Calder Storm by Janet Dailey Read Free Book Online Page A

sure he had one. Part of him knew he could change her mind. Yet instinct warned him against pushing Sloan into a decision she wasn’t ready to make.
    Stone-hard with need, he had to force his arms to his side. “See you tomorrow.”
    â€œTomorrow,” she echoed quickly and turned to slide the key card in its slot.
    Not trusting himself, Trey walked away before he gave in to the urge to push his way through the door after her. Behind him, he heard the soft snick of the door unlatching and blindly lengthened his stride.
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    Heavy drapes blocked any outside light from invading the motel room, creating an unnatural darkness. Yet Laredo awakened a split second before light spilled into the room from the corridor. A light sleeper from long habit, he had detected the faint scrape made by the releasing door latch.
    A quick glance identified the tall, wide-shouldered and narrow-hipped figure as Trey. Never one to pretend to be asleep when he wasn’t, Laredo said, “Better flip on the light. It’s black as pitch in here.”
    Trey’s only response was the snap of a light switch. A lampcame on, illuminating a table in the room’s far corner. Without a word, Trey closed the door and turned the dead bolt. Laredo rolled away from the lamplight and slid an idle glance at the digital clock radio on the bedstand. Surprise had him taking a second look at the green glowing numbers.
    â€œIt isn’t even one o’clock yet.” There was nothing sleepy about the assessing look Laredo swept over Trey. “You usually don’t stagger in until around three. What’s going on?”
    â€œJust made an early night of it.” Trey swept off his hat and tossed it onto the long, low chest that faced the pair of double beds. Immediately he swung away. “I think I’ll take a shower before I turn in.”
    It wasn’t so much his words as the flattened pitch of his voice and the closed-up look to his expression that made Laredo suspect Trey had something heavy on his mind. The younger man disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Within seconds Laredo heard the gush of the shower spray turned on full force.
    As the minutes stretched and the water continued to flow, Laredo smiled to himself, certain that there was a woman behind whatever was ailing Trey. A shower was often the only remedy for that kind of trouble.
    The water was still running when Laredo finally dozed off.
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    Laredo woke to the same sound, but with a difference. This time the volume was lower, suggesting it came from the sink faucets, and the bed next to his was a tangle of blanket and sheets, indicating it had been restlessly slept in. Again Laredo glanced at the bedside clock and saw that it was a few minutes before six in the morning.
    Tossing aside the covers, he swung his legs out of bed. In the bathroom, a faucet squeaked under the turn of a hand, shutting off the water flow. The door opened, and Trey stepped out, his hands busy fastening the buttons on his white shirt.
    â€œYou’re up and about with the sun this morning,” Laredo observed, catching the sharp tang of the aftershave Trey had used.
    â€œThought I’d catch an early breakfast.” Trey tucked his shirttails inside his jeans as he walked over to retrieve his hat.
    There was a degree of haste in Trey’s movements. Coupled with the memory of the previous night’s extra-long shower, this observation made Laredo suspect Trey had awakened with a hunger of another kind.
    â€œIs she anyone I know?” he asked. “Like maybe that brunette you nearly ran over when we arrived yesterday?”
    Trey flashed him a quick grin. “Maybe.”
    â€œMaybe, hell,” Laredo scoffed at the evasion.
    Trey pushed the hat onto his head and started for the door. “See you later.”
    Laredo called after him, “Don’t forget. That meeting with the investigators is set for eleven-thirty. Jessy