Read Online The Fall of Lucas Kendrick by Kay Hooper - Free Book Online
Authors: Kay Hooper
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little frayed around the edges.”
Lucas didn’t say anything for a moment, then sighed a bit roughly. “Ever have something from your past come back to haunt you?”
“We all have, I think.” He studied his friend’s suddenly haggard face, then said softly, “So Kyle’s the one. I always thought there was someone you couldn’t forget.”
Lucas grimaced. “My great poker face.”
“No, not your face,” Rafferty told him. “Something in your eyes, maybe. This isn’t going to be easy for you, is it?”
Gazing off toward the kitchen, Lucas murmured, “No more than I deserve.”
“Can I help?”
“No.” He shook his head. “But thanks.”
In the kitchen, Kyle found that she was entirely comfortable with Kelsey, as if she’d known him forever. And that, she decided shrewdly, was probably a part of the man’s effectiveness as an agent. He had the instinctive knack of putting people at ease, which made his behavior toward Lucas all the more surprising.
“Do you always needle Luc like that?” she asked, too curious to avoid the subject.
Kelsey was measuring coffee into the percolator and didn’t answer until he’d finished. Then he leaned back against the counter and smiled at her. “Who, me? I was just making an observation.”
She realized quite suddenly that despite his cheerful demeanor and his mischievous personality, this man was dangerous. She wasn’t afraid of him but began to feel a bit wary because a part of his danger, she decided, lay in perceptiveness. She had the uneasy feeling that he saw people much more clearly than they would find at all comfortable—including herself.
“I’m harmless,” Kelsey murmured.
Kyle started, then managed to hide her surprise. “That isn’t the word I would have chosen,” she said slowly.
He made a slight grimace, a bit wry but otherwise cryptic. “Maybe not. Doesn’t fit you, either. You’ve got poor Lucas tied up in knots.”
She stiffened. “That isn’t your business.”
Coolly he said, “I’m a government agent, Miss Griffon, and I take my job very seriously. I do my homework.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that I know very well you and Luc have a history. Now, that is none of my business, except where this assignment is concerned. There’s just one thing I wanted you to be aware of. He probably made it sound simple, but for Luc to go into Rome’s house is one hell of a risky proposition. If Rome finds out who he is and what he’s doing there, things are liable to get just a little ugly.”
Quite suddenly Kyle felt cold. “What do you mean?”
“He could get killed.”
“Martin’s civilized,” she objected instantly. “He wouldn’t kill a man just like—”
“He has before.”
She stared at him.
Kelsey nodded. “Oh, yes. We can’t prove it in court, you understand—no evidence. And he didn’t dirty his own hands with murder; he hadit done, which, to my mind, is the same as pulling the trigger himself.”
“Why did you tell me?” she asked after a moment.
“Because I knew Luc wouldn’t.”
“Does he know?”
“Of course he does.” Kelsey smiled just a little, but his eyes were steady. “He’s very protective of those he cares about—and uncommonly gallant about ladies. He’ll spare you the harsh realities whenever possible.”
He didn’t before, she thought. Or had he? She just didn’t know anymore. Tightly she said, “I don’t need protection or chivalry.”
“No, I didn’t think you did.” His voice was quite cool and calm. “Unlike Luc, I’ve had the great good fortune to work with a number of women in dangerous situations over the years, and I’ve learned that toughness comes in all shapes and sizes. You see, I happen to believe you’ll be a greater help to him if you know just what he’s involved in.”
“So now I know.”
“Now you know. You don’t entirely believe me about Rome, of course, but you’ll be more alert than you would otherwise have been, and that always
Lucas didn’t say anything for a moment, then sighed a bit roughly. “Ever have something from your past come back to haunt you?”
“We all have, I think.” He studied his friend’s suddenly haggard face, then said softly, “So Kyle’s the one. I always thought there was someone you couldn’t forget.”
Lucas grimaced. “My great poker face.”
“No, not your face,” Rafferty told him. “Something in your eyes, maybe. This isn’t going to be easy for you, is it?”
Gazing off toward the kitchen, Lucas murmured, “No more than I deserve.”
“Can I help?”
“No.” He shook his head. “But thanks.”
In the kitchen, Kyle found that she was entirely comfortable with Kelsey, as if she’d known him forever. And that, she decided shrewdly, was probably a part of the man’s effectiveness as an agent. He had the instinctive knack of putting people at ease, which made his behavior toward Lucas all the more surprising.
“Do you always needle Luc like that?” she asked, too curious to avoid the subject.
Kelsey was measuring coffee into the percolator and didn’t answer until he’d finished. Then he leaned back against the counter and smiled at her. “Who, me? I was just making an observation.”
She realized quite suddenly that despite his cheerful demeanor and his mischievous personality, this man was dangerous. She wasn’t afraid of him but began to feel a bit wary because a part of his danger, she decided, lay in perceptiveness. She had the uneasy feeling that he saw people much more clearly than they would find at all comfortable—including herself.
“I’m harmless,” Kelsey murmured.
Kyle started, then managed to hide her surprise. “That isn’t the word I would have chosen,” she said slowly.
He made a slight grimace, a bit wry but otherwise cryptic. “Maybe not. Doesn’t fit you, either. You’ve got poor Lucas tied up in knots.”
She stiffened. “That isn’t your business.”
Coolly he said, “I’m a government agent, Miss Griffon, and I take my job very seriously. I do my homework.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that I know very well you and Luc have a history. Now, that is none of my business, except where this assignment is concerned. There’s just one thing I wanted you to be aware of. He probably made it sound simple, but for Luc to go into Rome’s house is one hell of a risky proposition. If Rome finds out who he is and what he’s doing there, things are liable to get just a little ugly.”
Quite suddenly Kyle felt cold. “What do you mean?”
“He could get killed.”
“Martin’s civilized,” she objected instantly. “He wouldn’t kill a man just like—”
“He has before.”
She stared at him.
Kelsey nodded. “Oh, yes. We can’t prove it in court, you understand—no evidence. And he didn’t dirty his own hands with murder; he hadit done, which, to my mind, is the same as pulling the trigger himself.”
“Why did you tell me?” she asked after a moment.
“Because I knew Luc wouldn’t.”
“Does he know?”
“Of course he does.” Kelsey smiled just a little, but his eyes were steady. “He’s very protective of those he cares about—and uncommonly gallant about ladies. He’ll spare you the harsh realities whenever possible.”
He didn’t before, she thought. Or had he? She just didn’t know anymore. Tightly she said, “I don’t need protection or chivalry.”
“No, I didn’t think you did.” His voice was quite cool and calm. “Unlike Luc, I’ve had the great good fortune to work with a number of women in dangerous situations over the years, and I’ve learned that toughness comes in all shapes and sizes. You see, I happen to believe you’ll be a greater help to him if you know just what he’s involved in.”
“So now I know.”
“Now you know. You don’t entirely believe me about Rome, of course, but you’ll be more alert than you would otherwise have been, and that always
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