perching on the arm on the other side.
There was a slight protective air about the position he found interesting. Miss Hanes was a strikingly pretty brunette with what he liked to term as a willowy figure, slender but with nice curves in the right places. She wore only a bikini top and a pair of shorts and there was a hint of pink across the top of her smooth shoulders. It was easy to guess the three of them had been out earlier on the water and maybe just came in for lunch.
He cleared his throat. “Apparently you saw a trespasser on my property a few days ago?”
She nodded. “I was reading down by the lake. It was a little too hot in the sun so I was sitting on the bank in the shade. I noticed him first because he seemed to be looking around. It wasn’t suspicious particularly, but did strike me as odd at the time. Then he took something out of his pocket and opened one of the bay doors and backed out the boat up to the main dock. When he saw me sitting Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
Beautiful Triad
81
there he really gunned it and sped off, but a lot of people drive boats that way.”
“Can you describe him for me?”
She did so in a way that told him she’d got a fairly good look or else was more observant than most people, right down to the color of his shirt. At the end of the recital, she slowed and trailed off, a tinge of horror suddenly showing in her face. “…odd he was wearing a tie…I…”
The ensuing silence was acute for a moment after her stammering halt, a contrast to the sunny, expensive room. The blond reached over and squeezed her hand. He had that tanned Key West kind of handsomeness of sun-streaked hair and clean cut features, his brow currently furrowed in concern as he stared at the girl next to him.
“Lauren?”
“He put something in the boat.” It was said very quietly. “I hadn’t thought about it until now. As far as I knew, I thought it was the owner of the house I saw, Dr. Heaton, and he had every reason to be there. That’s why he backed the boat up to the main dock, to put whatever it was inside.”
Very carefully, because his palms had gone damp, Ben asked,
“Something? Did you see what it was?”
She must have caught the undertone in his voice anyway. Her cheeks had paled slightly. “No, not really. He did it quickly and I wasn’t paying all that much attention at the time.” Then she added with obvious reluctance, “It was heavy enough to make the boat rock.”
None of them turned to look out over the spectacular view of the lake. Ben had to give them credit for it since they were now all thinking the same thing. He didn’t have equal self-control and glanced out the huge windows. The sun reflected in dancing sparkles over the water.
It was not only big, but pretty deep in places.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
82
Kate Watterson
There wasn’t much question. It could make one very large, two hundred acre wet grave.
He needed to get out of there before he completely lost his composure in front of three strangers.
Ben stood on legs that weren’t quite steady. “I appreciate you talking to me.”
* * * *
The perfect day had disintegrated as clouds began to build in the distance, beginning with a few white wisps that gradually gathered forces until they became towering anvil shaped monoliths. The heat turned from pleasant to cloying, the humidity and thunderheads promising an explosive exhibit of Mother Nature’s abilities.
A stormy evening, a possible dead body in the lake…a murderer out there…it sounded like a horror novel premise. No wonder Lauren was a bit jumpy. Drew had suggested they go out to dinner because, more than anything, they all wanted to forget a woman was still missing. Lights, laughter, and other people might banish Lauren’s uneasiness.
The parking lot was crowded as they pulled
There was a slight protective air about the position he found interesting. Miss Hanes was a strikingly pretty brunette with what he liked to term as a willowy figure, slender but with nice curves in the right places. She wore only a bikini top and a pair of shorts and there was a hint of pink across the top of her smooth shoulders. It was easy to guess the three of them had been out earlier on the water and maybe just came in for lunch.
He cleared his throat. “Apparently you saw a trespasser on my property a few days ago?”
She nodded. “I was reading down by the lake. It was a little too hot in the sun so I was sitting on the bank in the shade. I noticed him first because he seemed to be looking around. It wasn’t suspicious particularly, but did strike me as odd at the time. Then he took something out of his pocket and opened one of the bay doors and backed out the boat up to the main dock. When he saw me sitting Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
Beautiful Triad
81
there he really gunned it and sped off, but a lot of people drive boats that way.”
“Can you describe him for me?”
She did so in a way that told him she’d got a fairly good look or else was more observant than most people, right down to the color of his shirt. At the end of the recital, she slowed and trailed off, a tinge of horror suddenly showing in her face. “…odd he was wearing a tie…I…”
The ensuing silence was acute for a moment after her stammering halt, a contrast to the sunny, expensive room. The blond reached over and squeezed her hand. He had that tanned Key West kind of handsomeness of sun-streaked hair and clean cut features, his brow currently furrowed in concern as he stared at the girl next to him.
“Lauren?”
“He put something in the boat.” It was said very quietly. “I hadn’t thought about it until now. As far as I knew, I thought it was the owner of the house I saw, Dr. Heaton, and he had every reason to be there. That’s why he backed the boat up to the main dock, to put whatever it was inside.”
Very carefully, because his palms had gone damp, Ben asked,
“Something? Did you see what it was?”
She must have caught the undertone in his voice anyway. Her cheeks had paled slightly. “No, not really. He did it quickly and I wasn’t paying all that much attention at the time.” Then she added with obvious reluctance, “It was heavy enough to make the boat rock.”
None of them turned to look out over the spectacular view of the lake. Ben had to give them credit for it since they were now all thinking the same thing. He didn’t have equal self-control and glanced out the huge windows. The sun reflected in dancing sparkles over the water.
It was not only big, but pretty deep in places.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
82
Kate Watterson
There wasn’t much question. It could make one very large, two hundred acre wet grave.
He needed to get out of there before he completely lost his composure in front of three strangers.
Ben stood on legs that weren’t quite steady. “I appreciate you talking to me.”
* * * *
The perfect day had disintegrated as clouds began to build in the distance, beginning with a few white wisps that gradually gathered forces until they became towering anvil shaped monoliths. The heat turned from pleasant to cloying, the humidity and thunderheads promising an explosive exhibit of Mother Nature’s abilities.
A stormy evening, a possible dead body in the lake…a murderer out there…it sounded like a horror novel premise. No wonder Lauren was a bit jumpy. Drew had suggested they go out to dinner because, more than anything, they all wanted to forget a woman was still missing. Lights, laughter, and other people might banish Lauren’s uneasiness.
The parking lot was crowded as they pulled
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