Turner's Vision Read Online Free PDF

gown. “Well, that’s the problem. I have no idea.”
    “What do you mean? Was it written in Chinese?”
    “Micah?” She looked up at him. The real woman behind all the disguises was there for him to see, sweet, vulnerable, confused. “Do you know how to decipher codes?”
    He walked back over to the settee, this time sitting beside her. The urge to take her in his arms once more surged through him. He tamped it down. Despite the kiss they shared earlier, he knew he would frighten her more if he touched her the way he wanted to. “What kind of code, Claudia?”
    “Just a collection of words. They make absolutely no sense.” Her voice held a great deal of frustration.
    “Have you any here?” Part of him hoped so, he needed to see them to try and decipher them. The other part hoped she hadn’t taken them and put them all in greater danger.
    “No. I thought it best not to move them.”
    “Good.” He exhaled. Apparently the woman did seem to have some modicum of sense. “Who picks them up?”
    “A boy. Always a different one. Adam and Joey take turns following them.”
    “What? You let those boys follow the couriers to who knows where? This is not a game, madam. They could get hurt.” Perhaps she was more the scatterbrain than he’d first thought.
    She laughed softly. “Adam and Joey are quite capable of taking care of themselves on the city streets. As dear as they are to me, I know they weren’t angels before Laura and I found them. They’re quite adept at following without being seen.”
    “Perhaps you’re right.”
    “I would never ask those boys to do anything I thought would truly put them in danger.” This time she smiled up at him. Once again her eyes reminded him of Kentucky sipping whiskey, the kind that burned going down your throat, but warmed you from the inside out. The feeling unsettled him.
    “Let’s see what we know so far.” He pushed himself off the seat, pacing the room once more. “Gibson’s name came up at my family home in connection with Patrice. Supposedly, he was among the group of people with whom she traveled north. However she never arrived at her school friend’s home. Meanwhile, you tell me that Gibson is leaving some sort of coded messages at the library. He’s been doing this for how long?”
    “At least nine months.”
    “We don’t know who these messages go to, correct?”
    “Correct.”
    The smugness in her voice caught his attention. He paused in his ruminations to look at her. “You don’t know who they go to, but you know where, don’t you?”
    She smiled, slowly nodding her head.
    “Where?” She was purposely making him drag it out of her. He didn’t know whether to strangle her or kiss her—again.
    “The boys who pick up the messages, take them to one of three places. A dock tavern, a warehouse on the docks, or an old house near the same area.”
    “Once Gibson leaves a message, how long does it take for a courier to pick it up?”
    “Usually two days.”
    “So, he left one today?”
    Again she smiled. “Yes, he did.”
    “Good. Let’s go over and find it.”
    The clock on the mantle struck midnight. Claudia stood, adjusting the hem of her skirt. “The message will be there tomorrow, Micah. We can look at it then. I have had a very long day.”
    “Patrice’s life may depend on this message. Just tell me which book. I will break into the damn library myself.”
    She began turning off the oil lamps. “There is no need to distress Mr. Goldberg with a broken window or door, sir. I’ll simply tell him I need to stay late tomorrow. Then, after everyone is gone, I’ll let you in. That way we’ll have all the time we need to decipher the code.”
    “You aren’t going to tell me which book, are you?”
    She stood at the doorway to the foyer. “No, Micah, I am not.”
    “Why?”
    “Because if I do, you’ll shut me out of this investigation.”
    “Claudia, Patrice needs my help.” He followed her to the front door.
    “And she’ll