Bannon Brothers by Janet Dailey Read Free Book Online Page A

himself cheerfully enough.

CHAPTER 3
    T ired and sweaty from his three-mile run at dawn, Bannon walked the last hundred feet to his condo. The big tomcat waited for him at the door, sprawled across the mat, looking all smug and satisfied.
    â€œBack from your midnight wanderings, I see.” Bannon dug the key from his pocket and inserted it in the lock. “Who was she this time? The cute little calico on the next block or the fluffy white angora from Unit Nine?”
    At the click of the lock, Babaloo rose and stretched with a muscled ease that Bannon envied greatly at that moment. He gave the door an inward push and the cat strolled through the opening ahead of him.
    â€œWise cat.” Bannon followed him inside. “It’s never smart to kiss and tell.”
    Crossing the kitchen, he threw a glance at the clock and stripped off his damp sweatshirt. He paused in the living room long enough to turn on the television and switch to the local news. Kelly Johns smiled back at him, her brown eyes gleaming with intelligence, the curving sweep of her blond hair brushing the top of her shoulders. Her ever-so-subtle tan gave her a healthy-looking golden glow.
    â€œWe’ll be right back with Ron and his forecast for this week’s weather.” Her voice had a well-mouthed tone, pitched neither too low nor too high. In short, it was perfect for television, like everything else about her.
    Bannon punched the Mute button and headed straight for the shower. By the time he shed the rest of his running clothes, the water was hot and he stepped under its pummeling jets, letting them beat the ache from his muscles.
    After about five minutes under the invigorating spray, he felt half-human again, killed the jets and toweled himself mostly dry, then used a corner of the cloth to wipe off the moisture steaming the mirror. He ran a skimming glance over his own reflection, absently noting the dark brown hair, hazel eyes, strong chin, and the crooked line of his nose from a previous break. A razor made short work of the dark stubble shadowing his lean cheeks. Finished, he splashed on some after-shave lotion and winced at its sting, then headed into the bedroom.
    He dressed less casually than usual for Kelly’s benefit, pairing jeans and a crisp striped shirt with a camel sports jacket. With his cell phone, wallet, keys, and loose change stuffed in various pockets, Bannon backtracked to the living room. He verified the local news was still on, switched off the television, and headed for the door.
    Babaloo snaked outside first and trotted off. “No ‘have a great day,’ ‘good luck,’ nothing?” Bannon challenged as he locked the door behind him.
    The tiger-striped cat spared him a look and issued an indifferent “Meow.”
    â€œSo glad you care,” Bannon murmured dryly and struck out for his car.
    After reversing out of the parking slot, he pulled onto the street and took aim on the downtown area. The first of the morning rush had just started, filling the lanes without slowing speed yet.
    His cell phone rang, drawing a half-smothered sigh of irritation from him. He slipped it from his pocket, noticed the caller ID was blocked, and flipped it open.
    â€œBannon,” he offered in clipped greeting.
    â€œRJ, it’s Doris.” A car in the next lane honked impatiently at a less-than-alert driver slow to accelerate when the light turned green. “Where are you?”
    â€œIn traffic. Can’t you tell?”
    â€œI wasn’t paying that much attention,” she admitted. “Where are you going? Do you have a minute?”
    The anxious and slightly harried note in her voice warned Bannon that this conversation wasn’t likely to be a short one. He started looking for a place to pull over. With the traffic thickening, he didn’t want his attention divided.
    â€œI was on my way to Kelly’s favorite espresso bar.”
    â€œDo you have a meeting with