Merciless by Diana Palmer Read Free Book Online Page A

“Thank God he’s going to be all right.”
    â€œNice to meet you, Agent Blackhawk,” Dr. Wagner added, smiling as he walked away.
    â€œNice guy,” Jon remarked.
    â€œYes, we’re very lucky to have him. He’s taken great care of Markie.”
    Jon was studying her with narrowed eyes. The doctor’s statement about the decision she’d made was puzzling.
    She was tired and raw from lack of sleep or she might have reconsidered her words. “His father and I were very good friends. We had too much to drink and…there was Markie.”
    He stared at her. He didn’t speak.
    She averted her eyes. “I underestimated how—” she started to say “drugged” and immediately caught herself “—drunk he was and he didn’t realize that I was naive about men. We were both stupid.” She hesitated. “I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about a child who wasn’t planned.” She smiled. “But now he’s my whole world.” Her voice broke off.
    â€œYour path hasn’t been an easy one,” Jon said quietly.
    â€œNobody’s path is easy. We just do what we have to do, and go on living. I love my son,” she added. “I have to live with the fact that Markie will always be illegitimate.” She looked up at him. “It hurts me. I try to live a conservative life. But it’s not Markie’s fault.”
    â€œOf course not.”
    She picked up her purse from the seat she’d occupied. “I’ll get some breakfast and see what they can do for Markie, but I don’t know if I can come in today. I’m very sorry. I should have phoned.”
    â€œI was concerned,” he replied. “Take the day off. If youcan’t make it in tomorrow, just let me know, it will be all right. The Bureau doesn’t punish people for personal emergencies, you know,” he offered with a kind smile.
    She smiled back. “Thanks,” she said.
    â€œMarkie’s father, is he still alive?”
    The question hit her unexpectedly. “I…I don’t know,” she stammered, desperate for a way out of the conversation.
    â€œYou said that he was in the military, stationed overseas,” he began.
    â€œYes, I see,” she faltered. She averted her eyes. “He was, uh, listed as missing in action.”
    â€œA tragedy.”
    She nodded. “Thanks for coming down here,” she said, recovering her poise. “I don’t know how you even found us…”
    â€œAbuse of power,” he quipped. He grinned. “I can pull strings when I want to.”
    â€œUnethical, sir,” she pointed out.
    He shrugged. “My brother is corrupting me.”
    She laughed. She glanced at the big clock in the waiting room. “You’ve got a meeting with the sheriff about that Oklahoma kidnapping in ten minutes at the courthouse,” she exclaimed, referring to a case in which an agent in another field office had requested some help. FBI offices cooperated on cases from other jurisdictions that overlapped. “You’ll never make it.”
    â€œI’ll make sure I catch all the traffic lights when they’re green.” He chuckled.
    â€œThanks again.”
    â€œYou’re welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    She nodded. She watched him walk away. It surprised her that he cared enough to hunt her down when she didn’t show up for work. And he’d been really concerned. That made her feel warm inside. She fought it. His mother would be the worst enemy on earth to make. Joceline already knew how the woman felt about her. It gave her cold chills. But then she was worrying about things she might not ever have to consider. She had her son, and he was going to get better. That had to be her concern now. Only that.
    â€œI’m really sorry about walking in the rain, Mommy,” Markie apologized when they were back home in their small apartment. “I