Authors: Karen Rose
Steven looked down at the photos again. „I’d like to talk to Winters as soon as possible.“
„I can give you his address. He’s not here today. He took some paid leave,“ she added, answering his obvious next question before he could ask.
„Okay. What about the investigating officers from seven years ago?“
„You can talk to Farrell, but not York.“
Steven straightened his tie. „Why not York?“
„He died last year.“
Steven frowned. „Line of duty?“
She shook her head. „Heart attack. The man never met a fried drumstick he didn’t like.“
Steven chuckled. „So he died happy.“
She grinned again. „As a deep-fried clam. Farrell lives up in the mountains, near Boone. You can see him tomorrow morning. He’s out on a fishing trip with some kids from the local scouting troop today,“ she said as he gathered his files. „You’ll like Gabe Farrell. He’s a straight shooter.“
„I hear his wife makes a mean sweet potato pie.“
„Sinfully so.“
Chicago
Tuesday, March 6
5:01 P.M.
It was five o’clock. Finally. Max closed the book he’d been pretending to read. He’d listened to her answer phones all afternoon, that sexy southern drawl seeping through the walls. He’d listened as she prepared to leave, wondering if she was thinking about him. He’d sure as hell been thinking about her. All afternoon. Wondering where he’d take her to dinner. Anticipating the evening as he’d anticipated nothing in a very long time. Visualizing kissing her goodnight, hoping she’d be equally responsive to his kiss as she’d been to that simple touch on her lower lip.
God. He’d barely touched her and he’d been ready to come. She’d shivered every time he brushed her lip with his thumb, her eyes growing wider with each breath. She was a novice to whatever she was feeling, those eyes of hers radiating trepidation, then wonder. There’d been something else there, too, he thought, worrying at his own lower lip with his teeth. She’d been startled when he approached her. Caroline was obviously a bit skittish.
A light tapping at his door broke into his thoughts. Caroline. Just thinking her name conjured all kinds of interesting mental images. He sat up straighter in his chair.
„Come.“ And managed to keep a smile on his face
despite the little stab of disappointment when a tall, young woman with a short cap of dark hair entered. „Evie, what can I do for you?“
Evie Wilson tentatively approached. Talk about skittish. The young woman moved like a colt, long-legged with bursts of uncertainty. He had no idea if she’d be a good secretary when Caroline graduated or not. He wouldn’t be able to tell until she got over her initial crush and stopped looking at him like he was a movie star. Or sports hero, his mind mocked. He abruptly pushed the unwanted thought aside.
„I just wanted to know if you needed anything from the library,“ she offered, her voice small.
„No thanks, Evie.“ He tried for a reassuring smile. He wasn’t good at warm and fuzzy. He was better at being called „sir“ and „doctor“ and having his requests immediately fulfilled. But the smile must have done some good as Evie blushed to the roots of her too-short hair and backed away, stammering a good-bye. Max sighed. He didn’t want a young secretary. He wanted an older, more efficient secretary that wouldn’t swoon over him.
After Caroline, of course. She could swoon over him as often as she liked. He’d just finished locking his desk drawer when another knock sounded at his door. „Come on in,“ he called. Then he sighed quietly as the overpowering scent of perfume came drifting across the room. Dr. Monika Shaw. He’d been avoiding her all day. He lifted his head to find her standing in his open doorway, silently watching him with a predatory look. He knew that look. Elise had often worn it. He knew it now for the falseness it represented. Shaw’s brightly painted mouth curved up in what he thought she intended to be an alluring smile. He fought the urge to scream for help. „Can I help you, Dr. Shaw?“
She slinked forward, her hips seeming to move independently. „Please, call me Monika.“
Max sat down in his chair and steepled his fingers together atop his desk, hoping he looked unapproachable. „Then, can I help you, Monika?“
„I certainly hope so.“ God, she was purring. He thought of a cat waiting to pounce on a poor mouse. Too bad they didn’t make mouseholes six and a half feet tall. „I was hoping you’d let me take you out to dinner.“ She paused and perched one hip against the corner of his desk so that she was leaning toward him. Her perfume was overpowering to the point of gagging him. He swallowed hard as she smiled again. „To welcome you to the department.“
„Well, thank you for the offer, Monika, but – “
She leaned a few inches closer. „I know this fabulous little French restaurant on Michigan Avenue. I made reservations for seven.“
Max leaned his chair way back, hearing the springs creak in protest. „That’s very nice of you, Monika, but I have other plans tonight.“
Her smile drooped and she pouted. „Really, Max, how could you have other plans tonight? You’ve been in Chicago less than a week.“ Her fingers inched toward his folded hands. He yanked them off the desk and folded his arms across his chest.
