Poison by Leanne Davis Read Free Book Online Page A

was before her. Waves rolled in, one after another to the empty beach. Cassie breathed in the cool air; it seemed to explode in her lungs. In the two and half weeks she’d been in Seaclusion, she’d yet to drive to the beach. Sightseeing hadn’t been at the top of her list of things to do recently.
    She spotted Tim and Luke playing Frisbee down on the beach. Tim ran, grabbing at the Frisbee Luke had thrown. Cassie’s heart expanded with warmth. She jogged toward them, and was roped into playing. For the next half hour they ran this way and that. Luke kept Cassie running to Tim’s delight. She was huffing and puffing in exertion. Finally she begged mercy and collapsed onto a large piece of driftwood. Luke soon joined her, and they sat in companionable silence watching Tim play along the beach. He was busy finding relics and seashells left discarded by the Pacific Ocean.
    Luke taught math at the high school so he was home by midafternoon and had suggested taking Tim to explore the beach. By then Tim had been bursting with energy and enthusiasm, and Cassie had gratefully let them go as she made trips to the trailer and finished unpacking.
    After several moments of contented silence Cassie asked, “How did you end up a teacher? Weren’t you some high powered salesman last I ran into you in Portland?”
    “I worked at Nystron back then. A lot changed for me since then, as with you I’d say.”
    Cassie nodded. Thinking about her son. About Marcus Leary. About the fact that she no longer had a job, or home to call her own. And that Luke used to know the young, pretty girl in her, as opposed to the frumpily dressed woman she now was with a tight knot of hair on her head. “I guess the changes in me are as drastic.”
    “I quit Nystron not long after I ran into you, and went back to school. I had realized money wasn’t about to give me fulfillment.” Luke paused shrugging. “I like kids. I had a degree in math, so teaching and coaching seemed perfect. And it has been, at least job wise,” Luke said, then he nodded toward her. “How come you were home so early today?”
    She sighed. “John fired me.”
    “He what?”
    “He fired me. Okay, more like he redirected where I get to work. He’s having me clean the office and your house. He thinks being out in the public is too dangerous, that Marcus could catch wind of my presence.”
    Luke nodded. “That’s probably a good idea. You don’t agree?”
    She shrugged. “It doesn’t leave much for me to do.”
    Luke wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “You’ll get through this. It can’t last forever.”
    “From your lips…”
    He laughed. “You really should keep a low profile.”
    “I am. Now. Thanks to your brother.”
    “You sure there isn’t more to yours and John’s animosity?”
    She shook her head. “No. Just too close of quarters.”
    “I told John to pick up a prepaid cell phone for you. Turn yours off and take out the battery and card. I doubt your ex can track you with it…but better safe than sorry.”
    She hadn’t considered that. What other little clues had she left behind or available for Marcus? Her head spun as she considered what all that she could have done wrong. She took out her phone and shut it down while taking out the battery and card. “Good idea. Thank you.”
    Luke glanced at his watch. “I do however have a team meeting to get to. John texted me and said he’d be at Sarah’s tonight. So you and Tim are on your own until about seven. Is that okay?”
    Cassie put her hand over Luke’s. “It’s just fine. Really. We’ve been on our own for weeks. I’m just glad you’ll be back later. Thank you, for everything you’ve done for us.”
    Luke stood up. “Quit it. You live here now. You don’t have to continue to be so grateful.”
    She squeezed his hand. If only Luke had any idea how grateful she was.
    After Luke left, Cassie made the last few trips to the hated trailer. They left the used and abused couch,