Read Online Soldier's Redemption by Alice Sharpe - Free Book Online Page A

see what’s going on,” he said as though sensing her looking at him.
    “Why? You’ve done nothing wrong.”
    “I know, but I have a funny feeling that Banderas has.”
    “My uncle would never employ a dishonest man.”
    “Skylar? Could we just go?”
    She started the car’s engine and turned out onto the street. There was no sign of the woman. “What do you mean Ian Banderas is here?”
    “He came to see your uncle.”
    “He never comes to the house.”
    “I got the feeling your uncle wasn’t too happy about it. Banderas seemed agitated.”
    “Maybe he knew that woman was trailing him.”
    His eyes still closed, he shook his head and groaned. “Ouch. No, I don’t think Banderas is the kind of guy to let a middle-aged woman scare him. But I didn’t see a car. He must have taken a cab, and if he did, how did she manage to follow him on foot?”
    “My uncle’s office is across the street and around the corner from the estate,” she said. “Ian probably walked over.”
    Cole’s eyes fluttered open. “Do you suppose the woman’s situation is connected to Aneta’s murder?”
    This time, Skylar shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s hard to imagine how. I hardly think you chased a middle-aged woman down the fire escape and mistook her for a guy.”
    “No, it was a man, I’m sure of that. What kind of car does Banderas drive?”
    “I have no idea, but really, Cole, don’t be absurd. My uncle is a very astute man. If Ian was doing something shady, he would know.”
    “Why else would that woman be hell-bent on bonking him?”
    “I don’t know, but just because she’s under the impression Ian has something to do with her daughter’s apparent disappearance doesn’t mean it’s true.”
    “Yeah,” he said, but he didn’t sound convinced.
    “Did my uncle tell you about the police lead he mentioned at dinner?”
    “Banderas arrived before he could say anything. Do you know what he was alluding to?”
    “No clue.” She was silent for a moment and then commented, “Your hotel is up ahead.”
    “You can let me off at the front.”
    “No, I’m going to make sure you get tucked in all safe and sound,” she said.
    She could feel him gazing at her. She guessed he wasn’t particularly fond of needing help, but that was too bad. She’d let him get away without seeing the nurse, but she wasn’t dropping him off at the hotel entrance.
    It was still relatively early, and their wet, disheveled state raised eyebrows from the parking valet to the lobby staff. Cole’s limp was more pronounced than ever as they made their way down the long hallway to his room.
    Once inside, she shooed him into the bathroom with directions to take a hot shower. He handed her out his suit, and she deposited it and his overcoat into dry cleaning bags and called housekeeping to pick them up outside the room. Then she called through the bathroom door, asking Cole if he had aspirin, and he told her he’d already used a glass of tap water to take two from the bottle he carried in his shaving kit.
    As he bathed, she used the brush in her purse to comb out her damp hair, then started opening drawers, looking for pajamas for him. The first drawer she opened revealed the box she’d given him the night before and also a colorful figurine of a clown that looked old and worn. She picked up the figurine, too curious to mind her own business.
    Why did a guy like Cole Bennett carry around a child’s toy? It added an unexpected dimension to him, another little puzzling thing that she couldn’t identify or stick with a label, just as his watchful demeanor that night had made her wonder if he was there for a reason he wasn’t sharing.
    “Please put that down,” he said, and she whirled around guiltily, the clown still in her hand. He stood just inside the room, a white towel wrapped around his waist. His exposed skin glistened with dampness, the muscles beneath chiseled and defined. She’d known he was put together better than your