She Can Tell Read Online Free PDF Page A

and steered her into the living room. “Sit down, Rachel, before you fall down.”
    Rachel glanced at the dried blood on her jeans and hovered over the couch. “I’m filthy.”
    “You’re fine. Sit. I’ll make you a cup of chamomile tea.”
    The words were spoken with authority, and Rachel eased her butt down on Mrs. Holloway’s soft, flowered sofa. Her shoulder throbbed, and she felt every spot on her body where Troy had managed to land a blow. There were more than she remembered.
    “That’s not…” Rachel began, but Mrs. Holloway turned back and stared her down. “Tea would be great.” And warm. Rachel flexed her toes to restore blood flow. Fiery pinpricks spread through both feet.
    “You certainly didn’t need this after what happened yesterday,” Mrs. Holloway called over her shoulder as she disappeared through the doorway to her kitchen. A few seconds later Rachel heard cabinet doors opening and closing, then the tap running.
    She pushed the thoughts of obscene threats and vandalism out of her mind and rested her head against the back of the sofa. All she wanted to do was close her eyes for few minutes. She doubted she’d sleep, but her eyelids felt like they weighed twenty pounds apiece.
    Her thoughts lingered on the police chief. In his early forties and comic-book-hero big, he wasn’t exactly handsome. His nose had seen a few fists, and he had a weirdly deformed ear. She wasn’t into pretty boys anyway, but she couldn’t believe the quiver in her stomach when his handhad so gently enveloped hers. What was her deal? In the middle of tonight’s horror and chaos, her brain decided to go all female?
    Still, it was hard to ignore O’Connell’s man-next-door appeal. His steady, imperturbable demeanor was more attractive than any Hollywood hunk. Even with all those huge muscles—he probably bench-pressed tractors—he’d been careful not to hurt her. The chief was in complete control over all that brawn. He hadn’t lost his cool with Troy. Nor had the cop gotten angry when she’d inadvertently kicked him in the shin. Rachel’s face heated. Troy was scum, but that didn’t excuse her behavior.
    Enough about Troy. Sarah had married the bastard and that was that. Rachel did not allow herself to criticize her little sister. Sarah’s bad choices were partially Rachel’s fault—and Rachel would be there to help deal with the consequences.
    Why couldn’t Sarah have found someone sweet? Like that black-haired young cop with the nice manners and chivalrous attitude.
    Marriage was an antiquated institution. Love and children created vulnerability. Both ways. Men could be equally damaged. Rachel’s father had certainly paid the price for falling for the wrong woman. Love had destroyed him.
    How could people trust others enough to open themselves up like that? This incident with Troy was far from over. With his daddy’s help, he’d be out of jail in no time. Once Troy was on the loose, he’d be looking for his wife and kids—and taking aim at the only person standing in his way—Rachel.

Chapter Three

    “Here are the reports on the Mitchell case, Chief.”
    Mike yanked his gaze off his computer screen as a manila file hit his in-bin. “Thanks, Ethan. Did you include copies of Miss Parker’s previous vandalism complaints?”
    “It’s all in there. You need anything else before I take off?” Ethan yawned. “I could run by the Parker place and get the statements signed.”
    Mike glanced at the clock. Eight o’clock already? “No. You better clock out. I’ll take care of it. Good work last night.”
    “OK. Pete’s already here for his shift.” Ethan ducked out into the Sunday-morning-quiet police station.
    A minute later, Mike’s second in command, Lt. Pete Winters, stuck his bulldog face through the doorway. “I’m headed out on patrol. Anything special?”
    “Yeah. Ride by the Lost Lake development every couple of hours.”
    “More vandalism?”
    “Yesterday somebody slashed some