Key to Love Read Online Free Page B

work undercover—where the body was on ice, waiting to be claimed. Monique had not joined him, begging off with the lame excuse she was under contract and would meet him for the funeral, a few days later. She never arrived.
    In the end, it was Anton Springer, Fritz, and Thomas who stood by him through the whole ordeal. Gently, the old man had guided him through the chaos that followed, including the flowers, casket selection, even the service arrangements and music for the viewing. Afterward, when he had gone on a four-day drinking spree, it was Anton who had sent Fritz out to gather him up, bring him home, and help him while he spewed his guts into the porcelain bowl.
    Later, sober and harboring a headache to match his heartaches, he learned the old man had saved his hide without his knowledge. Todd, Mike’s four-year-old son, had been placed in a foster home nearby, but only because Anton Springer had intervened, climbing on the backs of the Children and Youth Services Agency and pulling strings when he discovered their plans were to ship the kid back across the state to New Castle, Pennsylvania.
    Orphans. Foster brats.
    Lucas despised those words. They were worse than the most hideous swear words. Adults whispered them in pitying sighs, behind your back as they sent slanted, curious looks your way. Did they honestly believe children could help it that their parents were dead or couldn’t take care of them? Did they honestly think children really wanted to wear hand-me-down clothes that didn’t fit properly? So kids could taunt and stare at them as if they were freaks?
    Well, if Lucas had anything to say about it, Mike Fisher’s son was not going to be subjected to any sort of humiliation. He would take the boy and raise him, single-handedly if necessary. Todd was not going to become a foster brat, not if Lucas could help it. The Fisher name was finally going to crawl out of the slimy hole of nobodies. In addition, the petty Moniques of the world and anyone else who tried to stand in his way could go straight to hell. Clenching his teeth, he squinted at the road in front of him, irritated his thoughts had wandered out of control. Again.
    He looked over at the passenger’s seat. The dainty techno-wonder had dozed off. She even slept neatly and organized, rolled into a tiny ball, on her side, hands clasped at her waist. He wondered whether she would be upset if they took a slight detour. Deciding it was best not to wake her, he swung onto the exit ramp, heading southeast of the farm and turning into a small country lane where a sun-faded maroon house with peeling white shutters sat along the road. He pulled into the drive and cut the engine.
    Elise roused, sat up, and yawned. “What time is it?” Her voice was thick, still husky from sleep.
    “Around eight,” he said. How in hell could the mere sound of her voice make him catch his breath and send his stomach into a dive?
    Elise pushed up her sleeve to check her watch. Frowning as soon as she realized it was in the trunk, she yanked the sleeve back into place. “Thank heavens, we’re home.” She peered out the window. Her brow wrinkled. “Oh, no, don’t tell me we’re lost.”
    “Not exactly,” Lucas said. He had hoped she would continue to doze. It would have made everything easier. “I needed to make a small detour and see someone. Can you spare a few minutes?”
    “Sure. Want me to wait in the car?”
    He started to say, “Yes,” and then changed his mind, heaving a sigh. “No. Hell, why not? My life’s an open book lately. This is just another page in a chapter.”
    He reached over, unlocked the glove compartment and took out a small bag.
    “Is it a mystery, adventure, or comedy?” she asked with an amused look.
    A damned tragedy, he wanted to say. Instead, he said, “You decide.”

Chapter Four
    “You came. I knew you would!”
    The small voice at the top of the stairs halted the conversation before Elise was properly introduced to the elderly