Black Widow Read Online Free

similarities — cultural, I mean. She might pick up on things I’ll miss.”
    “Like what?”
    “Don’t know. But those guys didn’t come to your beach house accidentally. A cameraman wasn’t positioned with a view of the pool accidentally. What you felt, how you felt — maybe it was the drugs. Maybe it was you. We’re human. Ransom will have a better read on that, too. Either way, you were targeted. That’s why I’d like to wait awhile before we destroy the tape.”
    “In case the cops get involved? Look, I don’t care what happens, no one can ever see that damn video—”
    “No. I want a closer look at the cassette. The brand; how it’s wrapped. Maybe I can learn something. I’ll keep it locked. You can trust me.”
    “I
do
trust you. But . . . you absolutely have to swear you won’t get curious and—”
    “I didn’t watch it when I had a reason. I’m not going to watch now.”
    “Okay . . . okay. When you’re ready, we’ll burn the damn thing and drink cheap champagne to celebrate. Doc . . . ?”
    “Yeah?”
    “I’m sorry I got you into this . . . made you fly to that damn island when you’d rather be here, messing with fish and your test tubes and books. I know how much you love that old house and lab. I tell everyone about the place.”
    “When you asked me to be your unofficial godfather, I said
yes
, remember? It comes with the job. You also happen to be worth it.”
    “That’s not how I feel. I feel like a tramp.”
    “Don’t. When I told you to accept responsibility, I didn’t know the story. You were set up by someone who is very, very good. So stop punishing yourself. It’s what victims do — even when the guilt belongs to some asshole who gets his kicks preying on weaker people.”
    “I’ve never been called weak in my life.”
    “That’s not the kind of weakness I’m talking about.”
    “Then why would I do something so damn stupid and destructive so close to my wedding?”
    I didn’t reply. The question wasn’t mine to answer. I waited in the chirring silence of frogs and mosquitoes until she made an attempt.
    “I worry that . . . no matter how good I get at pretending, I can’t change the blood that’s in me. I’m
afraid
, Doc. Scared that I’ll go back to being what I was born to be, no matter how hard I fight. What’s the term? Self-sabotage?”
    “Don’t be silly.”
    “The voice inside a person’s head may be wrong, but it’s not silly. It tells me I can’t change where I came from. Especially when I pull some crazy stunt like this. Your house and lab — that’s who
you
are. You told me that once.”
    Had I? I didn’t remember the conversation, so I said, “We identify with all kinds of things. But we don’t come preprogrammed. We make choices.”
    “It wasn’t by choice I grew up believing I was redneck trash. That little voice knows. Sometimes it tries to drag me back into the hole where Daddy lived.”
    “A panther would be easier to drag into a hole. That’s what I think.”
    We were out of the car. Shay stood facing me. I couldn’t see her clearly in the car’s parking lights, and for a moment I thought I’d made her laugh. No . . . she was crying. I let her lean into my arms and held her, face buried in my chest. As she sobbed, I stroked her hair until the spasms slowed.
    “You’re too stubborn to go back to that world. You’re also too smart — take my word.”
    “I wish I was as confident. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am, but that damn little voice is real. It keeps reminding me I’m Dexter Money’s daughter. It’s like a curse.”
    I gave her a little shake.“Women with master’s degrees don’t waste time on superstitious crap. They aren’t afraid of witches and dragons and trolls — unless you count the insurance adjuster you dated from South Beach.”
    The girl snorted, hiccupped, and began to sniffle. “Oh, God! Don’t remind me.”
    After a minute, I said, “Why don’t you come inside? Have some tea,