Stolen Secrets Read Free Page A

around. She had had the feeling he was getting up the nerve to ask her for a date and had wondered how to encourage him. He was only a few years older than she.
    “You call me ‘Mr. Duvall.’”
    “Patti did. So I did. That’s all.”
    A Metro bus slid backwards down the hill towards them, its double-length jackknifing. Angie gave a yelp of alarm.
    Ryan shifted into reverse and backed down ahead of it, narrowly missing a car following them. The bus gained momentum, pushing the other car with it, and whizzed down to join a pile at the bottom. Everything scrunched together into a crumpled mass.
    Backing into a parking spot, Ryan left the motor running and jumped out. “Stay,” he said, and ran toward the wreck, looking into the cars, and talking for a moment with the bus driver. Angie saw Ryan hand him a white business card and give another to the car driver who had climbed out a window. Then Ryan returned to her, slid in and put the car into gear.
    “Everyone okay?” she asked.
    “Uh huh. They’re going to wait in the bus until help arrives.” He concentrated on his driving, working his way through the streets, and she kept quiet for a minute, admiring his skill. But he was headed for Kirkland— and she couldn’t go there. Ryan had just shown he wasn’t the type to leave until he had seen her safely inside.
    “Why not put me on a bus? I don't have far to walk.”
    “Like that bus? No.”
    “Well, then take me to a hotel. You won't have to— ”
    His brief look told her not to even consider it. If he thought he was putting her at her ease, he was dead wrong.
    She had to say something. It wasn't right to have him make a useless drive across the lake. If the floating bridges were closed, it could turn into an all-night trip. She had to speak up.
    They were traveling slowly down a semi-deserted side street when she reached her decision. "You'll have to take me to a hotel.” She paused, clutching his coat tightly as she gathered her courage. Mentioning her situation would make her vulnerable, but there seemed no way around it. "I can't go to Kirkland tonight."
    "Why not?"
    “It's the home of a friend of mine. Shelly let me stay with her while her husband was at sea. He’s in the merchant marines. I called from the office. Jack's back."
    "And?"
    "He's unreasonable, especially when he’s been.... Anyway, she’s had to hide any help she’s given me."
    "Unreasonable? Or an alcoholic?" As usual his voice came as clear as music over water. Angie found herself wanting to hear more of it.
    "They go together in Jack's case."
    "A bad combination."
    “When he’s drunk, he won't let me in during the day, much less after dark. So you see...." She let her voice trail off. She felt awful, telling him this. It made her sound homeless, and she didn’t see herself like that.
    “I'll take you home.” He nodded to himself.
    “But, I just told you— ”
    “My place. We're already there. He turned onto a small lane and slowly maneuvered the car down a steep hill that had become a toboggan run. Gathering speed, they zipped downwards and scrunched to a halt against a curb.
    "You were headed for your place all this time?" she asked, alarmed. "You had no intention of— "
    "Coats and blankets, tire chains. In case we got stuck. I just wouldn’t have gone down the hill.”
    “Oh.”
    Turning, he drove up a small lane along the edge of the lake for an eighth of a mile before stopping.
    “Made it.” A hint of satisfaction touched his voice as he turned off the motor.
    Angie sat motionless, staring into the darkness. The large crystal flakes prevented her from seeing more than a few lights flickering across the black lake.
    Angie, what have you gotten yourself into?

3
    This wild-looking, deserted spot by a lake didn’t look safe to Angie. Ryan Duvall turned off the headlights, revealing only blackness. Her mouth turned dry. "I don't see any house."
    "It's there, all right." He opened his door and gave her a lopsided grin.