Holiday Hideout by Lynette Eason Read Free Book Online Page A

have an appointment in twenty minutes.”
    Incredulous at the coldhearted response, Cal asked, “Ma’am, don’t you want to know where your daughter is?”
    A pause. “I no longer have any daughters thanks to Abigail. So no, I’m not interested in her whereabouts.”
    Click.
    Cal shivered and it wasn’t because the room was cold. Whew. That woman sounded like she could spit icicles. If that was Abby’s mother, Abby definitely had his sympathies.
    He went back to the contacts. A few names and numbers that meant nothing to him.
    Thinking about the revealing conversation with Abby’s mother made him frown. He removed the battery once again and replaced the phone just like he’d found it.
    Abby O’Sullivan.
    Estranged from her family, followed and attacked by an unknown assailant. His eyes landed on the end table again. And a large amount of cash.
    Just who had he brought into his family’s home?

FIVE
    A bby scrolled through the medical pages in front of her. After her sister’s and niece’s deaths, she’d thrown herself into work. Staying late, entering information usually left to the administrative staff. Doing anything to keep from going home to be alone.
    The other doctors had thought she was crazy. They’d seen her fatigue and grief. Offered unwanted and unhelpful advice about taking time off. They didn’t understand work was the only thing keeping her sane.
    Long days of seeing patients and staying late at the office morphed into endless nights of crying and wondering what she could have done to save Keira and the baby.
    Nothing, she reminded herself forcefully. Nothing. It wasn’t her fault. She’d yet to see an autopsy report, didn’t know if she’d be able to handle reading it when it came out. And so the guilt remained.
    You did nothing wrong, she argued with herself.
    “Yeah, well, tell that to Reese,” she muttered out loud.
    “Talking to yourself?” Cal asked.
    Abby shrieked and spun, hand over the heart that threatened to rupture in her chest. “Oh, my, you scared me to death.”
    The dimple in his left cheek appeared, and she stared at it. At him. Mesmerized by his presence. A strong compassionate man with eyes that made her melt and arms that could offer strength if she wanted to lean into them. Oh, she wanted to, she just wouldn’t.
    Couldn’t.
    He said, “I just came over to see if you were feeling any better.”
    “Much, thanks.” She admired his handsome face. A face that said he was glad to see her. “Did you find anything about the man who tried to hurt me?”
    His dimpled smile disappeared into a frown. “No. Sorry. He got away pretty fast.” He rubbed his chin and looked thoughtful. “I don’t think this was random, Abby. I think this guy has scoped the property, that he’s been watching things going on around here.”
    Abby gulped. “Why do you say that?”
    “Because he had it all planned out. He knew which house you were staying in and where to find you. He had the chloroform ready and he had his escape route down. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment attack.”
    Fear speared her. Cal was right. It sounded like something Reese could do. Just not something he would do. Disbelief warred within her. But she knew Reese was an avid outdoorsman and he would have the equipment needed to stay out in the freezing weather. To watch, wait and make his move. She shivered and pressed a hand to her stomach that suddenly hurt.
    And she couldn’t think of anyone else she’d made mad enough to want to hurt her.
    “So what do I do?” She stood and started to pace. “I have to leave. I can’t let him come back here. If he does, he might decide to get really ugly and hurt anyone who crosses his path.”
    Hysteria was welling up and threatening to burst through.
    Then she felt his hands on her shoulders, pulling her to him. She froze and then let herself lean on him, taking in his scent, a mixture of outdoors and spicy cologne.
    For a moment, she allowed herself to feel safe. When