Annie on the Lam: A Christmas Caper by Jennifer Archer Page B

that to happen, either.”
    In the space of silence that followed, Joe thought of Annie’s mother and felt certain the old man did, too. Had Macy done something he regretted that had driven his wife into Frank Reno’s arms?
    â€œShe thinks you’re a cab driver who picked her up, yet she’s spending the night at your apartment,” the old man muttered in a weary, disbelieving tone. “I don’t know what has gotten into her. She’s always had an impulsive streak, but this goes beyond that. She’s behaving just like her mother. And now she’s mixed up with that son-of-a-bitch like her mother was, too.”
    Joe heard the ring of raw fear in the older man’s voice. “She’s safer trusting me right now than she would be on her own in some hotel room and she knows it. What else would you have wanted her to do?”
    â€œCatch the first flight home, that’s what.”
    â€œAfter midnight? I doubt seriously she could’ve found one.”
    â€œWell, see that she does in the morning. And I don’t want her out of your sight until she’s on the plane, do you understand?”
    â€œI’ll try to talk her into going home, but I can’t force her to. She’s a headstrong woman.”
    â€œYou think I don’t know that? Do whatever it takes. Hogtie her and haul her onto the plane yourself if you have to, I don’t care, just make sure she’s safe.”
    â€œMr. Macy…I might be crossing a line here, but why can’t we just tell her the truth? She’s an adult and I’m not much of an actor. When she realizes you were concerned enough about her safety to hire me, I bet she’ll go home just to ease your mind.”
    Macy released a raspy chuckle. “You obviously don’t know Annie. Even in light of the trouble she’s in, she’d be furious with me for having her followed.”
    And furious at me for lying to her, Joe thought. He didn’t like deceiving anyone for money. It wasn’t his style. And he really didn’t want to break his promise to himself and be the one responsible for her.
    â€œI’m willing to pay you a bonus for seeing that my daughter returns to Georgia safely,” Macy said, then quoted a figure.
    Joe winced. The sum would easily pay for a deposit on a better place for his mother, as well as her moving expenses, with plenty left over. What the hell. Sometimes good reasons justified compromising integrity. And he could let Anne Macy in on at least some of the truth without betraying her father. If the two of them were going to get to the bottom of whatever was in those files, it might be easier if she knew certain things about his past.
    â€œOkay,” Joe said reluctantly. “I’ll see that she gets safely home to you.”
    â€œWhat about those files?” Macy asked.
    Joe heard the shower turn off in the next room. “We’ll have to talk about that later. I think she’s coming.”
    After ending the call, Joe sat back and stared at the bedroom door. For the briefest of seconds, he imagined Annie Macy stepping out of the shower naked and slick from the spray. He ordered the image out of his mind, told it to stay out. Now more than ever, she was definitely off-limits.
    He glanced at the kitchen clock. 4:00 a.m. Even so, he had a feeling that the few remaining hours of the night would be long and restless.

CHAPTER 7
    Annie dried off from head to toe before wrapping the towel turban-style around her wet hair. She found a tube of toothpaste in the medicine cabinet, squirted some onto her finger and made do. Finishing, she grabbed Joe’s terry-cloth robe from the hook on the door, slipped it on, took her purse and exited the bathroom.
    She found him in the living room sitting on the couch. When he looked up at her, she saw the same dark desire in his eyes that had been there before the phone rang. Yet there was a hint of restraint in the set of his