Birds of Prey : Previously Copub Sequel to the Hour of the Hunter (9780061739101) Read Online Free Page A

eyes. Clearly there was no love lost between this mother-and-daughter duo—in either direction. Moments earlier, Margaret had been flirting with Marc and giggling like a drunken schoolgirl. Now she seemed much older and stone-cold sober.
    â€œIt’s the same thing Harrison’s been chasing all his life,” she continued. “Some multimillion-dollar grant, I’ll bet, with a skirt or two thrown in on the side. Marc here was telling us all just a little while ago that he’s along on the cruise as Dr. Featherman’s exhibit A. Which reminds me, how is the lovely Leila? Has she finished up her degree yet? And doesn’t it bother you having a stepmother who’s three whole years younger than you are?”
    Muscles tightened in Chloe Featherman’s slender jaw. “It happens that Leila and Dad are very happy together,” she said stiffly. “As you well know, whatever makes Daddy happy makes me happy.”
    â€œHow touching,” Margaret returned. “But then you always were Daddy’s little girl. There’s certainly nothing new and different about that. However did you know to come looking for me here?”
    Chloe Featherman held out her hand. In it was an envelope with the cruise line’s distinctive logo on it. “I guess no one in the purser’s office thought there might be more than one M. C. Featherman on board the Starfire Breeze . Since it’s marked ‘urgent,’ someone brought it to me at our table upstairs. I opened it by mistake.”
    Margaret took the envelope. Without even glancing at it, she stuck it into her purse. “That’s quite all right,” she said. “I’m sure you have no interest in my personal dealings.”
    â€œYou’ve got that right,” Chloe Featherman said. Then, with one final glare in poor Marc Alley’s direction, she turned and stalked off. He stood looking longingly after her as she made her way out of the dining room.
    â€œOh, Marc, do sit down,” Margaret Featherman said impatiently. “Obviously we’re not going to have the benefit of your company for another meal. Chloe will see to that. So we’d best make the most of the time we have.”
    Snubbed by the daughter and too polite to tell the mother where to go, Marc sank back into his chair, but he made no effort to return to his crème brûlée. Margaret resumed her role of head honcho. “So what are we doing after dinner?” she said.
    â€œThere’s a musical in the theater,” Naomi offered. “That looked like it might be fun. Or else there’s a pianist/comedian in the Twilight Lounge, followed by big band music and dancing.”
    â€œI do so love dancing to all that wonderful old music from the thirties, forties, and fifties,” Margaret said. “The Twilight Lounge sounds good to me.”
    Margaret Featherman made her pronouncement with all the authority of a papal decree and with the obvious expectation that everyone else in the group would agree with her. Naturally, they did so at once, with the single exception of Marc Alley, who had nerve enough to raise an objection.
    â€œI think I’ll turn in early,” he protested. “I have an interview with a reporter early tomorrow morning. I should probably get some sleep.”
    â€œOh, come on,” Margaret insisted. “Don’t be such a spoilsport. Besides, you already told us you took a nap before dinner. We’re four single women who have happened, through the luck of the draw, to come up with something that’s supposedly statistically impossible on board a cruise ship—two eligible bachelors. If you think we’re turning either one of you loose that easily, you’re crazy.”
    It looked as though Marc Alley was stuck for the duration, and so was I. And that’s how, a half hour or so later, Marc and I ended up at one of the posh, upholstered banquettes in the Starfire Breeze