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„All those?“ Abe asked, eyeing the stack of huge volumes. „We’ll be here for days.“
The clerk, whose name was Tina, shot him a sympathetic look. „The marriage licenses from the forties aren’t computerized yet,“ she said. „But it isn’t as bad as it looks. What’s the name and the date?“
„Ge
Tina slid index cards in the volume to mark the pages. „It will be between these cards. If you look yourselves I can find those property listings you were looking for.“
„We’ll look for Ge
Tina bit her lip. „You have a first name, maybe?“
Abe shook his head. „Our source just called him Mr. Worth. His son’s name was Hank, if that helps. Maybe Hank was a junior.“
Tina shrugged. „I’ll do my best. Happy hunting, Detectives.“
When she’d gone, Mia slumped into a chair. „We have to stop all these late parties.“
Abe opened the big book. „What’d the surgeon say when you left your date early?“
„He was a bore. I was ready for any excuse for him to take me home.“ She cocked a brow. „And you? Once the infantry marched away last night, how was your evening?“
Long. He thought of Kristen now, of the way she’d looked last night. She’d been at her kitchen door, locking it as the last person left, prudently setting the alarm. She’d turned and just that fast the very air was charged, practically sizzling as they’d stood at opposite ends of her kitchen, staring. Then she’d simply walked into his arms as if she’d been doing so all her life. He’d kissed her. And kissed her. And God help him, he’d kissed her some more, until she was trembling and so was he, his hands clamped on her hips, wrestling with his best intentions. In the end he hadn’t dragged her against him as he’d so longed to do. He’d gently pushed her away, then turned her toward her bedroom with just a „good night.“ If she’d even hinted she wanted him to join her, he would have. He would have scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed and helped her have another… watershed moment.
But she hadn’t hinted. She’d walked away, stopping once to look back and the look in her eyes was worth more than ten watershed moments. It was trust mingled with heated want, and the combination triggered something inside him so profound… So he’d let her walk away and listened to her get ready for bed, his body still clenched and aching. She hadn’t slept until after three A.M. He knew because he’d checked on her, quietly, every half hour. He wanted to think he was checking because he’d been worried. She’d been shaken at finding Jenkins’s body in her backyard, at the implicit threat. He wanted to think that, but he knew he was hoping that she’d change her mind and ask him to stay. She’d wanted to. He could see it in her eyes. But she hadn’t and in the end she’d curled up and slept like an angel.
While he felt like anything but. He wanted her with a fierceness that left him breathless. He’d thought about it a great deal as he’d lain awake, staring at the blue-striped wallpaper from her uncomfortable sofa. She was a beautiful woman, no question of that, but he’d met other beautiful women in his life. Kristen had something more, something deeper – integrity, courage, kindness, a tender heart that she hid so well. A heart she was just now allowing to be seen. A heart that he wanted for his own.
In only a week she’d stolen his.
He looked over to find Mia studying him intently, understanding in her round blue eyes. She was an attractive woman as well, but he didn’t want her. He wanted Kristen.
„I could tell you to be careful with her, but I think you know that,“ Mia said soberly.
Abe frowned. „Why? What do you know?“
Mia lifted a shoulder. „I’ve suspected for a long time that there was more to Kristen’s dedication than simple zeal for justice. I went as far as to check once, to see if she’d filed a complaint. I have a very close friend who counsels women for these things. I thought maybe Dana could help Kristen. But there was no complaint here in Chicago.“
„I wanted to check,“ Abe admitted.
„But you want her to tell you herself. Be patient, Abe. She’s been alone for a long time. It takes some time to get used to having someone to lean on.“
Abe heard something in Mia’s voice, a yearning of her own. „Who do you lean on?“
One side of her mouth curved, a sad little half smile. „Me.“ She blew out an exaggerated sigh. „Even tomboys can dream of Prince Charming. Unfortunately, all I ever get is frogs.“ The half smile became a rueful grimace and she pulled the big book closer. „Well, let’s get to it. How many Ge
Wednesday, February 25,
10:00 a.m.
Hunting the judge was proving easier than he’d anticipated. Fu
But now… He smiled, thinking of the miracle of the little electronic gadget he’d found in Trevor Ski
But safety was an illusion, born in the mind. If a man was made paranoid enough, he’d be afraid even in the most secure place. And that was his goal. To make every man in the fishbowl afraid.
He fingered the card in his pocket. Judge Edmund Hillman. He’d tried Leah’s case. Thanks to Ski
He’d get to the hotel early, before Hillman was due. He’d wait and watch and then he’d make his move. Then it would be his turn to bang the gavel.
Wednesday, February 25,
11:30 A.M.
Kristen hung up the phone carefully, resisting the urge to slam it down as Ronette Smith had just done. Ronette was fine, thank you very much, and her family was fine, and her life was fine, no thanks to the U.S. justice system. And me, Kristen thought, rubbing her forehead. Ronette had been very clear on that fact.
As had most of the names on her list. Kristen looked at the list objectively. She’d managed to get in touch with over half. Three had lost jobs recently, which could be a traumatic event, but they didn’t sound like she expected a killer to sound.
And how does a vigilante killer of nine sound? Cold? Dispassionate? Insane?
She was considering the question when a shadow fell over her papers. She looked up, expecting to see Spi