„I have other plans.“ He stood awkwardly and reached for his cane, but quicker on the draw, Shaw reached it first. He held out his hand for his cane. Instead she slipped her hand into his.
„Cancel them,“ she murmured. „I guarantee I can make it worth your while.“
He pulled his hand back and folded his arms across his chest again. „I don’t want to cancel my plans. Now, if you’ll kindly hand me my cane, I’ll say good evening.“
„But – “
The door to his office opened and both Max and Monika turned to look, Max praying it wasn’t Caroline. He’d managed to whisk the young co-eds under the that this morning, but he knew Caroline felt especially vulnerable around Shaw. His eyes opened wide as David entered the room.
„Max, you’re not planning on standing me up are you?“
And to his consternation, David marched across his office and threw an arm around his shoulders. He stuck his free hand out to greet Monika. „Hi, I’m David, Max’s date for the evening.“
Monika’s jaw dropped, exposing several silver fillings in the back of her mouth. Very unattractive, Max thought, struggling to keep his face straight and his laughter controlled. Monika was completely horrified. Halfway recovering, she reached to shake David’s hand. „The two of you… know each other?“
„Oh, yeah,“ David answered easily, pumping her hand in an overly hearty shake. „We went to Harvard together.“ He bestowed a tender look at Max. „We were… roommates.“ His voice softened. „Weren’t we, Max?“
Eyes wide, Max nodded, unable to speak. Monika had taken a step backwards.
David pulled him close and laid his head on his shoulder. „We were practically inseparable from the time we were… well, boys, wouldn’t you say, Max?“
Max nodded again. He cleared his throat. „Inseparable. So you see, Monika, I really cannot have dinner with you, tonight or any other night. Would you mind?“ He held out his hand and wriggled his fingers. Monika handed him his cane.
She recovered remarkably, her face going from apoplectic to apologetic. „I’m sorry, Max. I didn’t know you were involved with someone.“ She glanced at David who was smiling beatifically. „It’s nice to meet you, David. Enjoy your… evening.“
„Thank you.“ David nodded, the picture of innocence. „We’re having pizza, aren’t we, Max?“
Max gulped. Pizza. He’d offered David pizza the night before. Dinner plans with Caroline had obliterated the memory. „Pizza. Yes. Goodnight, Monika.“
They watched as she walked out, her hips no longer moving independently. They listened until they heard the outer door close, then Max turned on David with a scowl, forcibly removing his brother’s arm from his shoulder. „What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?“
David grinned. „Saving you from that woman. You didn’t want to go out with her, did you?“
Max tried to look stern. „No, I didn’t, but that gave you no right to – “
David poked him in the ribs. „Don’t be ungrateful. It might have been politically incorrect – “
„Might have been!“ Max exploded. „Do you know what trouble – “
David shrugged. „But it will keep you out of her clutches for a good long time.“ He grinned again and Max felt his heart melt. This was his baby brother who’d always been able to use that outrageous sense of humor to make even the worst of days bearable. „Let’s go out for pizza.“
Max grimaced. „I really do have other plans, Dave.“
David frowned. „You’re standing me up for real? For who?“
„For Caro – “ His voice caught, as panic grabbed at him. „Oh, God, I hope she didn’t hear any of that.“ He rushed to the door to the outer office as fast as his legs would permit. „Shit.“
She sat at her desk, her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. With a menacing frown at David, Max crossed the remaining distance to Caroline’s desk. He sat on the corner of her desk and touched her shoulder gently.
„Caroline, I don’t know what you heard, but I never would have gone to dinner with Monika and this is only my idiot brother.“ Her shoulders shook harder. „I wouldn’t have made plans with you only to break them, honest.“
„You were going to break plans with me,“ David inserted blandly, watching the scene from far enough away so that Max would have had to stand up and walk a few steps to hit him.
