Joan Pickart - The Baby Bet - His Secret Son

Здесь есть возможность читать онлайн «Joan Pickart - The Baby Bet - His Secret Son» — ознакомительный отрывок электронной книги совершенно бесплатно, а после прочтения отрывка купить полную версию. В некоторых случаях можно слушать аудио, скачать через торрент в формате fb2 и присутствует краткое содержание. Жанр: unrecognised, на английском языке. Описание произведения, (предисловие) а так же отзывы посетителей доступны на портале библиотеки ЛибКат.

The Baby Bet: His Secret Son: краткое содержание, описание и аннотация

Предлагаем к чтению аннотацию, описание, краткое содержание или предисловие (зависит от того, что написал сам автор книги «The Baby Bet: His Secret Son»). Если вы не нашли необходимую информацию о книге — напишите в комментариях, мы постараемся отыскать её.

An earth-shattering explosion…a mysterious call to duty…the woman he'd never forgotten. They all beckoned rugged Clay Callaway–one of the last of the family's bachelors–home to Texas. But in his search for a saboteur, he uncovered something long ago buried–his own demons. For Pam McCall, the childhood sweetheart who marred his memories, was suddenly at very close range, taunting his emotions and creating in Clay a temptation more threatening than any danger he'd ever faced in the line of duty….

The Baby Bet: His Secret Son — читать онлайн ознакомительный отрывок

Ниже представлен текст книги, разбитый по страницам. Система сохранения места последней прочитанной страницы, позволяет с удобством читать онлайн бесплатно книгу «The Baby Bet: His Secret Son», без необходимости каждый раз заново искать на чём Вы остановились. Поставьте закладку, и сможете в любой момент перейти на страницу, на которой закончили чтение.

Тёмная тема
Сбросить

Интервал:

Закладка:

Сделать

“Don’t dwell on that,” Kara said. “What’s done is done, and the important thing now is to see Uncle Robert through this. He wouldn’t want you sitting here totally exhausting yourself, Aunt Margaret. You know that.”

“Yes, I know.” Margaret got to her feet, then leaned down to kiss Robert on the forehead. “I’ll be back soon, my love.” She straightened again. “All right, Kara, deliver me to my chauffeur. I’ll go home for a little while, but promise me you’ll call if—”

“Yes, yes, I will,” Kara said, placing an arm around her aunt’s shoulders.

After one last lingering look at her husband, Margaret left the intensive care unit with Kara. They walked down the quiet hallway toward the waiting room.

“I have clothes here I can change into,” Kara said. “I just haven’t taken the time to do it. I can bunk in the residents’ sleep room, and I’ll leave instructions that I’m to be notified if there’s any change in Uncle Robert’s condition.”

“It’s awfully good of you to spend the night here, Kara.”

“I love Uncle Robert. Besides, since I’m on staff here, I’m the one who’s in the best position to do it. I don’t have any patients scheduled at my office tomorrow, either. Now all we have to do is convince the guys to go home.”

“Have any of them spoken about the scene between Andrew Malone and Robert at the party before Robert collapsed?” Margaret said.

“They haven’t said anything to me about it,” Kara said. “I know they all heard the confrontation because they were close by at the time, but they might very well be putting it on an emotional back burner for now and just concentrating on Uncle Robert. I really don’t know.”

Margaret nodded.

They entered the waiting room, and Margaret swept her gaze over the tall handsome men who rose immediately to their feet.

Michael, Ryan, Forrest, John, Richard, Jack and Ted—she looked at each in turn. Even dear Ted had stayed because he considered himself a true member of their family. Such fine men they all were. She was so proud of all of them, loved them so much.

And Andrew Malone? What words would those who knew him use to describe him? Was he honest, hardworking, a man of integrity and other admirable values? If so, how could he have come to that restaurant and done what he had with a clear conscience? What had he hoped to gain? Was Andrew really Robert’s son? And, dear heaven, if he was, how old was he?

Margaret sighed and shook her head.

Stop it, she admonished herself. She kept coming back to those frightening questions. She was so selfish, so—

“Exhausted,” Michael said. “You should see yourself, Mom. You’re out on your feet. You and I are leaving right now.”

“We’re all going home,” Margaret said, lifting her chin. “Kara is staying here and will telephone if there’s any change in Robert’s condition. You all need your sleep, just as I do. We have a long way to go before this nightmare is over.”

“But—” Ryan started.

“Don’t argue with me, Ryan,” Margaret said. “I’m in no mood for it. Just do as you’re told—all of you. Pretend that you’re as young as your children and that I’m in charge.”

“She has spoken,” Forrest said.

“Indeed I have,” Margaret said.

