Twelve Across by Barbara Delinsky Read Free Book Online Page A

you think the rain will last? "
    "Days: ' She caught his gaze and forced a laugh. "Thanks: When she saw no sign of a returning smile, her own faded. you're serious, arert t you: It wasn't a question.
    "
    " But I need my car. "
    "Where is it? "
    "At Victoria s cabin: '
    "
    " Why do I need it? " She d have thought that would be obvious.
    "Why is it at Victoria's? " in a rush, Leah remembered how little she and Garrick had spoken the night before. "Because she was renting the cabin to me, only when I got there, I saw that it was nothing but She didn't finish, beqrause Garrick was eyeing her challengingly. That, combined with the way he was sitting -leaning far back in his chair with one hand on his thigh and the other toying with his mug-evoked an illusion of menace. At least, she hoped it was only an illusion. "You said that Victoria sent you to me, " he reminded her tightly.
    "
    " That's right : '
    "In what context? "
    The nervousness Leah was feeling caused her words to tumble out with uncharacteristic speed. "She said that if I had a problem, you d be able to help. And I have a problem The ca bids burned down, my car is stuck in the mud , I have to find somewhere to stay because my apartment's gone-"
    "Victoria sent you to stay in the cabin, " he stated, seeming to weigh the words.
    Leah didn't like his tone. "Is there a problem with that? "
    "Yes: '
    "What is it? "
    He didn't blink an eye. "Victorias cabin burned three months ago: ' For a minute she said nothing. Then she asked very quietly, "What? "
    "The cabin burned three months ago: '
    "That can't be : '
    "It is: ' If it had been three days ago, Leah might have understood With a stretch of the imagination, she might even have believed three v,eqpks. After all, no one was living at the cabin. To her knowledge Garrick wasdt its caretaker.
    But three months? Surely someone would have been by during that time.
    'you're telling me that the cabin burned three months ago and that Victoria wasn't told? "
    "I'm telling you that the cabin burned three months ago: '
    "Why wasrit Victoria told? " I. eah demanded impatiently "She was: ' Her anger rose. "I don't believe you: ' Garnck was staring at her straight and hard. "I called her myself, then gave the insurance people a tour. "
    "Call her now. We 11 see what she knows: '
    "I don't have a phone: '
    Given the other modern amenities in the cabin, Leah could ri t believe there was no phone. She looked around a little frantically for an instrument that would connect her with the outside world but saw nothing remotely resembling one. Then she remembered Victoria saying that she didn't have a phone at her cabin, either.
    Why would she have said that, if she d known that she didn't have a cabin?
    "She didn't know about the fire, " Leah insisted.
    "She did: ' you're lying: '
    "I don't lie: '
    "You have to be lying, " she declared, but her voice had risen in pitch.
    "Because if you're not, the implication is that Victoria sent me up here knowing full well that I would ri t be able to stay. And that's preposterous: ' The coffee cup began to shake in her hand. She set it on the table and wrapped her arms around her waist in a gesture Garrick had seen her make before. It suggested distress , but whether that distress was legitimate remained to be seen.
    He said nothing, simply stared at the confusion that clouded her eyes.
    "She wouldn't do that, " Leah whispered pleadingly wanting, needing to believe it. "For three weeks she s been listening to me-helping me-make plans. I stored all my furniture, notified the electric company, the phone company , my friends.
    Victoria personally gave me a set of typed directions and sat by while I read them. She would ri t have gone to the effort-or let me go to the effort-if she d known the cabin was useless: ' Garrick, too, was finding it hard to believe, but it was Leah's story rather than Victoria's alleged behavior that evoked his skepticism. Yes, Leah looked confused, but perhaps that was part of the