Operation Reunion Read Online Free PDF Page A

approval.
    “Nothing,” Kayla said.
    Dane turned his head to look at her. “Haven’t you learned? Didn’t that phony P.I. and that guy who took you for five grand in California teach you anything?”
    Kayla flushed. He hated doing it, but somebody had to protect her from herself, and right now he was the only one around.
    The dog moved and, oddly, came to sit between him and Kayla. The animal looked from him to her and back, with an expression that looked for all the world like impatience. Dane shook his head; he loved dogs, but he didn’t usually impart human qualities to them.
    “Quinn?”
    It was the other woman who’d spoken, drawing his gaze. She looked the picture of innocence, which made him even more suspicious.
    “Yes,” the man said. “I think so.”
    Another stab of pain shot through him. He and Kayla had been like that once, able to communicate without words. But lately he’d quit trying, or even asking what she was thinking, because his gut knew one more admission that she was worrying about her brother would send him over the edge.
    And it had.
    “Walk with me,” Quinn said. Dane eyed him warily. “You have questions,” the man said in answer to his look. “I’ll give you all the answers you want.”
    “And I’m supposed to just believe you?”
    “No,” Quinn said. “I expect you to do your homework and then decide if you believe us.”
    That surprised him enough to make him follow the man’s lead. And if he wanted to be out of earshot of Kayla, it could mean he wanted to hear the other side of the story.
    “That note she got today...” Quinn began as they neared a stand of cedar trees along one edge of the park.
    “Don’t bother. I know exactly what it said. ‘I didn’t do it. I love you. I’m sorry. Forget about me.’ Even as he keeps sending them so there’s no hope she ever could.”
    Quinn stopped walking and turned to look at him.
    “I know that sounds harsh,” Dane said, “given what she’s been through.”
    “Crimes like that have a far-reaching ripple effect,” Quinn said. “They touch many more lives than just the immediate family.”
    The rather detached yet undeniably true observation made Dane take a second look at the man. He was as tall as he himself, and while Dane biked and ran to keep in shape, he doubted he was as strong as this guy looked. He’d been thinking of adding some weights to his regimen, and just looking at the arms on this guy was enough to convince him.
    “Look, I know she loved Chad, but he was...”
    “Spoiled and manipulative?”
    Dane’s mouth tightened. “Yes. Chad never once had to suffer the consequences of his actions in his entire life.”
    “His parents protected him?”
    Dane nodded. “He was the firstborn, and he was spoiled rotten. Until Kayla came along. He was jealous at first, but she adored him so much he finally decided he liked it. She would do anything for him, and he wasn’t above using that.”
    “You didn’t know them back then.”
    He didn’t sound particularly accusatory, but Dane was raw enough that he answered a bit sharply.
    “Their father told me the first part. The last part I saw for myself. Chad used Kayla from the day he realized she was smarter than he was. I don’t know how many school papers he conned her into writing for him, even though she was two years younger. Or how many times he convinced her to lie for him, cover for him, with their parents. A couple of times she even took the blame for something he did when he was skating too close to the edge with their father.”
    “How long did that go on?”
    “Until I was able to convince her she wasn’t doing him any favors.”
    Again Quinn studied him for a moment. “You’ve always had her best interests at heart.”
    It didn’t seem to be a question, but it reminded Dane he should be worrying about those best interests now. “Who are you? And what’s all this crap about helping Kayla find Chad?”
    “It’s what we do.”
    “Find