“Hey,” Michael said, raising both hands as he frowned at the other men, “don’t look at me. Just because I’m the oldest doesn’t mean I’m willing to take her on when she gets like this.” He paused and his frown deepened. “Well, I think I’m the oldest.”

“Don’t go there, Michael,” Ryan said, narrowing his eyes. “Not now.”

“No, not tonight,” Margaret said. “The issues raised by Andrew Malone will be addressed when Robert is able to explain what we need to know.”

“Well, Mom,” Forrest said, “for what it’s worth, we figured out to a point who Malone is.”

“What do you mean?” Margaret said.

“We’ve had a lot of hours to sit here,” Forrest said. “We were talking earlier, and Michael and I thought the name Andrew Malone sounded familiar, that the guy even looked like someone we’d seen before.”

“And?” his mother said, hardly above a whisper.

“It finally hit us,” Forrest went on. “He’s Andrew Malone of Malone Construction. He’s built quite a few projects from plans we drew up. I even talked to him last year on a site. He’s from Santa Maria, but his outfit works all over the state, and he’s got a top-of-the-line reputation.”

“He’s also a nutcase,” Richard said, frowning. “He’s Uncle Robert’s son? Give me a break. He’s after something. Money, probably.”

“He doesn’t need money,” Ryan said. “Ted and I ran a check on him through our resources at the police department. Malone is well-set financially, and is squeaky clean as far as the law goes. I guess I should have told you that earlier, but we were all walking on eggs around the subject of Malone and what he accused Dad of. I don’t know what Malone wants, but I’ll find out. Oh, yeah. Guaranteed.”

“Ryan MacAllister,” Margaret said, “you are not to do your macho cop thing with Andrew Malone. This will be handled in a mature and nonviolent manner. Am I making myself clear?”

“No,” Ryan said.

“Ryan,” Margaret said, a definite warning tone to her voice.

Ryan sighed. “Yeah, okay, Mom—for now.”

“I’ll deck him for you, partner,” Ted said. “Your mom didn’t yell at me.”

“I just did, Ted Sharpe,” Margaret said, “and that goes for all of you. Michael, I’d like to go home, please. All of you go to your families and I’ll see you tomorrow…well, later today, considering the hour.”

Hugs were exchanged and the group left the waiting room.

Kara pressed fingertips to her aching temples, then walked slowly from the room with the intention of going to the locker area in the lower level of the hospital and changing out of her party dress.

After stopping at the nurses’ station and explaining that she was staying at the hospital and would have her pager turned on in case she was needed, she walked slowly down the hall, aware suddenly of how very weary she was.

As she approached the entrance to the intensive care unit, she halted. Andrew Malone had his back against the wall near the doorway. His arms were folded loosely over his chest and his eyes were closed. A dark shadow of a beard appeared on his face, and his hair was tousled slightly as though he’d been dragging a hand through it.

He looked so tired, Kara thought, and so very very alone. The MacAllister family was banded together, supporting each other, standing close as a unit to weather this storm that was threatening them.

But Andrew had no one.

She knew—oh, yes, she truly knew—how chilling that feeling was. There had been a time in her life when she’d had no one, had been frighteningly alone.

But then she’d been drawn into the warm loving embrace of the MacAllister family, had become one of them, had belonged, had been loved and made to feel special and wanted.

If what Andrew Malone claimed was true, if he was Robert’s son, then he deserved that warmth and caring, too, more than she ever had.

Kara sighed and shook her head.

She felt as though she was being pulled in two directions.

A part of her was still angry at Andrew for what he had done at that party. It was cold, and cruel, and ugly, and the ramifications were almost more than she could bear.

Yet another section of her being felt an ache in her heart for Andrew’s isolation, his aloneness.

The fact that he was still in the hospital said he was riddled with guilt about the outcome of his actions. He was standing vigil, waiting to learn what would happen to Robert, just as the entire family was.

Читать дальше
Тёмная тема
Сбросить

Интервал:

Закладка:

Сделать

Похожие книги на «The Baby Bet: His Secret Son»

Представляем Вашему вниманию похожие книги на «The Baby Bet: His Secret Son» списком для выбора. Мы отобрали схожую по названию и смыслу литературу в надежде предоставить читателям больше вариантов отыскать новые, интересные, ещё непрочитанные произведения.


Отзывы о книге «The Baby Bet: His Secret Son»

Обсуждение, отзывы о книге «The Baby Bet: His Secret Son» и просто собственные мнения читателей. Оставьте ваши комментарии, напишите, что Вы думаете о произведении, его смысле или главных героях. Укажите что конкретно понравилось, а что нет, и почему Вы так считаете.

x