Deadly Intentions Read Online Free Page B

“The house is a crime scene. I can’t stay here tonight.”
    â€œYou’re taking an awful lot of liberties,” Lisa said, as she settled behind the wheel.
    He leaned his head against the headrest. “I’m bushed.”
    Lisa could see that. “What happened?”
    â€œAfghanistan.”
    â€œI’m sorry. About your friend, too.”
    He nodded.
    The least she could do was give a soldier a ride. “Where to?” she asked.
    â€œThe Ocean Wave Motel near—”
    â€œI know where it is.” The rooms had always been cheap. It was where teens rented by the hour when they wanted to get in the sack with their boyfriends. Couldn’t do anything on the island without getting caught. A motel was the last place she needed to be with this man. At a stop light she studied him. His eyes were closed. His face was as strong as the rest of him. She wondered about his hands. What they could do to a woman’s body. He was a SEAL, after all. Strong . . .
    He cleared his throat.
    Caught ogling, Lisa tore her gaze away and blushed. She needed to get rid of him quickly. Ben didn’t even begin to turn her on—not like this.
    Lisa was still shaken. “You need a bed before you keel right over. Got family in the area?”
    â€œJust my grandfather.”
    â€œHe’s away. So who’s staying with you?”
    â€œHarriet was going to stock the fridge with everything I needed,” he said quietly, looking out the side window.
    â€œWho’s going to stay with you now?”
    â€œNo one.”
    Lisa blew out a breath. “Typical man.”
    â€œWhat happened when you arrived?” he asked.
    â€œWeren’t you listening when I told the police?”
    â€œTell me again,” he insisted.
    â€œHarriet didn’t answer the door when I rang the bell so I let myself in. She’d given me the key but forgot to give me the code to the security system. Since her car was there I called out when I went in. The alarm wasn’t on. The light was on in the kitchen, so I went looking for her there.” Lisa shuddered. “That’s when I found her. I don’t know why this stuff keeps happening to me.”
    â€œWhat stuff?”
    â€œSomebody tried to kill me last year. It’s a long story.”
    â€œI’ve got time.”
    Lisa shook her head. “It’s got nothing to do with this.”
    â€œTell me anyway,” Brian insisted again.
    Lisa weighed whether she could trust him. “This bowl has been in my family for nearly four hundred years. It’s now missing. After befriending me, a couple of thieves held a friend of mine and me hostage in return for the bowl.”
    Actually, there were two bowls, the original bowl her family owned and the one they purchased in the 1800s. Her family found the second one, but not the original. More info than Brian needed to know. The one they were able to find was now in a college museum. Thank goodness she and her friend escaped the thieves before the bowl was traded.
    â€œSo they traded you for the bowl?”
    â€œThe bowl is still missing. But we were able to get away. In the end, the thieves turned on each other. The one who befriended me wouldn’t let the other one kill me.”
    â€œSeems to me, in the end he did the right thing.”
    Lisa shrugged. “That’s one way of looking at it. But that’s old news.” Lisa wasn’t going to divulge that she suspected his grandfather now had the golden bowl. Wouldn’t his grandfather have told the family that he’d purchased a valuable antique? One thing for sure. She was sticking to Brian like glue.
    â€œThe experience must have been terrifying for you,” he said with more understanding than Lisa expected.
    Lisa nodded. “The worst.”
    She drove in front of the motel wondering why someone with his obvious means didn’t choose a more upscale place to stay. “How long are you