To Tell the Truth Read Online Free PDF

arriving at six easily allowed her to put off phoning until the next day.
     
    THE ROAD FOLLOWED the twisting, turning shoreline of Lake Tahoe, its jewel colors hidden by a coat of black satin that matched the night sky. Tall pines stretched upward on the forested slopes of the mountains, their green limbs cloaked in white snow. A smattering of stars winked in the sky waiting for the moon to make its entrance.
    The show they were attending was at one of the casinos on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, naturally on the Nevada side. Their circuitous route on the snow-packed, curving road took more time than the miles indicated, but Andrea didn't mind. It was the first time she and Tell had been truly alone and she enjoyed the quiet intimacy which they shared as they rode along in the car.
    By silent mutual consent, they talked of abstract things: of weather, politics, and sport. Sometimes, they said nothing at all. It was a disappointment to Andrea when the lights of the casinos blinked their neon colors in front of them. She hadn't wanted the drive to end yet.
    Inside the plushly decorated gambling casino, the din of the slot machines was never ending, increased by the voice of the players at the tables. It seemed crowded to her, but Tell said it wasn't. The seating had begun for the dinner show, so he promised to take her around the casino afterwards since this was her first visit. She enjoyed the name entertainment, but she was more conscious of the arm lying naturally around her shoulders than the songs being sung on the stage.
    Afterward, as Tell had promised, he took her around the various gaming tables. Under his tutelage, she placed a bet at the wheel of fortune and won, with the same result at the roulette wheel. At the dice tables, the action was too swift for her to follow, so it was Tell who placed the bet and won. His luck remained the same at the twenty-one tables. This time he let his winnings ride and the stack of chips kept increasing. Finally, when he reached the table limit, he cashed in his chips with a frown.
    "What's wrong?" Andrea questioned, studying the uncompromising hardness of his expression.
    Dark eyes bored into her for a moment before the lines softened into a mocking look. "I just discovered I was superstitious," Tell replied, circling her waist with his arm and turning her away from the tables.
    "Superstitious about what?" She laughed softly.
    "Lucky at cards, unlucky in love." The fire that blazed over her face made her heart leap in answer. "We haven't lost a bet tonight. I would rather have lost it all," Tell murmured thoughtfully. His words brought the haunted look back to her wide hazel eyes. "I didn't mean to frighten you. There's nothing to that old saying anyway," he scolded in an amused voice. "Now, where would you like to go next? Do you want to try the slot machines?"
    "I'd like to leave," Andrea replied quickly.
    "Because of what I said?" He tipped his head to the side in regret.
    "Partly," she admitted. Her gaze fell away from his tanned face, knowing the other reason was the steadily gnawing fear that had begun the night before. But she tried to make light of it. "And partly because the noise is getting to me and my head."
    He nodded an understanding agreement and turned toward the exit door.
    They didn't speak again until they had left behind the lights of the motel and residential district on the south shore. Then Tell reached over and took her hand, clasping it warmly in his.
    "You're much too far away," he sighed. "Remind me not to buy another car with bucket seats."
    Andrea bit at the side of her lip to stop the poignant sob from escaping. "I'll remember," she agreed with pseudo brightness.
    "My mother called me before we left tonight about a directors' meeting that had been changed."
    "You…you don't have to leave sooner, do you?" She held her breath.
    "Mother wanted me to come back tomorrow so I could be prepared for the new Wednesday meeting, but I told her that it was out of