Necessary Secrets by Barbara Phinney

Author:Barbara Phinney [Phinney, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2005-09-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

“Lawrence?”

At the sound of his name, the older man peered over the top of the book at Jon. Thankfully, this evening, Lawrence had chosen to read to himself the book on breast-feeding, and just a moment before, Jon had caught a glimpse of a graphic diagram he’d rather not hear described.

“Yep?” Lawrence asked.

Jon had forced himself to keep as busy as possible after he’d dropped Sylvie off, only because if he hadn’t, he’d have immediately sought out Lawrence along the fence line, and the old man would have resented the work interruption.

Jon stole a glance at Purley and Michael, as they watched TV across the bunkhouse common room. “Can I talk to you? In private?”

Lawrence followed his gaze, his watery, pale eyes blinking over his reading glasses to the two men. When he focused on Jon again, he stood. Wordlessly he walked to the small bar refrigerator and pulled out two long-neck bottles of beer. Jon had seen them there through the glass door, and could have used them weeks ago, but they weren’t offered.

“Let’s step outside and check that pig. If Sylvie discovers he’s escaped and scared the campers again, there’ll be a few pork roasts in the freezer before Andrea returns.”

They walked outside, and Jon let the screen door slam behind him. The warm night air carried the campers’ voices and activities through the filter of the few trees. Jon cracked open his beer and followed Lawrence around the side of the house toward the zoo pens.

Jon’s pace slowed. The kitchen light flooded the corner of the house. Sylvie had yet to go to bed.

What was she doing? Another bout of cleaning?

“You want to ask me something about her, or are you going to stare into the kitchen all night?” Lawrence’s voice held a teasing note.

Jon resumed his walking, only realizing then that he’d come to a dead stop. “Sorry.”

Lawrence took a long pull on his beer and when they reached the pen to find the darkened image of the pig rooting around, he set his beer bottle on the fence post.

“Nothing wrong with asking questions, son. So shoot.”

A light from the front of the house cast long shadows around them. Ready to take the last swallow of cold beer, Jon froze. Had the light just come on? Had she heard them out here and was coming to investigate?

No. The light came from the ranch office, whose window glowed just beyond the end of the porch. The plain white sheers hung open and he spied Sylvie moving restlessly around.

“Does that a lot, lately, she does,” Lawrence said. “I’ve seen her up well into the night. Ain’t good for the baby.”

“Often?” Jon wouldn’t have noticed, as his tiny room faced the paddock. Lawrence’s room faced the house.

“Too much restless energy, I guess,” Lawrence said.

“Or too many bad dreams?”

Lawrence shot him a frown. Jon stared openly into the office window. Sylvie sat at her desk, her back to them. The lower half of the left window was raised, allowing for a breeze.

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