„Shut up, David,“ Max hissed. „You’ve done enough damage for one day.“ He turned back to Caroline who still hid her face behind her hands. „Please don’t cry. My brother is just leaving.“
Caroline moved her fingers wide enough to peer through. „Oh, no, don’t make him go,“ she gasped. „Please.“ She slid her hands down from her eyes to cover her mouth, revealing the tears streaming down her cheeks. „Oh, my Lord, I – “ She started coughing, and Max realized with supreme relief that she wasn’t crying after all, but laughing so hard she was choking. He gamely patted her back as she tried to regain her breath. Wheezing, she pounded her fist on her desk. „I haven’t laughed so hard – “ She started coughing again.
„Get her some water, would you, Dave?“
With that same imperturbable grin on his face, David complied.
„Th-thank you,“ Caroline managed and drained the glass. „Oh, Max, the look on her face when she left here. Priceless.“
Max felt his face break into a relieved grin. „This is my brother, David.“
„I know. We met before he went in there.“ Caroline shook with residual giggles. „Thank you, David. That woman has been a thorn in my side for five years.“
David inclined his head. „Glad to oblige. So how long has she worked here?“
Caroline chuckled. „Five years. Five very long years.“ She turned to Max, her eyes bright blue and sparkling. „If you two want to go out for pizza, I’d hate to be a third wheel.“
Something relaxed inside him. Her wonderful laugh put him completely at ease. „Well, we could invite Missi or Stephie for you.“
Her eyes narrowed but her dimple appeared. „Over my dead body, buster.“
Captivated, he couldn’t take his eyes from her face. She was so pretty when she laughed. „Beat it, Dave,“ he said, not bothering to look over his shoulder.
„Max, that doesn’t seem fair. He came all the way down here to meet you.“
„He was probably dropping off a car to some rich guy. Weren’t you, David?“
„No,“ David said from behind him, his voice heavy with sorrow. „I rode all the way down here just to see my dear brother.“
„He’s a ham,“ Caroline remarked to Max.
„Always has been,“ Max answered. „Beat it, David. I’ll buy you a gross of those beers you like so much. Just go away.“
David sighed dramatically. „Watch him, Caroline. He’ll drop you like a hot potato when you begin to bore him. I think I’ll just go drown my sorrows at Moe’s.“
„What’s Moe’s?“ Caroline picked up her purse and smiled up at Max when he helped her into her coat. His heart did a slow turn and was forced to at least mentally thank David for making her eyes shine like that.
„It’s a place we used to eat when we were kids. Before Max became important.“ David lifted his eyes to the ceiling. „Before he scorned me for another.“
Caroline grinned up at Max. „Where had you planned to take me?“
Max shrugged. „I’d planned to take you to Morton’s Steak House, but I have a sneaking suspicion we’re all going to Moe’s for double-decker cheeseburgers and onion rings.“ The approval in her eyes made the disappointment of changing his plans somewhat palatable.
David winked at Caroline. „And I thought he’d forgotten his more humble origins. I’m driving a ‘57 Corvette tonight. Wanna come with me?“
She looked up at Max with a cheeky smile. „Depends. What are you driving?“
„Mercedes.“ He gave David a warning look that had absolutely no effect.
„Mine’s a classic,“ David wheedled. „Red and white. Bubble headlights.“
Caroline tightened one comer of her mouth, pretending to consider, then shook her head. „Sorry. German luxury beats American Pie. You do have a leather interior, don’t you, Max?“
„Yes,“ he answered dryly. „I can bring you back to get your car later.“
„No need. I took the bus this morning.“
David’s jaw dropped. „You don’t have a car?“ he asked, horrified.
Caroline shook her head and threw a pointed glance at Max. „Starter’s busted. Can’t afford to have it fixed on a secretary’s salary.“
„Your boss is a pig,“ David said and took her arm, escorting her out of the office.
Caroline looked over her shoulder, her smile now calmer, but just as strong. „No, I think he’s a pretty nice guy.“
Max’s heart took another slow turn, this time ending in an ungainly flop. He’d forgive David, just this once. His brother had made her laugh, something he probably could never have done so easily. And no matter what else happened, Caroline Stewart would leave Moe’s with him.
Asheville
Tuesday, March 6
7:30p.M.
„I still think this is a very bad idea.“
Steven looked over his shoulder, his hand on the door handle of the Two Point Tavern, to find Detective Jonathan Lambert standing stubbornly still, arms crossed over his chest. A street light reflected off of Lambert’s golden head, creating a heavenly effect. „I’ll note it in the record, Detective,“ Steven answered dryly. „You asked if there was anything you could do to help.“ He pulled the door open. „This is help.“