Part 26 (1/2)
”Then you're in the wrong town.”
”They're too insecure, they take too much care. I have the feeling you don't need a lot of confidence-building.”
”I'm not usually attracted to men who are fixers.”
”Dismissing the fixer part, did you just say that you were attracted to me?”
”You can pour me a gla.s.s of red wine while I take a shower.”
In my bathroom, I took off my s.h.i.+rt and jeans. My clothes were streaked with Ryan's blood. I held them a moment, then tossed them at the hamper and stepped into the shower. Letting the hot water run over my body, I felt like a different woman. Different from the insecure beauty Colin had loved. I ran the soap down my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and stomach. I was was.h.i.+ng myself for Heath.
Dried off, I opened the bathroom door to let the steam out, and the smell of eggs cooking and toast browning wafted in. My heart lurched. It had been a long time since someone had cooked for me. It's always the little things.
Naked except for Colin's silk paisley robe, I stood in the kitchen. Heath faced the stove, his broad back toward me. He'd taken off his holster and jacket, placed them on a chair, and rolled up his s.h.i.+rtsleeves. His forearms were strong, and the watch on his wrist looked functional and purposeful.
”It's been a long time since someone cooked for me,” I said. ”Thank you.”
He turned, fork in hand, then slowly put it down and in one fierce movement his arms were around me, his body pressing into mine, pus.h.i.+ng me against the wall. His mouth hard on my lips. I was ripping at his s.h.i.+rt while he untied my sash and the robe fell to the floor. A shedding of another life. I pulled him onto the kitchen table. Silverware clattered to the floor. He sucked at my breast. My back arched and my legs wrapped around his waist. And while the eggs and toast burned we devoured each other, ending up on the living room floor.
I peered up at the two Oscars and the urn on the mantel. Then closed my eyes against them, feeling the weight of this man.
Now we sat at the kitchen table eating Lean Cuisine, having dumped the burnt food in the garbage disposal. Heath's s.h.i.+rt hung open, his chest bare. I had torn the b.u.t.tons off it. My robe wrapped loosely around me.
”This stuff is awful.” He shoveled in the plastic food as if it were his last meal.
Sipping wine, I stared at the scar just above his heart, which my tongue had discovered earlier. ”Were you shot?”
”Sniper.”
”I thought they usually aimed at the head.”
”I moved. But the heart's a pretty good target.” He peered over the rim of his wine gla.s.s and wiggled his eyebrows at me as if we were making a joke.
”Why did you sign up?”
”Because terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.”
”For the love of country.”
”You could say that.”
”You still have that feeling?”
”Yes.”
”I can't figure you out.”
He placed his hand on mine. ”I can't figure you out either. Do we have to?”
”Yes.”
”Did you have Colin figured out?”
”No.”
”What about Celia?”
”Back to reality.” I withdrew my hand from his. ”You are a relentlessly good interrogator.”
”Habit, sorry.”
”What about her? Why don't you tell me what you think?” I pushed my finished plate aside.
”Maybe Ryan accidentally picked the right name to give to Parson. Celia has 24/7 access to the Bel Air house. And when you called her to tell her she was in danger, the only question she asked was whether it was Parson. A man she told you she didn't know. Also the night Jenny Parson was murdered, Celia was struck in the face and then lied about who did it. Why lie? It makes me think she still hasn't told you the truth about how she got bruised.”
”She says she was in her car being attacked by Ben Zaitlin around the time Jenny died.”
He put his wine gla.s.s down. ”Ben?”
I explained how Ben wanted to meet with Celia, the woman his father loved instead of his mother. And how he began to hit her.
”And this happened while Jenny Parson was in her underground garage being murdered?”
”Yes.”
”Doesn't sound like Ben. Working for Zaitlin, I've gotten to know the kid a little bit. He's not violent. He's an insecure rich kid who doesn't know his real father. Except that he raped Ben's mother. He doesn't know how he ended up in the life he's living.”
”So what are you saying? Celia made up the story about Ben?”
”First she said it was me and now she says it was him.”
”But she was protecting him when she lied about you. She needed a name to give me and thought we'd never see you again.”
”I'm glad we did.” Taking his plate, he stood. ”Are you finished?”
”Yes. Her bruises were real.”
”I'm not saying they weren't.” He rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. ”Has she called you?”
I went into the living room and took my cell out of my purse. With the dishtowel thrown over his shoulder, Heath watched from the doorway. He seemed as comfortable doing the dishes as he did aiming his Colt.
”No message,” I said. ”Are you saying she was involved in Jenny's murder?”
”Maybe it wasn't her choice to be involved.”
”What do you mean?”
”I'm not sure.”
”I can't see her shooting Zackary Logan.”