On Thin Ice by Linda Hall Read Free Book Online Page A

Brad, “Tell her about your monster film.”
    “Monster film?” Megan put her tea on the counter.
    “He’s working on a film about the Whisper Lake monster.”
    “I didn’t know there was a Whisper Lake monster.”
    Brad leaned forward, grinning with all his teeth and said, “Yep.”
    “So where does he go when the lake is frozen?” Megan asked.
    For a moment his face darkened. “Well, I guess that’s the question, isn’t it?”
    Megan felt an instantaneous flutter of disquiet which dissipated as quickly as it had come.
    “Yeah, Brad,” Vicky said. “That’s what I keep asking. Wouldn’t it make more sense to come here when the lake isn’t frozen?”
    Megan could hear the wind outside high in the trees. “I plan to,” he said quietly. “This is just the beginning. Just the beginning, ladies.”
    After her second cup of tea and more shrimp, Megan felt satisfied. She was tired, yet Brad talked on and on. Vicky had drawn her knees up and seemed content to listen to Brad’s exploits. He’d been to the top of Mount Robson in Canada. He’d been bungee jumping in South Africa and done a film about clock-makers in Germany. After a full recounting of his African safari, Megan was dying to get back to her cabin and her comfortable bed and away from this man who now seemed pompous and self-absorbed her.She couldn’t understand how Vicky could hang on his every word. When there was a lull in the conversation, Megan yawned and said, “Well, I think I should be getting back to my place. I’m dead tired.”
    “No.” The way Brad said it so quickly took both women by surprise.
    He said, “I’ve done all the talking here tonight, we haven’t let our guest introduce herself properly. Where’s home for you, sugar?”
    Sugar? “I live a little south of here.”
    “Where’s a little south of here?”
    “Oh, here and there. I’m from here and there.” Megan looked past him toward the window. She was feeling more and more uncomfortable, yet it was nothing she could name or her put her finger on.
    Vicky playfully punched him again. “If our guest doesn’t want to tell us where she’s from, then that’s her business. Look at me, I didn’t want to tell anyone about my life but you got it all out of me.” Her giggle was a cackle.
    He leaned over and kissed Vicky on the cheek. “But I want to know where a lovely young woman like Megan lives. I’m good with accents. That’s one of my interests,” he said.
    She didn’t want to tell them where she was from. She didn’t want anyone to know she was here. She didn’t want to put anyone in danger.
    Brad leaned toward her again and she could see hiseyes through the dark glasses. It was as if she had looked at those eyes in a dream. She drew back.
    “I hear you do Web sites,” he said.
    She hugged her knees and yawned again. “We can talk about that sometime.”
    He said, “Do you have a card or something?”
    “A business card? Not on me.”
    Vicky stood up and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and handed it to Megan saying, “Please write down your information for Brad so we don’t have to talk business anymore.”
    Megan wrote her Web site on the paper and handed it to him. He peered down at it, seemed satisfied, folded up the paper and put it in his pocket.
    As Megan was putting on her coat, Brad said, “You know what day it is next week?”
    The women shook their heads.
    “Valentine’s Day. Women like you two should have sweeties to keep them warm I should think.” Megan stared hard at him, but he abruptly changed the subject. “You happen to know where I can rent a snowmobile around this place?”
    Megan shook her head. “Maybe someone in town would know.”
    Brad said, “Maybe the sheriff would know. I’ll contact the sheriff about it. Have you met him? Alec. Is that his name?”
    There was something in his eyes when he said the word sheriff, almost a half wink.
    “I have to be going,” she said. “I have to get back.”
    Her hands