Sunshine and the Shadowmaster by Christine Rimmer Read Free Book Online Page B

out.”
    â€œYou’re staying with me,” she said. “I don’t want to hear any more about it. Now get whatever you need from your car and come inside.”
    * * *
    Heather gave Lucas the same room Mark had slept in. He asked for a shower and she told him where she kept the fresh towels in the downstairs bathroom. While he cleaned up, Heather put the chicken on the gas grill outside, stuck two potatoes in the microwave and prepared a green salad.
    Lucas called Mark’s mother, Candace Levertov, in Phoenix as soon as he was finished in the bathroom. Heather was setting the table as he spoke to his ex-wife.
    When he hung up, Heather turned to him and asked, “Is she okay?”
    He nodded. “Candace is a very tough lady.”
    â€œI have another extra bedroom, you know. So when she gets here, she can come right to the house and get comfortable.”
    Lucas actually smiled at that. “Slow down. She’s not on a plane yet.”
    â€œWhen will she be here?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œOh,” Heather said, as if she understood. But she didn’t understand. Not at all. If she had been in Candace Levertov’s position—
    Heather cut off the thought. She wasn’t in the other woman’s position. And she had no right to make judgments on the way Mark’s mother had decided to deal with this situation.
    â€œShe’s on a major case right now,” Lucas said from behind Heather. “And it’s going to take her a little while to clear her calendar.”
    â€œI understand,” Heather said. She carefully folded two paper napkins into triangles and tucked them under the lips of the plates, then set the forks on the napkins, and put the knives and spoons where they belonged.
    â€œListen, Heather...”
    She turned to look over her shoulder at him. “Hmm?”
    â€œYou don’t have an answering machine. If I’m going to stay here, I’d like to get one by tomorrow, if that’s all right.”
    â€œOf course. That would be a good idea.”
    â€œIn fact, I think I’ll call my housekeeper. Have her bring me the answering machine, some clothes and a few other things, including fresh clothes for Mark, too. That way, when we find him, he’ll have clean things to wear.”
    She didn’t miss the subtle stress he’d put on the word when, as if he were secretly thinking if, and had stopped himself from saying it at the last minute.
    â€œIs that okay with you?” he asked.
    â€œThat’s fine. Whatever you think.”
    â€œGood. Do you think Tawny would be willing to baby-sit the phone during the day until this is over?”
    â€œI’m sure she would.”
    â€œOf course, I’ll pay her. And I know this is going to result in a mammoth phone bill. So before I leave, I’ll be sure to—”
    â€œLucas. Please. We’ll work it all out. Now come on, sit down. Eat your dinner.”
    He did as she told him. The meal was silent and quick.
    When it was over, Heather called Tawny, who agreed to take care of the phone for as long as they needed her. Then Lucas made a few more calls, including the one to his housekeeper, who promised to be there by the next afternoon with everything Lucas required. As Heather was putting the last dish into the dishwasher, Lucas asked for the letters again.
    â€œOf course. I’ll get them.”
    Heather went upstairs and came down with the small stack of correspondence. She found Lucas at the kitchen table, wearing a pair of black-framed glasses, reading what appeared to be another letter like the ones she held in her hands. A stack of similar letters sat at his elbow. Heather set her letters down beside the others.
    Lucas glanced up. “These are Marnie’s. She gave me permission to read them after Jack looked them over.” He sounded polite and careful again, the way he’d sounded most of the evening.
    â€œMark wrote to her,