Right Through Me (The Obsidian Files #1) Read Online Free Page B

to speak to Marika.” The name Bea used in her new life.
    He looked at her suspiciously, but not like he was afraid of her. Caro concluded that he knew diddly about his girlfriend’s secrets.
    “What’s it about?” Todd demanded.
    “I knew her back in college,” Caro improvised.
    “Is she expecting you?”
    “Tell her it’s Caroline,” she said. “We spoke briefly yesterday.”
    He looked her over. Caro self-consciously smoothed her hair.
    “Wait here.” The door closed and the chain rattled. Todd wasn’t taking chances. Deadbolt was next.
    She was debating ringing the bell again when the door opened again. Bea’s big blue eyes were red-rimmed. Her formerly ash blond hair had been dyed a dull black that made her look pale and ghoulish.
    “I told you no,” she whispered fiercely. “How did you find me here?”
    “Bea,” Caro said softly. “Listen—”
    “Don’t call me that. I’m Marika, please. And I’m not interested.”
    “Who’s this person, babe?” Todd appeared behind her. He flung an arm over Bea’s shoulders.
    Bea flinched at the contact and gave him a tight smile. “Just someone I used to know.”
    The phone began to ring in the room behind them. They all just stood there in an awkward silence, listening to it ring, and ring.
    “Uh, would you get that?” Bea asked him. “Let me talk to her. I’ll be fine.”
    The phone rang two more times before Todd grunted in reluctant assent and lifted his possessive arm off Bea’s shoulder. “Be right back,” he said, still scowling.
    Caro leaned forward as soon as he was out of earshot. “Did you look me up online?” she whispered. “New York City? Caroline Bishop?”
    Bea’s hunted gaze caught hers and slid away.
    “I see you did,” Caro said. “It’s true, what I said yesterday. I’m not out to get you. We could help each other. We both have a problem, and I think it’s the same problem. We should join forces.”
    “You’re going to get me killed.” Bea’s voice was a strangled whisper.
    Caro could not argue with that in all good conscience, so she just moved on. “You saw the news stories about me? Because I read the ones about your boyfriend.”
    “I don’t want to talk about Luke,” Bea hissed fiercely. “None of your business.”
    “Mark Olund caught Luke Ryan in the same trap he used for me,” Caro’s voice was low and insistent. “It was Mark Olund who killed Luke’s client and took all that money and jewelry last year. Luke took the blame, but he’s innocent, like I am. And you must know something, or you wouldn’t be Marika instead of Bea, and selling sandwiches out of a truck instead of finishing your graduate degree at the U of Chicago. Am I right?”
    “Keep your voice down.” Bea glanced back. “I don’t know anything. And how do you know the guy who hurt Luke is this Mark Olund? How can you be so sure?”
    “Mark has art pieces that they say Luke Ryan stole. A famous sapphire brooch. I saw it in his apartment. Mark also murdered my boss and set it up to look like I did it. Sound familiar?”
    Bea just kept shaking her head until Caro wanted to smack her.
    “Luke Ryan didn’t rob or kill anybody and neither did I,” Caro went on. “I’ve been looking for you for months.” She reached through the crack in the door, and seized the other woman’s clammy hand. “Seriously? Do you want to live this way forever?”
    Bea tried to jerk her hand back, but Caro’s grip was relentless. “I just want to keep living.”
    “I understand,” Caro said. “But we could testify against him. If you have any proof of what Mark did to Luke—”
    “Let go.” Bea finally jerked her hand away. “Anyone could see you out there.”
    “So invite me inside,” Caro suggested. “It’s raining.”
    “Todd would hear.” Bea’s eyes darted to the side. “We can’t talk here.”
    Caro’s heart sank. “Please, Marika. Please. Help me.”
    “Tomorrow.” Bea’s voice was a rushed whisper. “There’s a