My Dearest Cal Read Online Free Page A

unexpected amusement again lurking in the depths of his eyes. “This isn’t an emergency.”
    “But it could be,” she insisted. “I mean the letter says she’s dying.”
    Cal looked startled. Even Chaney seemed taken aback by her announcement. “Who’s dying?” Cal demanded. “What the devil are you talking about, woman?”
    “I’m sorry. I should have said right away. It’s your grandmother.”
    The words had an incredible effect. His expression, which had been gently tolerant only an instant before, froze into icy disdain. “You have the wrong person,” he said, turning his back on her. The muscles across his shoulders tensed visibly.
    “No, I don’t think so,” she said stubbornly, ignoring his reaction. “You did live on Palm Lane, didn’t you?”
    When he didn’t answer, she got up and moved until she was standing in his line of vision again. “Didn’t you?” she demanded, catching the brief flash of confusion in his eyes before he shut off any evidence of emotion again.
    “Yes,” he said finally.
    “Then, see,” she coaxed reasonably, “it has to be you.”
    “I’m telling you that I am not the man you’re looking for.”
    Marilou lost patience with him. How could anyone be so stubborn and ornery in the face of the evidence? “I don’t know how you can say that, unless you figure that there was another Cal Rivers living in that very house.”
    “Lady, I do not have a grandmother.” His voice rose to a defiant roar that carried on the still air.
    “Of course you do,” she said impatiently. “Everyone has grandparents.”
    “Mine are dead,” he declared with absolutely no emotion. “Gone. I’ve never met any of them.”
    “But that’s just it,” she said excitedly. “Something happened a long time ago. I don’t know what exactly, but she’s sorry. Maybe everyone thought it would be better if you just thought she was dead. At any rate, she really wants to make it up to you, and she’s dying. If you don’t hurry, it might be too late.”
    “I’m very sorry that this lady, whoever she is, is dying, but it has nothing to do with me.”
    Sensing that she was losing, and desperate not to, Marilou took a few steps forward until she was practicallytoe-to-toe with him. He looked miserable and uncomfortable, but he didn’t back up when she told him, “It has everything to do with you. Please, you have to see that.”
    Cal tried to stare her down, and when that didn’t work, he demanded, “What is this woman’s name?”
    “I…I don’t know. It wasn’t on the letter.”
    “Then how can you possibly be so certain she’s a relative of mine? Do you think you know more about my family than I do?”
    “No, but the letter was addressed to you.”
    “Where does this woman live?”
    “In Wyoming. I don’t know exactly where. It was postmarked Cheyenne, but it could have come from anywhere around there, I suppose. Mail from a lot of small towns winds up being postmarked from the nearest big city. There wasn’t any street address. That’s why I couldn’t send the letter back to her.”
    Even though his anger was daunting, Marilou was watching his face closely. She saw the faint flicker of recognition, when she’d mentioned Wyoming. “I’m right, aren’t I? You did have relatives in Wyoming, didn’t you?”
    He gazed off in the distance. “A long time ago, maybe. I don’t know,” he said, his tone distracted. Then his expression turned fierce again. “I think you’d better leave.”
    This wasn’t going at all the way she’d anticipated. She felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes and realized she was going to make an even bigger foolof herself by crying. “I can’t,” she replied softly. “I have to see this through.”
    “You have seen it through,” he countered impatiently. “You’ve done your job. I’m sure the post office will give you your bonus or whatever.”
    Marilou was thoroughly insulted that he thought that’s what this was all about.