The Chilling Deception Read Online Free PDF

finished. Vandyke said he wouldn’t need me until after this afternoon’s meeting with Washburn. How about you?”
    “I finally convinced him that the documents were safe enough with him during the meeting.” Zac sounded distinctly irritable. “Hell, I thought he was going to make me accompany him right into the sessions with Washburn. I told him I’d be standing by to collect the documents at four o’clock, when the meeting is scheduled to end. When I pointed out that not much could happen as long as he was closeted in the hotel conference room he reluctantly agreed. The guy really is a nervous wreck, isn’t he? I wonder if Vandyke Development is in some sort of financial trouble.”
    “I wouldn’t know. I’ve only worked for him a week. But I agree the poor man’s on the verge of a severe anxiety attack.”
    “Yeah. Well, that’s his problem, I guess. I’m not licensed to prescribe tranquilizers. What do you say you and I get out of here for a couple of hours. We can take a walk.”
    “In the rain?”
    “Unless you can think of another way to take a walk today.”
    Guinevere held the phone away from her ear for a moment, glaring at the receiver. “I’ll take a walk with you if you’ll promise to remain civil,” she said into it again. “You’ve been acting like a frustrated buffalo ever since we arrived.”
    “Frustrated may be the key word. I’ll pick you up in five minutes. Somebody must have worked hard to find you a room as far away from mine as possible. It couldn’t have happened by sheer luck.”
    The phone clicked in Guinevere’s ear. Slowly she hung up, thinking about Zac’s mood. He definitely sounded annoyed because the Vandyke travel department hadn’t put her in a room next to his. Well, perhaps it was better this way. She hadn’t intended these three days to be a sexy vacation fling. She envisioned instead a series of intense meaningful discussions. After all, she wanted to clarify the relationship.
    Zac showed up four and a half minutes later. He had a waterproof windbreaker on over a heather-colored wool sweater and casual slacks. His eyes were the same color as the rain, Guinevere realized in faint surprise as she opened the door.
    “Be ready in a second.” She reached for her rakish red trench coat, belting it on over her pleated khaki pants and green pullover sweater.
    “Trench coats are supposed to be khaki,” Zac noted.
    “You’re such a traditionalist.”
    “At least you’ve found something else to wear besides sneakers.” Zac eyed her fashionable rain boots.
    “So glad you approve,” she retorted coolly as she walked out the door with him.
    Zac hesitated and then took her arm. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
    Guinevere heard the sincerity beneath the rough apology. “Perhaps Vandyke’s tension is rubbing off on you,” she suggested.
    “Nope. That’s not it at all.”
    “I see.”
    “Let’s take the car into the village. We can walk around there. Maybe have a cup of coffee and look at the marina.”
    “Okay.” Relieved that he wasn’t going to launch an in-depth discussion concerning the reasons for his short temper, Guinevere allowed Zac to guide her out into the parking lot. He and Vandyke had each brought their own cars on the ferry. Vandyke’s was a new Mercedes. Guinevere had come with Zac in his three-year-old Buick.
    The small village, crammed with tourists during the summer, was quiet on a rainy winter weekend. It was easy to find a parking space near the marina and even easier to get a cup of coffee at a nearby café. Guinevere sensed Zac relaxing a little as the time passed.
    “This is more what I had in mind,” he announced as they left the café.
    “Really?” Guinevere glanced up at him with a tentative smile. “Could have fooled me. I thought you were opposed to this trip.”
    His arm tightened around her shoulders. “Only until I started thinking of the possibilities.” He started to say something