Secrets of the Lynx Read Online Free PDF Page A

watch,” he said. “I’ll need to be a lot more tired before I can doze off anyway.”
    As he reached down to adjust a log on the fire, she saw him rub his shoulder. “Do you need painkillers?” she asked, wishing she’d considered that possibility earlier. If his senses were occasionally lulled by medicine of any kind...
    “My shoulder aches a bit from time to time, but I don’t take anything for it. There’s no need,” he said. “The reason I wouldn’t be able to sleep right now is because I’m not tired enough. I’ve never required the same amount of rest most people do—a plus in my former and current professions.”
    “If I don’t get enough sleep, my brain doesn’t work right, and at the moment, I’m exhausted,” she said. “It’s almost three a.m. now, so let me sleep till seven. Then you can wake me and get some sleep yourself while I get in touch with your brother and see what he or his people have found out. Once you’re up we’ll drive in to Hartley.”
    “Preston will have something for you by morning, count on it. When he’s working a case, he sleeps even less than I do.”
    “One more thing,” she said. “If you need to go outside for any reason, be sure to tell me. I tend to go on the offensive if an unexpected noise wakes me up.”
    “You’re always on alert?”
    “Yeah. When I’m running down a fugitive or I’m on a protection detail, a part of my brain is always on duty.”
    “Good instincts. They’ll keep you in one piece.”
    As he glanced away to turn off a lamp, she unhooked her holster. Leaving her weapon inside, she placed it on the coffee table within grasp.
    “Use the blanket,” he said, taking the closest chair. “It’s comfortable and warm.”
    She pulled it over her. Wrapped in a comfortable cocoon of warmth, Kendra closed her eyes. Without visual cues, she became aware of Paul in a more primal way. She could hear the even sound of his breathing and enjoyed the outdoorsy scent that clung to him.
    Though he was quiet, she heard him get up to stoke the fire. The crackling of the logs and the comfort of the blanket worked a magic all their own and soon she drifted off to sleep.
    Paul smiled, his gaze resting on Kendra. Although he knew no one was out there, he remained seated on the easy chair closest to a window. Taking off the lynx fetish he wore around his neck, he held it in his palm and gazed at it for a moment. Like all of Hosteen Silver’s gifts, the hand-carved wooden artifact was far more complicated than it appeared to be at a glance.
    Lynx was said to be able to peer into the soul of man or beast and see the secrets hidden there. As the owner of the fetish, he knew that gift was his to use, but for many years he’d refused to accept such things were possible.
    Slowly, as his mind had opened to new possibilities, he’d discovered that he could always sense when someone was lying to him, or even holding back. In time, he’d stopped searching for logical explanations and grew to accept his newfound ability.
    The gift had served him well during his days as a U.S. Marshal and continued to do so now, even though he no longer wore the badge. He leaned back and relaxed, confident that the terrain around the house held no secrets from him or Lynx.
    Hearing the rhythmic sound of Kendra’s breathing, he focused on the woman. The blanket had slipped to her waist, and her simple wool sweater, though loose, accentuated her full breasts. Like many women in the marshals service, she did her best to underplay her curves, but thankfully, some things were impossible to hide.
    Kendra was an irresistible blend of toughness and gentleness. She was clearly a fighter who’d refused to back down, even when staring down three gun barrels. Yet, in this unguarded moment, she was the most feminine of women.
    He’d known all types of females and enjoyed their company, but he’d always had one rule. He never stayed with any particular woman for long. Some had accused him of