Enemy Within. AMANDA BROWNING

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СКАЧАТЬ listen to any more of this! If Leah isn’t at the university, then she’s with her grandmother.’ That had to be the explanation. She just knew Leah wouldn’t have done any of what this vile man was suggesting. The trouble was, reference to Grandmother Sophie was hardly likely to instil unqualified confidence. Not that she’d reveal her doubts for the world! No, there was a solid-gold reason for her sister not being at the university, and she was going to find out just what it was!

      However, before she could say so, her protagonist was exclaiming, ‘Grandmother?’ in a tone which implied she had caught him off balance for once.

      Mickey couldn’t hide her look of triumph. ‘You didn’t know about her, did you? It seems you don’t know everything!’

      He sent her a stony look, then marched across to the telephone. Lifting the receiver, he held it out to her. ‘OK, ring her and ask her if Leah’s there.’

      She would have loved to—anything to rub his nose in it—but it was impossible. ‘I can’t. Sophie doesn’t have a phone.’ Wouldn’t, was actually a truer word. Her eccentricities were as ever, impractical.

      With a muttered oath, Ryan crashed the receiver back into the rest, and gathered up his coat. ‘Then we’ll go and pay her a visit. Where does she live?’

      He was already slipping his arms into his jacket as her jaw dropped. ‘You’re crazy. She lives clear over in Kitimat. It will take ages to get there!’

      For all the notice he took, she might have been saying Leah’s grandmother lived on the moon. He merely proceeded to unlock the door. ‘I came here with the express purpose of bringing Peter home. I have no intention of leaving without him, nor will I give you the chance to warn anyone by waiting until tomorrow!’

      It was like batting her head against a brick wall. And Mickey stamped her foot in exasperation. ‘Don’t you listen to a word I say? I’m not involved in a conspiracy. You’ve been reading too many spy novels.’

      Over his shoulder, his look was pitying. ‘Having been found out, you’d hardly be likely to admit to anything. Of course, if what you’re trying to do is keep me from discovering Leah isn’t where you say she is, then I’ll just draw my own conclusions.’

      Mickey couldn’t think how she had ever thought this man attractive! He was loathsome. Everything she said was turned around to suit his purpose. Nothing would do but to show him how wrong he was to his face. ‘All right, we’ll go,’ she agreed grudgingly, and joined him at the door.

      His smile was sardonic. ‘I’m glad to see you’re an intelligent woman, Hanlon.’

      She sent him a daggers look. ‘If I’d had any intelligence, I’d have seen you coming!’

      ‘You’d have to get up very early in the morning to get the better of me,’ he advised ironically, locking the door after them and ushering her back to the lift.

      ‘It can’t be that difficult, if your nephew managed to do it,’ Mickey observed pungently.

      ‘He hasn’t got away with it yet,’ he reminded her, and she pulled a face.

      ‘How old is he?’

      ‘Twenty-three.’

      From the way his uncle had come rushing after him, she’d assumed he was much younger. ‘A little old, wouldn’t you say, to be kept on a leading rein?’ she jeered, not surprised the young man wanted to break free.

      The lift arrived, and they stepped inside before Ryan answered. ‘He has his freedom, within reason.’

      ‘The boundary of reason being the things you do or don’t like,’ she scorned, finding herself reluctantly empathising with the runaway.

      ‘I’m not about to apologise for keeping him out of the clutches of female barracudas,’ he informed her shortly, and took her arm as they reached the ground and headed out of the building to where the jeep had been parked earlier.

      She resented being manhandled, and tried to jerk herself free, but failed once more. Grinding her teeth impotently, she found herself almost having to jog to keep up with him. Even so, she found the breath to protest. ‘I’ve told you before about lumping my sister in with such people!’

      ‘Sorry,’ he apologised mockingly, ‘but I’ve yet to hear anything to change my opinion. Get in.’ This last came as they reached the disreputable vehicle.

      ‘Where did you get this—a junk heap?’ she bit out witheringly as she resisted.

      ‘Never judge by appearances; this piece of junk is a lot more reliable than you, sweetheart. Now are you going to get in or...?’

      Mickey only complied because she knew he would have put her in by force if she had refused, and she wanted to retain at least some dignity. Besides, the quickest way of proving he was mistaken, she hoped, was to get to Grandmother Sophie’s as swiftly as possible. So she settled into her seat without another word, and gave him directions for leaving the town.

      Once on Highway 16, her attention was only partially on the journey; the main part of her brain became centered on Leah. When she had first come in search of her father, she had been surprised but delighted to discover she had a half-sister. She had known Leah for eight years now, and loved her dearly, although she hadn’t seen her every day, because she lived with her paternal grandmother. Their father’s death eighteen months ago had been a shock to both of them. He had seemed so fit, but he must have known he had cancer for a long time. It had been then that her sister had decided she wanted to study medicine.

      Although they had jointly inherited the house she now lived in, Mickey alone had inherited her father’s business, and that had helped her cope with her sense of loss. It hadn’t seemed a burden, more an acknowledgement of her own capabilities. Although their years together had been short, Mickey had discovered a closeness of spirit with her father which had been totally lacking with her mother. He had never asked her why she had abandoned the only life she had known, but she had told him anyway. He hadn’t judged or advised, but had simply accepted her, and given her an unquestioning love which had gone a long way to healing her wounds. She had developed her own love of flying from being taught by her father. He had been delighted when she had gone on to show her interest in his business, and they had worked together happily, Mickey discovering a capacity for hard work into which she had channelled all her energies.

      Leah had a gentler nature, although it was allied to a surprising strength of will, and a deep understanding of the frailties of her fellow humans, both of which she would need if she realised her wish to study medicine and become a doctor. It wasn’t a whim, but a vocation, and that was why Mickey knew it just couldn’t be Leah who had run away with Ryan’s nephew. She was so dedicated, so sure of what she wanted. It would never occur to her to throw it all away on some...playboy millionaire!

      ‘You’re wrong, you know.’ The statement was an extension of her thoughts, and broke the lengthy silence which had fallen.

      He spared her a brief glance, and seemed to know immediately what she was referring to. ‘It’s for sure one of us is doomed to be disappointed,’ he concurred obliquely, and Mickey found herself studying his handsome profile with resentment.

      Rather late in the day, a vital point struck her. ‘You never intended to take any photographs, did you?’

      She caught the slight flexing of his cheeks СКАЧАТЬ