Hot Pursuit Read Online Free PDF Page A

interrupted her blandly. ‘But you don’t really expect me to believe that, do you?’
    â€˜I don’t give a—a flying flea what you believe!’
    â€˜Oh, I think you do.’ He was smug.
    â€˜Why should I?’
    â€˜Because it must have occurred to you that I could decide to keep you here until I had your story checked out.’
    Sara gasped. ‘You wouldn’t do that!’
    â€˜Give me one reason why I shouldn’t.’
    â€˜Because—because you have no right. I’m not a child; I’m not even a teenager. I can please myself what I do.’
    â€˜Possibly.’ He paused. ‘But you must admit that someone who suddenly decides they need a change of scene wouldn’t leave in the middle of the night. Particularly as you appear to have left without bringing any papers, any references, anything to prove you are who you say you are.’
    Sara felt totally defeated. ‘Just let me go,’ she said wearily. ‘Please.’ She paused. ‘Forget the phone. I’ll check the car myself, and if it still doesn’t start I’ll make some other arrangement. Just forget you ever saw me.’
    Matt sighed. ‘I can’t do that.’
    â€˜Why not?’
    â€˜Because I think you need some help,’ he said gently. ‘Why don’t you tell me what really happened? My guess is that you had a row with your husband and decided to take off. I don’t know where the hired car comes in, but that’s not important. Am I somewhere near the truth?’
    â€˜I told you.’ She spoke doggedly. ‘I don’t have a husband.’
    â€˜Right.’ His mouth thinned. ‘So why are you still wearing both your wedding and engagement rings? For sentimental reasons?’
    Sara sagged. She’d forgotten about the rings. She was so used to wearing them, so used to Max’s anger if she ever dared to take them off, that she hadn’t even thought about them or what they might mean to someone else.
    She swayed. She felt so dizzy suddenly. When had she last had anything to eat? she wondered. Not today, certainly. And she couldn’t recall eating much the previous day either. She’d missed dinner, of course, but had she had any lunch? She wishedshe could remember. But everything that had happened before Max came home remained a blank.
    Not the memory of Max lying at the foot of the stairs, however. She recalled that, and recalled herself rushing down the stairs after him, kneeling at his side, desperately trying to find a pulse. But her hand had been shaking so much she hadn’t been able to feel anything. In any case, he hadn’t been breathing. And surely that could mean only one thing.
    He was dead!
    She swayed again, and saw Matt put out his hand towards her. He was going to touch her, she thought, jerking back from the contact as if she was stung. Her legs felt like jelly. Dear God, what was happening to her? She mustn’t pass out here. She knew nothing about this man except that he was threatening to expose her.
    She should never have come here; never have asked for his help. She was on her own now. That was what she wanted. The only person she could rely on was herself…
    Â 
    Sara opened her eyes to curtains moving in the breeze from the open window behind them. Sunlight dappled peach-coloured walls, laid yellow fingers over a tall armoire and a matching chest of drawers, added warmth to the lime-green quilted bedspread that covered her. Somewhere a tractor was droning its way across a field, a dog was barking, and the plaintive sound of gulls was overlaid by the dull thunder of the sea.
    Where was she?
    Propping herself up on her elbows, she frowned as she looked around the pretty bedroom. Nothing was familiar to her—except her jacket folded over the back of a rose-pink loveseat, and her strappy high heels standing beside the chair.
    Then it all came rushing back. Max’s fall, and her