Read That Summer Night (Callaways #6) for Free Online Page B

this sketchpad and give it to me?" Reid asked.
    "Yes, he must have written something down in it that's important."
    "And he didn't have it in Colombia?"
    She thought about that for a moment. She did remember seeing Robert working on something, but had it been that notebook? "I don't know. I don't think so."
    "When was the last time Robert was in his office here in San Francisco?"
    "He made several trips back here during the three months that I was in Colombia."
    "It looks like our next step is to get that notebook. I'll get my keys."
    "And you'll let me drive," she said firmly. "You've been drinking. I'm sober."
    "Do you know how to drive a stick?"
    "Of course, I do. Five brothers, remember? And a father who insisted I learn how to check the oil and change a tire."
    "Fine. You can drive."
    "Good." She paused, pleased by the sparkling light in Reid's eyes. "You're going to help Robert, aren't you?" she asked hopefully.
    "We'll see," he prevaricated. "Right now I'm going to help you get that notebook. Let's take it one step at a time."
    "You really don't like to make long-term commitments, do you?" she asked in frustration.
    "No," he admitted. "Not anymore."
    As he turned away, she realized that the last time he'd probably made a long-term commitment was when he had asked Lisa to marry him.

 
    Chapter Five
     
    He could make a commitment, Reid thought, as Shayla drove them to the hospital. He could commit to a plan of action, to his fellow soldiers and to his friends. If he said he'd do something, he did it. If he said he would go somewhere, he went. He prided himself on never making a promise he couldn't keep, which sometimes meant he didn't make promises.
    He knew Shayla was frustrated by his unwillingness to commit to helping Robert. And he probably wasn't fooling her any more than he was fooling himself. At some point he would probably agree to meet his brother. He didn't want to. Robert's betrayal had been a knife to the heart, and he could still feel the pain. A part of him thought maybe Robert was just getting what he deserved.
    His brother had always been self-absorbed. Everyone around Robert had treated him like a God. Shayla had had the same adoration in her voice when she spoke of her brilliant mentor. Robert had always been the bright light, the sun around which the rest of the world orbited.
    As a kid, Reid had felt the same kind of amazement when it came to Robert, but as the years went by he saw Robert start to believe in his own wonderfulness. His brother didn't have to clean his room or mow the lawn or do anything to get his allowance, because according to his parents Robert needed to spend his time on studies. In school Robert had been excused from classes like P.E. and ceramics because they would have slowed down his incredible pace toward an early high school graduation. With all the perks of being a genius, Robert's head, his ego, had swelled to a point where he thought he could do anything he wanted, and someone else would clean up his mess, because that's what people always did. Now, Reid couldn't believe he was actually considering being one of those people.
    But it wasn't too late to back out. He hadn't made Shayla the promise she wanted. He was keeping his options open until he knew more about what kind of trouble Robert was involved in. If Robert was at all guilty, he was going to be out the door so fast Shayla's head would spin around.
    "You can't bail on me," Shayla said abruptly, interrupting his thoughts.
    He turned his head and saw the determination in her eyes. While he didn't care for her words, he appreciated the renewed fighting light in her gaze. It was far better than the hurt, bewilderment and agonizing pain he'd seen earlier when she'd told him what she'd gone through in Colombia. She was bouncing back. That was a good thing. What wasn't a good thing was that she'd read his mind.
    "I'm not bailing," he said. "Not yet anyway."
    "You always like to keep one foot out the door," she