The Gambler by Lois Greiman Read Free Book Online Page A

exactly would you go about deducing that?" he asked, intrigued as much by her words as by her brittle self-control.
    She gripped her hands tightly together in front of her soiled skirt, and for a moment he thought she would answer. But he had misjudged her, and hardly for the first time. "You have no right to be here."
    Raven tilted his head, allowing a hint of a smile. "Burle seemed to believe differently. He seemed to believe you owe me something." Raven took a painful step forward, thinking himself quite an innovative cad for the lies he spread so easily. In truth, he'd seen the open window and crept up the roof just as she must have done. Clancy, damn his hide, would be proud of his deceptiveness. But even without Bodine's careful tutelage in the ways of deceit, Raven would have been inspired by the girl's charming presence to use whatever means necessary to preserve his life.
    She backed away now, her eyes shifting from side to side as she rounded the end of the bed. "Go away or I'll... I'll scream for the sheriff."
    Raven allowed himself to laugh. "Don't you think we've bothered the good Deputy Hackett enough for one night?" he asked. He knew his words would remind her of her failed escape of some hours earlier.
    "Get out," she insisted, tossing her head slightly. Maverick wisps of hair skittered outward, as if fleeing from the sparkling light of her eyes. "I'm not afraid of you."
    "Then why are you backing away?"
    She stopped abruptly, as if she'd been unaware of her retreat. "What do you want?" Her nostrils were slightly flared.
    "I just want to know one thing, darling. What did you do to Chantilly Grady?"
    He could have sworn that for just a fleeting moment he saw honest surprise burn across her features. But in an instant it was gone, replaced by her usual, careful veneer. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
    Raven lifted his brows and painfully crossed his arms against his chest to study her askance. "Your lies get better and better."
    Her nostrils flared again. "You think I'm lying?"
    "I know you're lying."
    "All right." She nodded once and smiled tightly. "Then please tell me what I did to Chantilly Gady."
    "Grady," he corrected, volleying with one of his own, patently insincere smiles. From the bed Jude snored a single, snarled note. "Perhaps you didn't have time to learn her full name before you killed her."
    "Killed her!" The words came out in a hard whisper.
    Raven studied her in silence. If she was lying now, he had sorely underestimated her ability. "Where'd you get the Bible, Charm?" he asked, not giving her time to recover her composure.
    She shoved one fist into her pocket and eyed him warily, as if she thought he might fling himself at her again. Which in fact, he had seriously considered doing. Disabling sparks of sundry aches, however, warned him against such foolishness.
    "I already told you where I got it," she said tightly.
    When Raven was ten years old, another boy had called him a bastard. Even now, Raven could remember the hot rage that had infused him. It had felt so good to hit him, to grab hold of the boy's hair and thump his head against the red Kentucky clay.
    Raven took a deep, cleansing breath. Rage solved nothing. Rampant emotion caused only a delay of practical resolution. Besides, there was no need for such anger now. "Yes, from your father's favorite cousin once removed, I believe. Penny Petunia, wasn't it?"
    "Pritchard," she corrected tightly. "Petunia was the pigeon."
    "I'm getting really tired."
    "Me, too. Why don't you leave?"
    "I'm waiting with bated breath to hear more about the pigeon."
    "It flew away."
    He felt a smile curve his lips and was surprised to realize it was real. Turning swiftly away, Raven seated himself in the room's only chair. "All right." He moved to stretch out his legs but winced at the shooting shards of pain. He raised his gaze, rapidly checking to see if she had noticed. But her gaze had shifted toward the door, and now snapped back to his face.