Страница 57 из 94
Jane Thomas stepped up onto a small stage that was positioned at one end of the courtyard and thanked everyone for coming. The program was short. A poetry reading in memory of Lisa Warwick. A plea for information from the public regarding both cases. An a
They shuffled toward the exit with the rest of the crowd. Talk of the findings at the salvage yard that afternoon rippled through. Speculation about the sudden series of crimes ran the gamut from evil seeping north from Los Angeles to an obvious decline of a once-great society.
“I need an espresso,” Fra
As they turned in the direction of the plaza, A
Janet Crane was bearing down on her like a charging tigress. Her eyes were so wide-open the white was visible all the way around the iris. Her lips pulled back in a grimace that showed gritted teeth.
A
“Miss Navarre,” she spat each word as if it tasted bad. “I would like a word with you.”
A
“Mrs. Crane-”
“How dare you!” Her voice was lowered to a harsh whisper to keep from being overheard, but carried all the strength of a shout. “How dare you try to use my son.”
Caught mentally flatfooted, A
She glanced at Tommy, who looked both mortified and hurt, and wouldn’t make eye contact with her. His expression was a harder punch in the stomach than any verbal attack his mother could launch.
Janet Crane’s words broke up like bad radio reception in A
“… making a little boy think his father might be some kind of-of monster… absolutely outrageous… My husband is a highly respected member of this community. How dare you insinuate…”
A
Then a man’s voice came from her left. Low, rough, familiar. “Is there some kind of problem here, ladies?”
It took a minute for the rage to clear from Janet Crane’s eyes. She blinked at Vince like he had dropped out of the sky.
“Oh. Oh! Mr. Leone,” she said, scrambling. A
“If I’m going to be part of the community, I thought I should start participating,” he said smoothly. “Is everything all right? This looked like a bit of a disagreement,” he said, wagging a finger from one to the other of them.
“No. No!” Janet Crane said, flashing the too bright smile. “Not at all. Everything is fine. Mr. Leone, this is A
“We’ve met, actually,” he said.
“Oh. Well. That’s wonderful!”
He smiled down at A
“I certainly hope it will be. In fact, I was hoping to catch up with you tonight, Miss Navarre,” he said, settling his hand on the small of her back once again. “I need to discuss something with you. If you’ll excuse us, Mrs. Crane?”
Janet smiled the brittle smile that made A
“Of course,” she said. “My son and I were just on our way home. Have a lovely evening. Good to see you, A
A chill ran down A
“Oh my God,” Fra
“That was your fault,” A
He had the grace to look contrite. “I’m sorry.”
“You should be. She’s going to get Tommy taken out of my class,” she said, swiping angrily at a tear that dared to fall. “I’m someone he should be able to trust and she’s going to take him away, and who will he have then?”
“A
“I’m going home,” she a
“A
“No,” she said, jerking away from him, not slowing down. “I’m upset, and I’m going home before I make a complete spectacle of myself in the street.”
“I’ll fix it,” he said.
“You’ll fix it?” she turned and stared at him, incredulous. “How will you fix it? How will you get that little boy to trust me?”
“He’ll trust you again,” he promised. “He wants to trust you. He needs to trust you. He sure as hell can’t trust his mother. He’ll turn back to you. And he won’t be going anywhere. I’ll take care of Janet Crane.”
A
“Well, I am from Chicago, but I promise I only work on the right side of the street.”
“Don’t try to be amusing,” she snapped. “I’m in no mood to be amused.”
“Sorry.”
“And what makes you think you can stop Janet Crane from doing something if she’s made up her mind?” she demanded, jamming her hands on her hips.
“I don’t think I can. I will,” he said. “Janet Crane has a lot, which means she has a lot to lose. Her status, for instance. Her standing in the community. I have the ability to make those things go away simply by having a conversation with a reporter.”
A
“I owe you,” he said. “Besides, people can’t mess with people I like. And she can’t screw with me because she’s got no currency with me. She’s got nothing to threaten me with. I’ve got the big stick, and I’ll use it.”
A
“Let me see you home,” he said, dialing down his intensity a notch.
“I’m capable of driving myself home,” A
“I’m well aware you’re capable,” he said, brows lowered over his dark eyes. “I would feel better seeing you home. You’re upset. You’re not going to be paying attention. There’s still a killer on the loose. Now that I’ve fucked up-pardon my French-your relationship with your student, making sure you’re safe seems like the least I can do. Is that all right with you?”
Without examining her reasons too closely, A