Read Online The Stranger: The Heroes of Heyday (Harlequin Superromance No. 1266) by Kathleen O`Brien - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathleen O`Brien
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intend to cut and run?â
âNot run, exactly,â Tyler said with one his most neutral smiles. âI told you about the Heyday Eight book. Iâve got a lot of interviews to do before I can leave. But I donât have any plans to stay longterm, if thatâs what youâre asking.â
Kieran looked somber, almost disappointed, but Bryce just laughed. He had been casually tossing a small football-shaped paperweight from one hand to the other. Suddenly, without warning, he lobbed it over to Kieran, who caught it as easily as if the whole thing had been scripted.
âNo one ever plans to stay in Heyday, my friend.â Bryce stood and, loosening his tie, moved toward the door. He paused by Tylerâs chair long enough to give him a brotherly pat on the shoulder.
âBut somehow, in the end, you just do. â
Â
W HEN M ALLORY APPROACHED the ferry at Fellâs Point Harbor that stormy Friday morning, dressed in dark jeans, black T-shirt and hooded gray raincoat, she felt strangely excited. Almost happy, in spite of the fact that it was a dreary day, and sheâd hadnât slept all night.
She looked at the choppy water, which was the unappealing color of tarnished silver. Little frothy white-caps promised the ferry customers a bumpy ride.
But yes, in spite of all that, she felt happy.
Because the blackmailer didnât know it, but the rules of this game were about to change.
Last night, when she had wrapped up Roddyâs money in plain brown paper according to the blackmailerâs ridiculous specifications, she had included a little something extra.
She had included a note saying that heâd simply have to ease up, that she wouldnât be able to make payments every two weeks like this. She couldnât afford it. Period.
She had no idea how heâd react. Yesterday, on the phone, it had required very little to antagonize him. But she had to take the chance. Her note was nothing but the simple truth. She could not afford this.
Besides, she had hopes that this might be the last payment sheâd ever have to make. Mindy was coming for a weekend visit, and theyâd finally have time alone to talk. Somehow, sheâd make Mindy see that honesty and courage were their only real protection. Theycouldnât rewrite the past. And obviously they werenât going to be able to bury it.
When Tyler had shown up, Mallory had considered telling Mindy to stay away. But then she realized that Tylerâs arrival made Mindyâs decision that much more urgent. At any moment, the blackmailer might decide Tyler had deeper pockets and was the better customer for this information.
She gripped her package, which was starting to get soggy from the rain, and stepped onto the ferry, her stride much more confident, in spite of the rocking water, than the last time she made this miserable trip.
Funny how strong it made you feel to assert yourself a little.
Sheâd thought the ferry might be deserted, given the weather. But to her surprise it was crowded with row upon row of gray figures with ducked heads, anonymous bodies hunkered down inside hoods, under umbrellas, beneath the dripping rims of Gore-Tex rain hats.
She went to the front of the ferry and bent down to slide the package under the bench seat, following her instructions to the letter even though the seat was full. No one seemed to notice her. Even the person whose feet her package nearly touched didnât look up.
And thatâs when she got the idea.
A crazy idea. It made her heartbeat zigzag oddly with excitement, and she inhaled softly, tasting rain.
Maybe, in this kind of weather, she could blend into the crowd herself. Maybe she could pretend to exit theferry, as instructed, but turn at the last minute and remain on board. Maybe she could watch the package quietly from the protection of her own hoodâ¦and eventually discover the identity of the blackmailer.
It was risky. It might even be downright
âNot run, exactly,â Tyler said with one his most neutral smiles. âI told you about the Heyday Eight book. Iâve got a lot of interviews to do before I can leave. But I donât have any plans to stay longterm, if thatâs what youâre asking.â
Kieran looked somber, almost disappointed, but Bryce just laughed. He had been casually tossing a small football-shaped paperweight from one hand to the other. Suddenly, without warning, he lobbed it over to Kieran, who caught it as easily as if the whole thing had been scripted.
âNo one ever plans to stay in Heyday, my friend.â Bryce stood and, loosening his tie, moved toward the door. He paused by Tylerâs chair long enough to give him a brotherly pat on the shoulder.
âBut somehow, in the end, you just do. â
Â
W HEN M ALLORY APPROACHED the ferry at Fellâs Point Harbor that stormy Friday morning, dressed in dark jeans, black T-shirt and hooded gray raincoat, she felt strangely excited. Almost happy, in spite of the fact that it was a dreary day, and sheâd hadnât slept all night.
She looked at the choppy water, which was the unappealing color of tarnished silver. Little frothy white-caps promised the ferry customers a bumpy ride.
But yes, in spite of all that, she felt happy.
Because the blackmailer didnât know it, but the rules of this game were about to change.
Last night, when she had wrapped up Roddyâs money in plain brown paper according to the blackmailerâs ridiculous specifications, she had included a little something extra.
She had included a note saying that heâd simply have to ease up, that she wouldnât be able to make payments every two weeks like this. She couldnât afford it. Period.
She had no idea how heâd react. Yesterday, on the phone, it had required very little to antagonize him. But she had to take the chance. Her note was nothing but the simple truth. She could not afford this.
Besides, she had hopes that this might be the last payment sheâd ever have to make. Mindy was coming for a weekend visit, and theyâd finally have time alone to talk. Somehow, sheâd make Mindy see that honesty and courage were their only real protection. Theycouldnât rewrite the past. And obviously they werenât going to be able to bury it.
When Tyler had shown up, Mallory had considered telling Mindy to stay away. But then she realized that Tylerâs arrival made Mindyâs decision that much more urgent. At any moment, the blackmailer might decide Tyler had deeper pockets and was the better customer for this information.
She gripped her package, which was starting to get soggy from the rain, and stepped onto the ferry, her stride much more confident, in spite of the rocking water, than the last time she made this miserable trip.
Funny how strong it made you feel to assert yourself a little.
Sheâd thought the ferry might be deserted, given the weather. But to her surprise it was crowded with row upon row of gray figures with ducked heads, anonymous bodies hunkered down inside hoods, under umbrellas, beneath the dripping rims of Gore-Tex rain hats.
She went to the front of the ferry and bent down to slide the package under the bench seat, following her instructions to the letter even though the seat was full. No one seemed to notice her. Even the person whose feet her package nearly touched didnât look up.
And thatâs when she got the idea.
A crazy idea. It made her heartbeat zigzag oddly with excitement, and she inhaled softly, tasting rain.
Maybe, in this kind of weather, she could blend into the crowd herself. Maybe she could pretend to exit theferry, as instructed, but turn at the last minute and remain on board. Maybe she could watch the package quietly from the protection of her own hoodâ¦and eventually discover the identity of the blackmailer.
It was risky. It might even be downright
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