Caught in the Storm Read Online Free PDF Page A

wasn’t her favorite thing, but she drank it anyway.
    “Thank you for coming to see me. I’m hoping this won’t get out any more than it already has. I must admit I feel like a foolish old woman.” She stopped them before they could say anything. “Yes, I am both foolish and old. You don’t get to eighty-six years old without being made a fool of a few times, I just thought that was all behind me.”
    “Wow, eighty-six,” Jackson whistled. “I would have thought you were at least fifteen years younger.” She was a petite woman with stylish hair and clothing who certainly didn’t look her age.
    “Thank you, young man, but after my last experience, I’m not in the market.”
    Kat tried to hold back a laugh; Mrs. Huntley thought Jackson was hitting on her. She had an idea this lady might just fit in with the Troublesome Trio, which might not be a good thing.
    “Oh, I know, I should have known better. I mean really, back in my younger years I could stop traffic, but I’m not silly enough to believe I look the same. But he was so charming. He said all the right things, did all the right things. I felt younger than I had in years.” She stared out the window. “I felt things I hadn’t felt in years. He treated me like a lady and he was always a gentleman; you know, young men these days don’t know the proper way to behave.” She looked at Jackson. “Really, it’s sickening.”
    “I was wondering how come you didn’t know it was someone who was being hunted by the police?” Kat tried not to sound accusing.
    “Well, honey, I really don’t watch the news anymore. Things are so different now. It’s all doom and gloom, filled with murder and heartache. This world has become a sad, sad place. Heck, I’m close enough to death without having to hear every other story on the news go into detail about people killing other people.”
    “What about your friends, didn’t they recognize him?” Jackson wondered aloud.
    “Well,” Mrs. Huntley blushed, “we didn’t get out much. If you know what I mean.”
    Kat nodded her head and tried not to picture any of it in her head. Troublesome Trio material for sure. “I understand. Do you know when and why he left?”
    A tear slid down her cheek. “It was a couple of weeks ago. One day he was just gone. And so was all of my jewelry, and all the cash I had on hand. I really don’t believe in banks, so there was a lot.”
    “I’m so sorry you lost all of that,” Kat said.
    “Oh honey, most of it was just things.” She waved her hand. “I know it’s wrong of me, but I’ve never felt as treasured as he made me feel. I’d trade everything I have just to stay with him.”

    On their way back to Noah’s, Jackson pulled over at a scenic overlook and stopped the car. They had been silent on the ride back after talking with Mrs. Huntley. Kat turned to Jackson with a questioning look.
    “We need to talk.”
    “There’s nothing to talk about.”
    “Yes there is, and you know it. Now, we can either talk here where there might be some kind of listening device or we can get out and talk where we won’t be overheard. Your choice.” He got out of the car and walked over to the edge of the parking lot.
    Sighing, Kat knew she had no other choice. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she went and joined him. She wasn’t going to be the first to say anything, though. Knowing what he wanted to talk with her about made her stomach flip over again. If this kept up, she was going to have to see a doctor.
    “How long is this going to go on?” he asked.
    “What do you mean?”
    “How long are you going to pretend like we’ve never met before? That we don’t know what each other tastes like?”
     

 
     
    “I can’t do this.” Kat turned to walk away.
    Jackson grabbed her arm, stopping her. “You’ve got to do this.”
    They had met in Miami. Jackson had been down there bumming around the beach when Kat ran into him. She knew who he was; of course, she had gone in with her