Outspoken Angel Read Online Free Page B

shrugged. “She’s probably just shoe
shopping.”
    Max nodded. “Or at the spa.”
    Rachel ignored Max’s suggestion and gave her
husband a pointed look. “I’m not joking. Something’s wrong. Holly
was right. She told Cameron not to go alone.”
    Max frowned. “Holly?”
    “Rachel’s personal trainer.” Again, Hawke
attempted to sit Rachel on the sofa, but she still wouldn’t
budge.
    “Relax, honey. I’m sure she’s fine.”
    “Hawke!” Rachel all but screeched. “She’s not
fine! She’s missing!”
    Realizing the panic in Rachel’s voice, Max
stood and threw Hawke an irritated sneer before turning to Rachel.
“I’ll find her. Where do you think I should start?”
    Rachel’s shoulders sagged and she eased
herself onto the sofa while Hawke elevated her feet on the ottoman.
“Try her house first. She had an appointment but I called and Mrs.
Forrester said she didn’t show. Sometimes she’s late, but she
always keeps her appointments.”
    Max reached for the door. “I’ll have her call
as soon as I find her.”
     
    * * *
     
     

CHAPTER THREE
     

    “M - a - a - x - x!”
    Max swung his head around at the sound of
Cameron’s voice. Did she see him? No, she couldn’t. He was too
smooth.
    “Max!” she hollered insistently. “How could
you do this to me?”
    What the hell? He didn’t do anything
to her. He was simply here out of duty.
    “I just wanted you to come to me.” Her voice
wavered in mid-sentence. “Now look what’s happened.”
    Max eased his way through the gate, careful
to let the bushes disguise him. As he moved closer, he heard the
muffled ringtone of a cell phone echo off the fence.
    “Bring me the phone!” she demanded.
    He bit his lip as he entered the yard and
spotted her sitting at the top of a large oak tree while a large,
gray tabby cat lounged below. The cat swished its tail ready to
pounce on the ringing phone.
    “Max!” she shrieked.
    Irritated by the thought of being discovered,
he stepped from behind the bushes. “What?”
    She teetered on the branch. “Max!”
    “What?!”
    “Not you, Godzilla,” she spat. “I didn’t even
know you were here.”
    “Then who were you talking to?”
    “Max.”
    He took a deep breath and then released it
slowly before he spoke. “Barbie, you are trying my patience.”
    Her panicked tone became one of amusement.
“My cat’s name is Maxwell. What are you doing here?”
    “Rachel sent me.”
    “Why?”
    “You aren’t answering your phone.”
    The cell phone jingled, enticing the large,
fat cat once again. Chopping the air with his tail, Maxwell batted
the musical nuisance with his paws.
    Cameron twisted her lips. “That phone? Down
there?”
    “How long have you been in that tree?”
    “Most of the day.”
    “Why are you in the tree?”
    “I followed Maxwell.”
    Max folded his arms and braced one hip
against the tree trunk. “Can you get down?”
    She lifted her chin. “Of course.”
    He held his tongue and lowered his head to
peer over the top of his sunglasses.
    “Okay no,” she said.
    “Why didn’t you call for help?”
    She threw him a menacing glare.
    “I told you to keep your phone close.” He
pushed himself off the tree trunk.
    “That was ages ago. I didn’t plan on getting
stuck up here.”
    Cameron narrowed her eyes as he braced both
hands against the lowest branch of the tree and pulled himself up
to straddle it with zero effort.
    “What are you doing?”
    “Coming to get you.”
    “Thanks anyway, Tarzan, but that’s more scary
than being stuck up here. Call the fire department. They have a
bucket.”
    “You don’t weigh more than ten pounds.” Max
chuckled as he continued to climb. “I can carry you down under one
arm.”
    He dodged branch after branch and reached her
within seconds. Face to face with her, he saw her
carefully-disguised fear hidden behind her scowl.
    “Put your arms around my neck.”
    “Why?”
    “Do you want out of this tree?”
    “Yes.”
    “Then put your