Hot Secrets Read Online Free PDF

utter silence in her bookstore while twhile Caroline walked over to the man She stopped halfway across the room. He was a bully. He used his bulk to intimidate. He’d want to come to her, loom over her. Make her scared.
    If she hadn’t been so incandescent with rage, maybe she would have been scared, because as he walked to her—Manuel stumbling in front of him, blood staining his beige t-shirt—she realized all over again just how huge he was. At least six-five, maybe three hundred pounds. Most of it fat, but some of it muscle. Certainly enough to hurt her. Maybe kill her.
    “What do you want with M—” She almost said Manuel’s name and stopped herself just in time. If Monster Man felt she had a connection to the boy, he’d use it. “With the boy?”
    “This worthless piece of trash? This fag? He snivels every time I teach him what’s right and wrong. Ain’t that right, boy?” He gave Manuel a vicious shake. Manuel remained utterly and completely still. Only his lips moved. “ Ain’t that right, boy?”
    Sweat broke out all over her body when he pulled Manuel’s head back more forcefully, exposing the throat like a lamb’s at slaughter time.
    “Little fucker’s gonna make her come back to me. She left me. My wife fucking left me! Police told me I can’t go near her or the boy. Well, how about this? I’ve got the boy and now I’ll get her.”
    They were fully in the center of the room now, lit up like actors on a stage. Everyone outside could see exactly what the situation was. She understood completely that they didn’t dare take a shot because the man was so huge he could fall on Manuel, or slit the boy’s throat as he dropped.
    He was also close enough to Caroline to take another swipe at her.
    It was too dangerous to take a shot now. They would be watching carefully through their scopes. If matters precipitated, if he pressed the knife more closely, they just might take the shot. And it might kill Manuel.
    Caroline made sure she was off to the side, affording the snipers a clear shot. “Do you want me to call her?” she asked.
    “Huh?”
    He frowned, the words slowly making their way through the rot and pus in his drug-addled head.
    She pulled her smart-phone from her pocket, finger hovering over the screen. “Do you want me to call your wife? Tell her to come?”
    Unseen by the monster, Manuel went even whiter, trying to shake his head no, though his head was held in an iron grip.
    The idea had made its way through what passed for the man’s brains. A wide smile broke through. “Yeah. Fuck yeah. Tell that bitch to get here pronto. I have things to say to her.”
    “Where is she?”
    “Hospital,” he said sullenly. “Faking it.”
    There was only one hospital in town. Caroline nodded. “I happen to have the hospital right on speed dial,” she lied. “So . . . what’s her name?”
    “Bitch!” he screamed. “Her name is Bitch! Because she is one!”
    “I’m sure she is,” Caroline said smoothly. “But I still need a name.”
    “Anna.” The word was dragged out of him in a snarl. “Anna Ramirez Pedersen. Sometimes she drops my name, the cunt. Just calls herself Ramirez.”
    “Okay. I’m calling now.” She pretended to punch in a number and brought the phone to her ear. “Yes,” she said brightly, as if to an receptionist. “This is Caroline Prescott at First Page. I’d like to speak with Anna Ramirez Pedersen, please.”
    “Honey.” Jack’s voice came on, deep and low. “I’m right outside. We’ve got rifles on the guy. The instant you and the boy drop to the floor they’ll take the shot.”
    Oh God . Her knees nearly buckled with relief at hearing Jack’s voice, a lifeline to sanity.
    “Okay, yes,” she answered, as if in response to someone at the hospital. “I understand. I’ll wait.”
    “Try to get away from the window, there’ll be glass everywhere,” Jack said.
    “Uh huh.” She looked over at Monster Man. “Yes, I’ll hold.”
    Jack was in