(Rainshadow, #2) Deception Cove by Jayne Castle Read Free Book Online Page B

good, too.”
    She glanced back over her shoulder. “You said your brother handles security for Sebastian, Inc. and the Foundation. But according to the business press, you’re in line to take over as CEO of the family empire.”
    “You read the business press?”
    “I became somewhat obsessed with it after Ethel Whitcomb started hounding me. It’s the only way I can keep track of her. As the head of Whitcomb Industries, she appears in the papers a lot.”
    “Smart,” he said, appreciative of the tactic. “In answer to your question, my grandfather runs Sebastian, Inc. now. He intends to retire soon. No one else in the family, except me, wants to take over the job.”
    She paused again and looked back, studying him. “But you want the job?”
    “Oh, yeah,” he said. “I’ve wanted that job from the cradle.”
    “Must be nice to know what you’re supposed to be doing in life,” she said. There was a wistful note in her words.
    She arrived on the fourth floor and started toward the end of the hall, Houdini scampering along at her heels. Drake followed with the suitcase and pondered his strategy. He was pretty sure that Alice would go to Rainshadow with him, but it was by no means a done deal. She was still leery. He could not blame her. It was starting to look like he would be spending the night in the car, keeping watch on the Dead City Suites to make sure Alice did not pull another vanishing act.
    He had told her nothing less than the truth. They needed all the help they could get on Rainshadow. The fact that Alice had been able to decipher Nick North’s psi-code map was important, so was her high-rez light-talent. But he was also increasingly certain that whatever had gone down before, during, and after the disastrous honeymoon on Rainshadow with Whitcomb was the real key to unlocking the mystery.
    Someone was convinced that there was something worth killing for on the island.
    Alice stopped in front of Number Three and took out a key. When she got the door open, a draft of fresh night air flowed out. Drake knew from her startled reaction that she had not left a window open inside the apartment.
    In that instant Houdini growled and sleeked out, showing a lot of eyes and teeth.
    “Oh, crap,” Alice whispered. “Not again.”
    She stepped swiftly back into the hallway and promptly vanished, taking Houdini with her. Evidently she did not have enough energy left to shield the cobalt-blue tote bag because it was left hanging in midair.
    Drake jacked up his senses so that he could see Alice. She reappeared a short distance away, Houdini crouched tensely on her shoulder.
    “Stay clear of the door,” Drake said.
    He had already let go of the suitcase and was on his way into the apartment, the light spear in his hand.
    There was a lot of frantic movement somewhere inside. A hard object crashed to the floor.
    The interior of the apartment was illuminated by the green psi-light streaming in through the windows. A man in a stocking mask rushed across the room, heading toward the sliding glass door that opened onto a minuscule balcony.
    The intruder was fast, but Drake aimed the spear, got a fix, and rezzed the weapon. He used considerably less energy for the shot than he had used on the thugs in the alley. This time he wanted to have a conversation with the target.
    Dark lightning flashed, striking the intruder.
    The fleeing man gave a hoarse, panic-stricken cry. He staggered, flailing wildly as he lost his sense of balance. He went to his knees, tried to scramble back to his feet, and finally collapsed on the floor.
    “Don’t move,” Drake said, “or I’ll use a higher setting.”
    The intruder lay still, breathing hard. He stared at Drake through the holes in the stocking mask.
    “Who the freaking hell are you?” he gasped.
    “Enough about me,” Drake said. “Let’s talk about you.”
    “Shit. I’m a private investigator. Jerry McCarson. License is in my wallet. What did you do to me?”
    Drake