After Midnight by Diana Palmer Read Free Book Online

thrilled him when the Lombards backed him as a candidate. It had been Kane Lombard’s idea initially. Kane liked Sam because they were both yachtsmen, and because Sam supported tax cuts and other incentives that would help his fledgling automobile manufacturing industry in Charleston. Mainly, Sam thought, it was because Clayton Seymour had taken an instant dislike to Kane and had done everything possible to put obstacles in his path when the auto manufacturing firm first located in Charleston. The antagonism had been mutual. Now, with Kane’s latest bad luck in having a sewage spill into the river, Seymour had attacked him from every angle.
    Sam didn’t like dirty politics. He wanted to win the election, but not if it meant stooping to the sort of tactics Seymour and his mentor Mosby Torrance were using against Kane. The double-dealing at city hall had been shocking to Sam, with both politicians using unfair influence to delay building permits and regulatory requirements.
    Privately, Sam thought a lot of their resentment was due to the national reputation of the tabloidKane’s father and brothers owned in New York. It was increasingly focusing on politics and it had done some nasty exposes on pet projects of Senator Torrance. It had also made some veiled threats about going on a witch-hunt to drag out scandals in Congress, beginning with southern senators and representatives. That had been about the time Kane announced the building of his plant. It had also coincided with Seymour’s bid for reelection.
    Having Kane so close to home was making Seymour and Torrance nervous. Sam began to wonder what they had to hide.
    Â 
    Nicole had driven her small used red sports car into the village market near the medical center to get milk and bread—the eternal necessities—and fresh fruit. She’d just walked onto her porch when she heard the sound of a car pulling to a stop behind her.
    She turned, and found Kane Lombard climbing out of a ramshackle old Jeep. She wondered just for an instant where he’d borrowed such a dilapidated vehicle before the sight of him in jeans and a white knit shirt made her heart start beating faster.
    He smiled at the picture she made in cutoff denim shorts and a pink tank top. That dark tan gave her an almost continental look.
    â€œYou tan well,” he remarked.
    â€œOur ancestors were French Huguenots, who came to Charleston early in the seventeenth century to escape religious persecution in Europe,” she told him. “I’m told that our olive complexion comes from them.”
    â€œI brought back the things you loaned me.” He handed her a bundle. “Washed and pressed,” he added.
    â€œWith your own two hands?” she teased.
    He liked the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled. She made him feel young again. “Not quite.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and studied her closely, with pursed lips. “Come for a ride.”
    Her heart skipped. She couldn’t really afford to get mixed up with her brother’s enemy, she told herself firmly. Really she couldn’t.
    â€œJust let me put these things away,” she said.
    He followed her inside and wandered around the living room while she put the perishable things into the refrigerator and the bread in the bread box.
    â€œI should change…” she began.
    â€œWhy?” He turned, smiling at her. “You look fine to me.”
    â€œIn that case, I’m ready.”
    She locked the door, grateful that she hadn’t any photographs setting around that might clue him in to her relationship with Clayton. Nor was there anything expensive or antique in the beach house.She and Clayton didn’t keep valuables here, and the beach house remained in the name of their cousin who also had access to it. That kept nosey parkers from finding Clayton when he was up here on holiday. Records on land ownership were not hard to obtain, especially for someone like Kane