FAMILY FALLACIES (The Kate Huntington mystery series #3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

humidity of August bearable for Marylanders. Kate
ended up walking all the way to Mac’s Place. She waved at him through the plate
glass window, then strolled into the park across the street, in front of the
Towson courthouse.
    As it so often did
these days, Kate’s mind turned to Skip. She was trying to figure out how she
felt about the man, but the intensity of the physical attraction was making
that difficult. Did she love him, or was it mostly lust she was feeling? After
all, she had been celibate for a year and a half, so naturally she would be
getting... well, hungry .
    Her mind’s eye conjured
up an image of Skip–soft hair flopping down into hazel eyes, easy-going grin,
broad shoulders and muscular chest slimming down to narrow hips. She sucked in
her breath and bit her lower lip. Hungry, hell, I’m starving!
    Skip’s personality was
a good complement to hers and she felt like she could be herself around him.
But sometimes she would catch him looking at her with a longing expression on
his face that made her a bit uncomfortable. Were those looks just a sign of his
attraction to her? Or were they indicators of a deeper unhealthy neediness? She
definitely did not want or need a neurotic man in her life!
    She wished she could
talk about Skip with Rob. He was always her best sounding board. Her chest hurt
at the thought that she couldn’t discuss this important, indeed life-changing
issue with her closest friend.
    Wait a minute. Liz!
That’s who I can talk to about Skip. As Kate headed back toward her office,
she took out her cell phone to call Liz and set up a lunch date.
    By the end of the day,
Kate was exhausted. She’d only been back to work a few weeks and hadn’t
completely adjusted yet to the new routine. Even working just three days a week
was hard since she had Edie to take care of after she got home.
    Not to mention you’re
pushing forty, sweetie, she reminded herself, as she was trying to decide
which of the insurance forms on her desk she was willing to take home over the
weekend.
    Pauline knocked lightly
on her half-open door. She was holding an envelope in her hand. “Kate, someone
must have dropped this on my desk while I was in the ladies’ room,” the older
woman said.
    She handed over a
sealed envelope that had KATE on the outside in big block letters. Kate opened
it. Written on the single sheet of paper inside were two sentences, also in big
block letters.
    When Kate’s face paled,
Pauline said, “What? What is it?” Kate put the note down on her desk and turned
it around so the receptionist could read it.
    Plump and gray-haired
Pauline blurted out, “Shit, Kate!”
    “My sentiments
exactly.” Kate’s voice was grim. “Has Sally left for the day?”
    Pauline nodded.
    “Can you check to see
if she has any time in her schedule on Monday to meet with me?” Kate hated to
think what her boss’s reaction would be.
    A few minutes later,
Kate came out of her office with only the note in her briefcase. Having lost
all motivation to do paperwork over the weekend, she had locked the insurance
forms in her file cabinet.
    “Sally has a hole in
her schedule at two on Monday,” Pauline told her.
    “Fill it with my name.
I’ll call her over the weekend but she’s going to want to see the note and
discuss it in more detail.”
    Pauline patted her arm.
“Try to have a good weekend, Kate.”
    ~~~~~~~~
    D own the hall, the
hustle and bustle in the law offices of Bennett, Stockton and Franklin was only
beginning to wind down for the weekend. Not that a law office is ever
completely closed. Lawyers usually put in fifty to sixty-hour weeks, once they
reach partner level. Associates pretty much live at the office.
    The receptionist had
gone for the day so Kate headed directly for Rob’s office. His door was ajar.
    Kate stuck her head in
the door. Rob was standing at his desk, rummaging through papers. Glancing up,
he said, “Come on in, Kate... Damn, I can’t find that phone message.”
    When