Deadly Intentions Read Online Free PDF Page B

window.
    Tourists crowded the brick-paved sidewalk, sauntering along with shopping bags in their hands. Jolene scanned the crowd through the reflection in the window, her heart skipping when she saw a familiar silhouette a few stores down. The man stood still in the bustling crowd, watching her.
    She whipped around, facing the man, but he wasn’t there! Her eyes darted quickly to the left, then the right just in time to see the familiar crop of brown curly hair disappear down a side street.
    “Hey, wait!” she called out, then ran toward the side street, jostling shoppers and causing a little boy to drop his ice cream. Ignoring the irate cries of the mother, she turned the corner, only to find an empty street.
    “What the …?” Jolene spun around looking in every direction but the man had disappeared.
    She turned and headed back toward the office, her face etched with lines of confusion. She must have been mistaken when she’d seen the silhouette, because the man she’d thought she’d seen was a friend. Even though he was somewhat mysterious and appeared at the oddest times, she couldn’t imagine why he would run away from her. He’d always helped her in the past. Why would he spy on her and run away now?
    She was still pondering this as she climbed the steps to her office. The sound of men’s voices drifted through the closed door as she approached.  
    She tentatively opened the door and looked down into the hopeful face of Steve Flint. He sat in Jake’s guest chair, his red-rimmed eyes searching her face.
    “Hi, Steve.” Jolene glanced from Steve to Jake. She knew Steve had probably come to ask if they’d found anything out about Gail and she felt bad that she wouldn’t have anything concrete to tell him.
    “Did you find out anything?” Steve twisted in his chair to face her.
    “I’m afraid not.” Jolene’s heart pinched at the crestfallen look on his face. “I saw her at the school, but she wasn’t doing anything suspicious.”
    “But you saw her meet him?”
    “Not specifically. I didn’t want to make her suspicious by following her inside. She was only inside for a few minutes, though. She could have gone in for anything.”
    “And then where did she go?”
    Jolene chewed on her bottom lip. She was afraid he was going to ask that. “I didn’t follow her.”
    “Oh … why?”
    Jolene looked from Steve to Jake again. She didn’t want to tell them it was because she was halfway across the parking lot chasing someone she thought was watching her. “I just felt it was better not to. It would be too obvious and, since Gail knows me, I was afraid it might make following her in the future problematic if she saw me today.”
    That seemed to satisfy them and it was mostly true. She probably wouldn’t have followed Gail anyway because she was alone. Better to wait until she felt there would be a compromising moment to witness.
    Steve deflated. “I just want it to be over with. I knew I never should have married someone so beautiful … but I still love her.”
    Jolene leaned her hip on the corner of Jake’s desk and looked down at Steve. “What makes you so sure she’s having an affair?”
    “Well, look at me.” Steve spread his hands. “What would someone like her want with someone like me ?”
    Jolene tilted her head. Steve didn’t look so bad and she knew he was a nice guy. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re a nice guy.”
    “Well, you know what they say about nice guys.” Steve rubbed his hands across his face. “Anyway, she’s been sneaking off and acting secretive. I know she’s hiding something and it’s got to be an affair.”
    “What makes you think it’s with someone at the college?”
    “I heard her talking on the phone to a friend. She mentioned something about the college but when she realized I was listening she got all nervous and tried to cover it up.” Steve sighed. “It all adds up. I knew she was too pretty for me. The sad thing is I still love her