Part 28 (2/2)
”You 'will' tell the relatives about him?” she asked him again. She had no time in her life for a dog. Her hours were horrendous.
”Yes.”
”If no one wants him...”
”You can take him to the shelter. Or keep him.” He was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. Quizzically.
She knew she would never take the dog to the shelter. She owed Mrs. Starnes. Outside, she lowered the dog to the ground and he walked with her to her car. The house now was surrounded by police cars and uniformed police. She saw that several were at doors up and down the street, obviously canva.s.sing the neighborhood for possible witnesses.
She reached her car and held the door open while the dog reluctantly got in. She was blocked by one police car, and she saw Gage talking to several officers. One moved the car behind her while Gage got into an unmarked car.
For a moment, she regretted her decision. She remembered how at ease she'd felt with him last night, how comfortable because of, or in spite of, the attraction that spiked between them.
She drove slowly, touching the dog occasionally. Talking to him. He sat upright in the pa.s.senger seat, his eyes seldom leaving her, as if she would help him fathom what was happening to him.
Fifteen minutes later, she parked in the driveway. It was the later part of dusk, and the air was hot and thick, laden with moisture. The sweet smell of hibiscus and magnolia permeated the air. She got out and opened the gate into the back, then returned to the car and drove inside. Gage parked outside.
He joined her at the door and took out his revolver. With the other hand, he took her key and opened the door, stepping inside first. She followed, punching in the code numbers of the security system.
”Stay here,” he said, and moved forward without giving her a chance to say aye or nay.
She remained at the door, clutching the leash. Nicky stood still, panting nervously.
In minutes, Gage returned. ”Everything looks okay. You might want to look through it before I leave, make sure no one has been here.”
She had no argument left in her. She took the leash off Nicky and went to her office, the dog plodding behind her. She turned on her new computer. No one had used it since her last log-on. Her desk looked undisturbed. She returned to the living room, where he was inspecting her telephone.
Then she remembered his comment that her home and phones should be checked for listening devices.
”Anything?” she asked in little more than a whisper.
He didn't answer. His attention was fixed on the parts of the telephone receiver he'd separated. He took out a tiny piece of metal and balanced it in his hand, then carefully replaced it. Then he led her out to the back porch.
”The phone is bugged. I'll check the one in the kitchen and the one upstairs as well. Your burglar must have installed them between tras.h.i.+ng your home. Perhaps the vandalism was just a cover for that.”
She tried to tamp her growing anger. A malevolent presence had been listening to her every word to friends, a.s.sociates, clients.
”What do you want to do?” he asked. ”It might be better if whatever did this doesn't know you've discovered it.”
”All right.” She hesitated. ”Do you think any of the rooms...?”
”I doubt it. That's harder to monitor than a phone line. But I'll have someone sweep the house. Just be careful what you say on the phone.” He leaned over and touched her cheek. ”Be careful, period. It could be dangerous.”
”As opposed to what?” she asked.
He smiled. ”That's the Meredith Rawson I know.”
But she didn't want to be diverted. ”You think Mrs. Starnes died because I tried to reach her?”
He shrugged. ”It's a possibility.”
”We still don't know if there's any connection other than the fact I found... her.” Even she knew how weak that comment was. The person found at the scene of a crime was always the first suspect. Ironically, Meredith had probably told the killer through the bugged phone how to find Mrs. Starnes.
His gaze met hers. It did not allow self-delusion. ”Tell me more about your half sister. Everything that has happened to you follows too closely your attempts to locate her.”
”I planned to go to Memphis this week and see what I could find out.”
”Alone?”
”Yes.”
”I have some vacation coming. I'll go with you.”
She knew she should say no. He had a way of distracting her. ”I'm leaving Thursday. I want to check area obstetricians practicing at the time of my sister's birth. And attorneys. I doubt whether anyone is still in practice but...”
”I can manage that.”
”I don't think it's a good idea.”
”Going alone is a worse idea.”
”Perhaps Sarah ...” But she knew neither Becky nor Sarah could go with her. They both had families of their own. And he was right. Danger seemed to lurk around every corner.
She didn't consider herself a stupid person. And she would have to be quite stupid not to realize she was in the midst of a situation she didn't understand. A deadly situation.
”All right,” she said.
”A little more enthusiasm please.” A small crooked smile accompanied the words.
”I'm 'not' enthusiastic. You and I... we are like gunpowder and fire.”
”And you object to fireworks?”
”When they're uncontrolled,” she replied. ”Don't you?”
He studied her for a moment. Then shrugged. ”I'm not sure,” he admitted wryly.
At least he had some of the same doubts that haunted her.
”I don't like leaving you alone here.”
”I'm not alone. I have Nicky.”
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