Down Among the Dead Men (Entangled Ignite) Read Online Free PDF Page A

white wine, please.”
    As Brenda poured wine into a glass she said, “And Wally, did he say where he was going?”
    “Er, no. He just said he had to go away.”
    “Well, that would be just like Wally. Always been secretive, he has.”
    “Really? Have you known him long?”
    Brenda nodded. “Oh, Lordy, yes. I remember Max being born. Her mother was a funny one.”
    “Funny how?” Caitlyn asked, curious.
    “Timid. Nervous. She didn’t live up to the color of her hair. There was nothing fiery about her.”
    “Was she scared of Wally?”
    “Oh, I’m sure I don’t know about that.” She made a production of dragging a bar towel off her shoulder and wiping the bar with it. “She didn’t talk to people much, you know, and definitely not about her marriage.”
    Well, she wouldn’t if she knew about Wally’s former life, because she’d realize her husband was a bigamist. Caitlyn sipped her wine. “Wally’s not frightening, though, is he?”
    “No.” Brenda grimaced. “Bit of a con man, mind you. Would promise you the world and give you a map.”
    “I see.”
    “Sorry, I shouldn’t say that seeing as how he’s your father.”
    “Don’t worry about it. I’m under no illusions about him.” She watched the ceiling fan turn, hardly making an impression in the airless bar. She’d harbored no hopes that her father would turn out to be a model citizen when she came here. Would have been nice to be proved wrong, though. She looked at Brenda. “Has he ever stolen from people around here?”
    “Oh, I’m sure I couldn’t say, lovey.” She began to wipe again. “But people know what they know.”
    What did that mean? He had?
    “Now, you’ll have some of my meat and potato pie for dinner, won’t you?”
    Caitlyn didn’t see how she could refuse. “I’d love to. Thanks.”
    Brenda bustled off to the back of the pub.
    “I hope you live to regret that.”
    She hadn’t seen Dale come in. He leaned against the bar a few meters away. “Brenda’s meat and potato pie. You’re a brave woman. Pastry…” He sucked a breath through his teeth. “And as for the meat, I think she has a secret method for toughening it.”
    “And yet you invited me to dinner?”
    “It’s all about choosing well. When you eat here as often as I do, you learn which meals to trust.”
    “Well, you were late. You weren’t here to advise me.”
    “No, I wasn’t,” he said. “Sorry about that. Shall we find a table?”
    He went ahead of her to claim a corner table and she took a moment to admire the way his jeans hugged his rear end and his black T-shirt stretched across his muscular back.
    She sighed. Nice, but not for her, and not only because she was still stinging from her ex’s betrayal and wasn’t going to put herself in a position to be hurt again. She wouldn’t be around any longer than she had to be and she’d never been cut out for casual relationships.
    “You look nice,” he said pulled out a chair for her.
    “Thanks.” She only had the clothes she’d shoved into a bag before leaving home, and five days into her stay she’d worn all of them once and some twice. Her red sleeveless top with jeans was the best outfit she could manage. “I’m not exactly dressed up.”
    “For around here you are.”
    She still wished she’d packed more than the minimal amount, but she’d manage. It was lucky that her contact lenses only needed replacing once a month. With luck, she’d be home by then. She had her glasses for emergencies, but she didn’t like to wear them all the time.
    Brenda burst through a door at the rear of the pub and placed a meal in front of her, handed her some cutlery, and turned to Dale. “Chicken curry’s on the menu tonight, Dale. Your favorite.”
    “Excellent. Thanks, Bren.” He winked at Caitlyn as Brenda hurried away. “That’s the best of the lot.”
    “Thanks, I’ll remember.” She took the first mouthful, chewed without enthusiasm, and swallowed with relief. Picking up her