A Chance Encounter Read Free Page A

whispered.
    Taylor’s eyes narrowed with keen intensity on her upturned face. “I’m Taylor Grant, reporter for the Rio Conchos Sun. I want to know what just happened. Who the devil are you anyway? You put your hand on that man, and he immediately started to recover. The color came back to his face.” He turned to look over his shoulder, toward the restaurant. ‘The paramedics say he’s stable now.” His gaze burned into her. “What did you do?”
    Katie uttered a small whimper, trying to twist out of his grip. He wasn’t hurting her, although he could have, with his long, strong-looking fingers wrapped around her upper arm. Her heart thrashed like a wild bird inside her breast. “Please,” she begged, “let me go. Nothing happened. Nothing—”
    “Something happened.” His mouth curled into a bloodless smile. “I want your name and address. I need to find out more about you and—”
    “‘No!” The cry was torn from her, and Katie wrenched out of his grip, stumbling backward and almost falling. She pushed her hair from her eyes as she continued to breathe hard, her cheeks flushed scarlet. “Don’t pursue this! Please don’t! You don’t understand. No one will.”
    Taylor shook his head determinedly. “Sorry, lady. I can’t just back away. You’re news, whether you want to be or not. You saved that guy’s life!” And then mockery glinted in his eyes. “That is, unless you staged this whole thing for our benefit.” His voice grew silken. “Sure you don’t want some publicity? Did that guy put on an act?”
    Katie’s eyes flashed deep blue fire. “You are the most distrusting person I’ve ever met!” she sputtered indignantly. “I don’t want anything from you. Can you understand that? Just go away and leave me alone!” She wrenched her arm out of his grip and fled from him.
    Taylor watched her run around the corner of the brick building and disappear. A slight smile hovered on his mouth. “Sorry, baby, I can’t do that,” he said softly. “You’re either a very clever fake or a genuine miracle worker.”
    As he walked back into the restaurant, Taylor found himself hoping she really was a miracle worker. She was so incredibly beautiful….
    “Dude,” Barry said with glee as he returned to their table, “that was eerie! I mean, she just kneeled down beside that guy and put her hand on him. And all of a sudden his color came back!” Barry shook his head wonderingly. “Who was she anyway?”
    “That’s exactly what I intend to find out,” Taylor growled. He waited for the babble to die down after the paramedics had left with their stabilized patient. Then he strode up to the owner of the restaurant, introduced himself and got her name.
    Claire Garvey was shaken by the turn of events. Touching her brow, she frowned. “I’m sorry, who did you say you were?”
    Taylor repeated his credentials, watching her face grow pale. “Who was that woman, Mrs. Garvey?”
    “Why—uh, she comes in here to eat from time to time.”
    Taylor compressed his lips. “She mentioned you as if you were a friend, so you must know her last name. Where does she work?”
    Claire’s brown eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why do you want to know, Mr. Grant?”
    “Look,” he said, his voice tinged with impatience, “this Katie might be a miracle worker, but it seems more than likely that she’s a fake. Either way, it’s a story, and I want to interview her. But I can’t do that unless you’ll tell me who she is.” He grimaced. He was talking about Katie as if she were an object to be investigated, not a human being. It was obvious that Mrs. Garvey wasn’t very happy with his attitude, either.
    “Now listen here,” she said. “Katie is a very special person. Everyone loves her and she is not a fake.”
    Taylor’s eyes darkened. “You saw what happened.”
    “Yes, everyone did.”
    “And you’re not surprised?”
    Claire Garvey shook her head. “No, I’m not. As I said, Katie is special.