Enemy Within. AMANDA BROWNING

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СКАЧАТЬ is Peter, and who are “they”?’ she demanded helplessly, with predictable results.

      Those incredible blue eyes narrowed. ‘You know, this pretence of ignorance is doing nothing for my patience, Hanlon,’ he said testily, then breathed in deeply. ‘OK, OK, if it will get me some answers I’ll go along with it. But be warned, my patience isn’t endless. Peter is Peter Douglas, my nephew.’

      He could have said Rip Van Winkle for all the relevance it had to her. ‘Is that supposed to convey something?’ Edgily, she knew what reaction her response would receive.

      His jaw clenched. ‘You’re darn right it should, because Peter is the man your precious sister has got her gold-digging claws into!’

      Mickey was stunned. Of all the answers she might have imagined, that had never occurred to her. ‘Leah?’ An awful foreboding clenched her heart as she recalled her own concern over the lack of communication with her sister.

      At her mention of the name, a grim smile twisted his lips. ‘So you haven’t forgotten everything,’ he drawled nastily. ‘Yes, Leah. Your scheming sister has got Peter so besotted, he’s run off with her! But let me tell you something: if she thinks she’s got a meal-ticket for life, she’s got another think coming!’

      Shock rapidly gave way to anger, which welled up like a volcanic eruption. ‘Hold it! Who do you think you’re calling a gold-digger?’ she challenged violently, seeing in her mind’s eye the sweet face of her young half-sister. Gold-digger? If anything, Leah was quite dismayingly unworldly.

      ‘What else would you call a woman who convinces a man to run off with her after five minutes’ acquaintance?’

      She didn’t fully understand the situation, but she knew Leah was under attack, and that was enough. Like a tigress coming to the defence of her young, Mickey balled her hands into fists. ‘Don’t you dare say another word, Ryan Douglas, because you’ve got hold of the wrong girl. My sister Leah has not run away with anyone. She’s studying for her degree at university.’ True enough, but that niggle of doubt increased. Why hadn’t Leah been in touch?

      An eyebrow rose mockingly. ‘Really? Well, believe it or not, she’s found a new career,’ he sneered.

      The gibe brought an angry growl to her throat. ‘Well, I don’t believe you! Leah hasn’t mentioned anyone to me. I know my sister, and deceit is beyond her. I don’t know this Peter, but, if he’s anything like you, then it’s my belief that any seducing has been done by your own precious nephew!’ Mickey charged back fiercely, rounding the couch to square up to him.

      ‘Peter isn’t the one who needs money. He has enough of his own, as if you didn’t know!’ he put in caustically.

      Mickey felt ready to explode. ‘I don’t know, and Leah doesn’t need money either!’ She had inherited a considerable sum from both her mother and her father, and could expect vastly more from her grandmother.

      Ryan remained distinctly unimpressed by her avowal. ‘That isn’t the impression I got from looking around your business this afternoon. If I’ve ever seen a building in urgent need of repair, then that was it!’ He laughed derisively.

      Hot colour washed in and out of her cheeks. ‘Damn you, Leah has nothing to do with my business! Which doesn’t need your money either, just a fresh coat of paint and a nail or two! I’ve been waiting for the time, and the money, to do the repairs,’ she lied bravely, only to see his lip curl.

      ‘Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I didn’t have your financial status checked out? You’re barely keeping your head above water, Hanlon. If your sister has money, which I doubt, then it isn’t in the quantity you need. Only a large slice of the Douglas fortune is going to bail you out!’

      Mickey paled at the knowledge of just how much he knew about her lack of funds, but it didn’t alter one basic fact. ‘If you say I need the money, then why are you calling Leah the gold-digger?’ she demanded hoarsely.

      The look in his eyes wasn’t flattering. ‘Who would fall under your spell, Hanlon? You needed Leah to bait the trap, and, once you’d caught Peter, your loving sister would hand over all that lovely money to you!’

      Her colour rose with her chin. ‘It sounds very plausible, but you’re wrong on every count! There is no plot—at least, not with my family. I don’t know how you came by your erroneous information, but, whoever your nephew has run off with, it certainly isn’t my sister,’ she protested hardily.

      Ryan watched her closely for a moment, as if deciding whether he could get away with what he would really like to do, then swung on his heel and went to pour himself a drink. ‘Tell me, did your father have more than one daughter named Leah?’

      Never taking her eyes off him for a moment, Mickey crossed her arms defensively. ‘Of course not! But the name Leah is hardly uncommon. Why pick on us?’

      Draining a glass of whisky, he walked back to her. ‘Because that was the name Peter gave in his letter. However, as I don’t expect you to believe me, you can read it for yourself.’ He produced the missive from his shirt pocket, rather like a conjurer.

      She accepted the letter, but held it as if it might bite her. However, after reading only the first paragraph, Mickey slowly sank down on to the couch, and started from the top. Whoever Peter was, the girl he described certainly sounded like her sister—A black-haired, dark-eyed angel, who loved him for himself. But he knew his uncle wouldn’t approve, so they were going away together. Nobody was to worry; they would come back when they were ready. There was more in the same vein. When she reached the end, Mickey looked up at the now silent man who stood before her.

      The heat of anger had died out of her, leaving her, for the moment, uncertain. She clung to the rug, lest it be pulled completely out from under her feet. ‘There has to be some mistake. Leah would never just run off like that!’ She wouldn’t not get in touch either, but you know she hasn’t, Mickey told herself silently.

      ‘You know her so well?’

      Considering she hadn’t even known of her sibling’s existence until eight years ago, Mickey deemed it wisest not to answer that, even though, in her heart, her answer would have been an emphatic yes. ‘You’re wrong. I know you are. Leah is at the university,’ she declared with all the assurance she could muster. If she could use the phone, she’d prove it.

      Ryan dropped another bombshell. ‘No, she isn’t. She hasn’t shown up for classes for the past three weeks.’

      The absolute conviction in his voice was enough to startle Mickey. ‘Three weeks!’ she exclaimed in dismay, wishing she could argue, but knowing this, at least, had to be true. Because he could only have found out by checking with the faculty.

      Ryan, on the other hand, derived no such certainty from her tone. ‘Do you really expect me to believe you didn’t know?’

      She glared at him, having had more than enough of his vile accusations regarding both herself and her sister. ‘If you think I’d calmly sit by while my sister ruined her life, you’re very much mistaken!’ Three weeks! Exactly the length of time since Leah had last called her! Surely her sister couldn’t have done anything so foolish as to run off with a strange man?

      Ryan snorted disgustedly. ‘Hardly ruined. Peter must be worth half a million dollars at the last count. Not that he can get his hands on it until he’s twenty-five, which might not amuse your sister at all. I imagine she’s been having СКАЧАТЬ