Family Found. Bonnie K. Winn
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Название: Family Found
Автор: Bonnie K. Winn
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Контркультура
Серия: Mills & Boon Vintage Superromance
isbn: 9781474019859
isbn:
Sighing, Laura realized she’d brought this one on herself. Give a playboy time to play and of course he would do just that.
However, as they strolled from the weathered brick building, Mitch steered her not toward the car but toward a grassy slope. Perhaps the bar was within walking distance, she reasoned. Likely the detective would have picked a library close to his creature comforts.
They climbed to the top of the gentle incline. To Laura’s surprise, a wooded park greeted them. Like many of the dichotomies of the cityscape, skyscrapers framed the outline of the trees. The park should seem like an encroachment. Instead the green sanctuary felt like a fitting oasis for the glass-and-concrete edifices.
Again Mitch took her elbow, then led her down the path to a coffee cart. “They’ve got everything from cappuccino to regular old sludge.”
Suddenly the heat and flavor of a latte sounded immensely appealing, and she placed her order.
As the vendor handed her the steaming, foamy cup, Mitch pulled out a bill. “Just my usual, Pat.”
The older man grinned. “None of that fancy stuff for you, eh, Tucker?”
“Simple man, simple tastes,” Mitch agreed, tipping the man generously.
Then he turned to Laura. “There’s a bench down by the water. Bound to be a few ducks doing a matinee.”
Laura smiled, caught by the whimsy in his words. “You think they only swim for show?”
“Keeps the bread crumbs coming. It’s steady work, not much chance for advancement, but no layoffs or forced retirement, either.”
Once more, Laura smiled. The detective might needle her, but he could also be amusing when it suited him.
The bench curved as the shoreline did, a scallop that placed Mitch and Laura together in the center of the weathered redwood structure.
Preposterously, the proximity made her nervous. Again Laura straightened her spine, but the gesture made her feel even more foolish. She wasn’t a blushing teenager out with a man for the first time. Not that they were out—still, she felt ridiculously prudish. Just because she had been badly burned by one man, it didn’t mean she couldn’t relate on a nonpersonal level with the entire sex.
Frustrated with herself, she took a large sip of her latte, forgetting until it was too late that the liquid was still very hot.
“Getting burned?” Mitch asked.
“What?” Had he read her mind? Realizing she had advanced beyond ridiculous, Laura settled the lid back on her drink. “No, not really. It’s just so good I got impatient.”
“And a good thing shouldn’t be rushed.”
Laura glanced at him skeptically. “Really?”
“Yep.” His gaze sidled over her face. But he didn’t add anything else.
And judging from the reaction in her twisting insides, he didn’t need to.
CHAPTER THREE
MITCH’S OFFICE appeared even more disreputable-looking under the latest pile of materials. He knew that Laura Kelly wanted answers yesterday, but in truth, investigations rarely moved quickly. And they seldom held the excitement portrayed in television and the movies.
An image of Laura Kelly flashed in his mind. Then again—
The phone intruded. Snatching it up, Mitch was disappointed to learn that a fairly reliable lead had been a dead end. Despite what Laura appeared to think, he had placed dozens of phone calls, while building her personal profile and creating a comprehensive search file. It was the plan, his blueprint. And despite his casual approach to many things in life, he never undertook a case without a well thought-out plan.
The door flew open and Mitch didn’t need more than one guess to know who was behind it.
Laura’s dark hair was thrown back like a banner, and her eyes glistened like polished lapis. She seemed to bring in the rush of the city streets, the whirl of incoming breezes and a touch of captured sunshine. He’d never seen so much contained energy in any other person. But having it all directed at him was a tad unnerving.
“Galveston,” she began by way of greeting. “My parents never wanted to go there. Once, though, I remember coming in the house and overhearing them. They didn’t realize I was inside and I heard them mention Galveston. But as soon as they noticed me, they stopped talking. Do you think that means something?”
“And good morning to you, too, Laura Kelly.”
She waved away the greeting. “Do you?”
“It could be something.”
Her eyes brightened.
“And they could have been discussing a clandestine meeting when they hoped to ditch you so they could be alone.”
Deflated, she slumped into a nearby chair. “I suppose you’re right. I keep replaying reels of my life like some sort of out-of-whack movie theater in my mind that I can’t shut down. In the middle of the night, I’m sure I’ve come on some incredibly important memory and by morning I realize it’s worthless.” Easing back in her chair, she glanced around at the piles of books on the couch and coffee table.
“Phone books?” she questioned, flipping one open, then shoving it aside. “Isn’t that kind of low-tech?”
“Depends on your point of view,” he replied evenly. “Investigative tools range from low-end phone books to high-end computer databases. Don’t discount what you don’t know.”
“Point taken. So, what are we working on today?”
Mitch creased one hand over his forehead. She was using the royal “we” again. And she was becoming a royal pain. As quickly, he remembered the reason behind her insistence and realigned his attitude. He’d be insistent, too, if his son’s life hung in the balance. “I’m following up on some leads.”
She leaned forward anxiously. “Ones that have panned out?”
“Not yet.”
“Damn!” Laura rose in one hurried motion, frustration pouring from every gesture. “That’s not good enough!”
“What do you suggest? You want me to lean on your relatives? Maybe your aunt Rhoda?”
“Of course not! I…I…”
Mitch gentled his voice. “You’re paying for my expertise—trust it.”
She hesitated for a moment. “I suppose I do. I’m just so terribly worried.”
Mitch sighed inwardly, knowing she would feel no peace until they had some answers. And it wouldn’t hurt him to fill her in. “I’m requesting a СКАЧАТЬ