Poison Read Online Free PDF Page B

danger are you and Tim in?”
    She let out a long, shaky sigh. “Lethal. We are in lethal danger.”
    “I drove by that trailer you’re renting. It’s crap,” Luke said after a long pause.
    “I’m doing the best I can.”
    Luke shook his head. “Changing your name and moving away isn’t enough. If this crazy lunatic wants to find you, he will. You shouldn’t be alone.”
    “Yeah well I’m fresh out of strange people to call for help. Harry was it.”
    “I think you and Tim should come stay with us.”
    John jerked his gaze up to Luke. “What?”
    “It’s the only solution.”
    “Who is us?” Cassie asked.
    “John and I, we’re roommates.”
    John frowned. He didn’t like the plan or that they were discussing it between the two of them. He had too many memories of this dynamic, reminding him of the old days; Cassie and Luke as peers, with him on the outside, the annoying little brother.
    “Do you mean it?”
    “Forget it,” John said at the same instant Cassie spoke.
    They stared at each other for a split second. John looked away first. Luke continued, “We have plenty of room, and there would be no connection between the Tyler’s and Cassie Reynolds. It would take a safety pin to open that trailer up and there you’d be, all alone and vulnerable. My guess is that your landlord wouldn’t think twice about ratting you out to anyone who asked. Come to our house, and you’ll have comfort, an alarm system, dead bolts, and most of all, our help.”
    Cassie glanced at John through lowered lashes, than she let out a long, loud sigh as she turned to Luke. “I can’t Luke.”
    “Sure you can. We’re all friends, aren’t we?” Luke looked from one to the other.
    “It’s not a good idea,” John persisted.
    “Sure it is.”
    “Sarah will never go for it.”
    “Sarah will understand. It’s the right thing to do.”
    “I think it’s a—”
    “Please John?” Cassie asked softly.
    He glanced at her. “How long?”
    “As long as it takes to make sure her ex isn’t hunting her,” Luke answered.
    John ignored Luke. “You’re sure about this? You think you’re in that much physical danger?”
    “Yes. I know I’m in that kind of danger.”
    “There’s no one else?”
    “No. There is no one else.”
    He tapped his fingers on his leg. Cassie coming to live in his house was not how he expected the conversation to go. Not over a cheap, lousy flower arrangement. He finally answered, “Fine.”
    Cassie’s posture loosened, and her gaze rose to his with big, relief-filled eyes. “Thank you John.”
    “Come on Cassie I’ll drive you to your place and you can grab a few things for tonight. We’ll move all your stuff out of that rat’s nest this weekend.”
    “Tonight? You can’t be serious,” John protested.
    “Yeah I’m serious. The sooner the better that Cassie gets away from that trailer.” Luke walked toward the front of the clinic with his hand on Cassie’s arm dragging her with him.
    “We have to pick up Tim,” Cassie said. She looked back over her shoulder at John. John kept his face blank, while inside he was seething in confusion. On the one hand, he wanted Cassie and her son safe, on the other, how the hell was he supposed to live under the same roof with her?
    ****
    This was a bad idea. Moving into a house with John Tyler was about as bad of a solution to her problems as she could think of. John did not want her here. But how could she not take this offer? The trailer was a joke. And there was no one to protect them at night. There was no one period to help them. Except, Luke and John Tyler. So despite every reason she didn’t want to do this, she was doing this.
    Luke stopped his truck before a large, cedar-shake sided house with gray trim. It rose three stories into the night sky. Stars shimmered over it. The back side had an unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean. A half dozen neighbors lined the small cul-de-sac. Cassie hadn’t expected this.
    “My wife grew up