt awful about it, ashamed to be seen as someone who behaved so recklessly.
Conrad drove at a reasonable rate of speed the rest of the way to the coast, prudently keeping watch on his rear view mirror. He put a classical music station on the stereo, smiling with approval when Layla identified Pachelbel’s Canon. She spent the rest of the drive amazing him by correctly naming every symphony, concerto, and movement that followed. It was easy. Classical music was the only music that Professor Reed had allowed her and Michael to listen to.
They finally arrived at their destination and parked.
Layla climbed out to see a large Victorian house, perched on a cliff and surrounded by a cluster of tiny cottages. Its manicured gardens and charming gingerbread woodwork stood in stark contrast to the sheer wild beauty of the rugged coastline, and it seemed as out of place as if it had been transported there from another era.
“It’s beautiful here,” Layla said, stepping out of the car into the brisk ocean air.
“I knew you’d like it,” Conrad nodded, explaining, “This was an old lumber baron’s summer house. We restored it for a client to convert into a restaurant and inn.”
Once again he took her arm and held the door for her with a flourish. They were led to a table set inside a glassed-in porch that wrapped around the ocean side of the building, where Conrad took his time pointing out all of the obscure architectural features. He was particularly proud of the way they had seamlessly integrated the new structures with the old, taking pains to preserve the building’s integrity while they added all the modern conveniences.
Conrad did most of the talking throughout the lunch, describing some of the sensitive historical renovations he’d had a hand in overseeing. At first Layla was relieved, because she’d been afraid that he’d ask her some uncomfortable questions about her past, but after a while she started having a difficult time feigning interest. When Conrad started talking about the remodel of a concert hall in Ukiah her eyes glazed over.
He described the acoustics of the auditorium in excruciating detail while she gazed out the window at the crashing surf, lost in thought. She couldn’t stop replaying the look in Ramon’s dark eyes when they collided with hers, and the discontent he’d felt when they pulled away.
“ So, when are you going to take me there?” Conrad asked.
She looked up, “Where?”
He smiled with amusement, “Your building site, silly goose.”
“Whenever you’d like,” she replied.
“How about Saturday?” He asked. “We can make a day of it.”
“Oh! I forgot to tell you. I can’t do anything on Saturday. I just got invited to a wedding reception.”
He seemed taken aback. “That’s kind of short notice. Whose?”
“Calvin’s brother.” She gathered her courage, asking, “Would you like to come with me?”
He thought
Layla could see Ramon shuffle from foot to foot indecisively as he looked them over. “You’re related to Millie?” he asked.
Conrad nodded with another ingratiating smile.
She could hear Ramon exhale before he spoke with a sternness she’d never heard in his voice before, “I’m going to let you go with a warning this time, but you need to slow down. We had to pull a trucker out of a ravine last Friday. He was lucky he make it out of there alive.”
“Officer, I can assure you that it won’t happen again.” Conrad said, his voice dripping with sincerity.
“ Good,” Ramon said curtly, turning to walk away.
Conrad rolled up the window and started the engine back up with a little chuckle. “Dodged that bullet,” he gloated.
Layla twisted around in her seat to see Ramon standing by his patrol car, watching them leave with yellow concern and bitter green frustration. For some reason, every time he laid eyes on her she left him feeling disappointed. She felt awful about it, ashamed to be seen as someone who behaved so recklessly.
Conrad drove at a reasonable rate of speed the rest of the way to the coast, prudently keeping watch on his rear view mirror. He put a classical music station on the stereo, smiling with approval when Layla identified Pachelbel’s Canon. She spent the rest of the drive amazing him by correctly naming every symphony, concerto, and movement that followed. It was easy. Classical music was the only music that Professor Reed had allowed her and Michael to listen to.
They finally arrived at their destination and parked.
Layla climbed out to see a large Victorian house, perched on a cliff and surrounded by a cluster of tiny cottages. Its manicured gardens and charming gingerbread woodwork stood in stark contrast to the sheer wild beauty of the rugged coastline, and it seemed as out of place as if it had been transported there from another era.
“It’s beautiful here,” Layla said, stepping out of the car into the brisk ocean air.
“I knew you’d like it,” Conrad nodded, explaining, “This was an old lumber baron’s summer house. We restored it for a client to convert into a restaurant and inn.”
Once again he took her arm and held the door for her with a flourish. They were led to a table set inside a glassed-in porch that wrapped around the ocean side of the building, where Conrad took his time pointing out all of the obscure architectural features. He was particularly proud of the way they had seamlessly integrated the new structures with the old, taking pains to preserve the building’s integrity while they added all the modern conveniences.
Conrad did most of the talking throughout the lunch, describing some of the sensitive historical renovations he’d had a hand in overseeing. At first Layla was relieved, because she’d been afraid that he’d ask her some uncomfortable questions about her past, but after a while she started having a difficult time feigning interest. When Conrad started talking about the remodel of a concert hall in Ukiah her eyes glazed over.
He described the acoustics of the auditorium in excruciating detail while she gazed out the window at the crashing surf, lost in thought. She couldn’t stop replaying the look in Ramon’s dark eyes when they collided with hers, and the discontent he’d felt when they pulled away.
“ So, when are you going to take me there?” Conrad asked.
She looked up, “Where?”
He smiled with amusement, “Your building site, silly goose.”
“Whenever you’d like,” she replied.
“How about Saturday?” He asked. “We can make a day of it.”
“Oh! I forgot to tell you. I can’t do anything on Saturday. I just got invited to a wedding reception.”
He seemed taken aback. “That’s kind of short notice. Whose?”
“Calvin’s brother.” She gathered her courage, asking, “Would you like to come with me?”
He thought
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