In Hot Pursuit Read Online Free PDF

agreement and I was pleased," she replied.
    Mike looked at
her, dubiously. "What kind of agreement did you and what's his face
make?"
    Nellie lowered
herself beside Mike. Tucking her legs to the side, she perched on one hip.
"His name is Mr. Edenshaw," she said. "I suggested that you and
I help fix up the boat in return for cutting off some of the back rent and he
agreed. But I need your help. I can't do it alone. And you'll also make a
little spending money helping me, like you did at home. This way we'll be able
to stay on the Isadora ."
    "I don't
like that stupid old boat. It’s gross," Mike said.
    "You’ll
like it when it's cleaned and fixed up and painted," Nellie replied.
"At least we can give it a try. It's better than living in an apartment.
You never liked that." She reflected on the times Mike complained about
how he hated the city. Before Richard's death, Mike had never suffered the
closeness of apartment living, or even city life. The house she and Richard
bought was on five wooded acres. "It's not the country like you think of
it, honey, but we'll be away from the city. We'll also have a chance to go
cruising when the boat's fixed up. It would be a vacation of sorts before you
have to start school in the fall."
    Mike looked at
her, warily. "Who'll run the boat if we go?"
    "Well...
Mr. Edenshaw at first," Nellie replied. "But after his whale study's
over and I get a job, we'll find someone else. There are probably lots of old
sea dogs around here who'd love to have a chance to take us on trips. So what
do you say?"
    Mike shrugged.
"I still won't like Mr. Edenshaw."
    "I'm
surprised at you," Nellie said. "You're not even giving him a
chance."
    Mike's eyes
focused beyond Nellie, and she noted the dark expression on his face. She
turned to see Will walking toward them. Forcing a smile, she said to Will in as
light a tone as she could muster, "As you see, Mike's fine. He decided to
take Katy for a walk."
    "Umm,"
Will hummed, while eying Mike, who stared steadily back.
    Nellie vowed to
later impose stricter rules and firmer discipline on Mike, if only to keep
incidents like this from happening. But for now, she decided it was best to say
nothing. But when she glanced at Will and saw his narrowed eyes as he continued
to hold Mike's gaze, there was no question about what was happening. Two males
in a standoff. Contemplating the weeks ahead, she suspected it was going to be
a long, stressful voyage.
    ***
    Standing in the
galley, Will watched Nellie's face as she read the handwritten contract he'd
just handed to her, hoping she'd sign it, all but certain she wouldn't. Only moments
before she'd flatly refused to leave the boat for any length of time, then
followed with psychological jargon about security of home and stability of
family life for her son, a concept Will couldn’t
grasp. There was nothing stable about home and family. For him, stability came
after he'd left home, when he’d at last taken control of his life...
    Nellie pursed
her lips. "Not only am I supposed to complete all of the work you've
outlined in this in just two weeks—" she flicked her fingers against the sheet
of paper "— but the contract says I am to relinquish the boat at that time
and find temporary housing for the duration of your whale study. This was not
our agreement, and I refuse to sign it!" She slapped the paper against the
table and glared at him. "You agreed that I would work on the boat and
you'd adjust the back rent accordingly."
    Will peered
into a pair of unwavering hazel eyes. "That's exactly what the agreement
says. You'd be working off almost all of the back rent."
    "But I
also told you this is our home and my son and I are here to stay, which means
we will be going with you on your whale study. We have no choice."
    Will held her
unwavering gaze. "You have the choice of finding temporary housing for the
short time I'll be gone," he said, struggling to keep his voice calm in
the face of her unrelenting