up to the curb, and Daniels leaned out the window with a taunting smirk. “She gave you the slip.”
Erik opened the door and dropped into the tattered seat. “No. I let her go.”
“Care to explain?”
“DeMarco warned me that she would try to lose me, so I’m letting her get it out of her system.” He slouched down and pulled his baseball cap over his forehead. Was his partner an Eskimo? He could freeze ice inside the car.
“I suppose you know where she’s going, genius.”
“No.” He pulled a GPS receiver from his pocket. “But she’ll let us know as long as she’s carrying her purse.”
“Cold, man. You’re cold.”
What choice did he have? While she remained flaming mad at him, she wouldn’t agree to a single request of his. “Better than letting her kill herself. She doesn’t realize what she’s up against and she’s not likely to believe me.”
Daniels chuckled. “You mean you haven’t charmed your way back into her good graces yet?” Her good graces?
She barely spoke to him after dinner. He would have preferred a shouting match to her stony silence. Despite obvious exhaustion, she’d ignored his suggestion that she go to bed. Instead, she sat in front of the television watching the most ridiculous shows she could find. He’d learned more about the mating rituals of the fruit fly than he would ever need to know.
He figured she wanted to punish him, but after watching her jump at every little noise, he realized she was trying to bore herself to sleep, not him. Of course, she would never admit that she appreciated his presence in her house. Instead, she wrapped herself in a blanket and stared at the screen.
“So, what direction is she heading?” Daniels asked.
“Northeast,” Erik said. “She has her briefcase. My guess is that she’s heading to her office.”
“For a woman who’s on vacation, she sure spends a lot of time there.”
From what Erik gathered, she didn’t have much of a social life outside of her work. She referred to neighbors and colleagues, but never spoke about friends. He imagined that a woman with her looks and intelligence would intimidate both men and women alike.
Oddly, solitude suited her. Several times last night he got the impression that she was off in her own world and perfectly happy there. Unfortunately, with his ego running in overdrive, he couldn’t stand not having the attention of a beautiful woman and he spitefully made his presence known.
Why? Personal involvement led to complications. Once this job ended, he’d be assigned to another case.
Victoria differed from the scheming felons or thrill-seeking operatives he’d come to know through his work. She was a “to have and to hold” type of woman. That made her all the more dangerous to his peace of mind and the unencumbered lifestyle he’d perfected over the years.
* * * *
Victoria finished up the last of her paperwork, keeping a watchful eye on the door. She’d accomplished her escape with surprising ease, but she couldn’t enjoy the moment. In fact, her so-called brave action put her in more danger. With Becker still on the loose, her safety depended on Erik for the time being. She decided to return to the house before he sent out a search party. Or worse, called her brother.
As she started down the hall, she caught sight of Roger strutting towards her with one of his physically endowed, but intellectually impaired, coeds at his side. She figured he’d planned a private tutoring session. “Victoria. What brings you here today?” He waved the young woman into his office.
“Hi, Roger. Just leaving.”
“Too bad.” He looked her over like one of his “grade A” students. She didn’t acknowledge his appraising grin, since he looked at her sweater instead of her face when he spoke. “Maybe we can meet up for lunch later.”
“I don’t think—”
“Are you ready, Tori?”
The deep voice from behind gave her a start. She turned to see Erik leaning against
Erik opened the door and dropped into the tattered seat. “No. I let her go.”
“Care to explain?”
“DeMarco warned me that she would try to lose me, so I’m letting her get it out of her system.” He slouched down and pulled his baseball cap over his forehead. Was his partner an Eskimo? He could freeze ice inside the car.
“I suppose you know where she’s going, genius.”
“No.” He pulled a GPS receiver from his pocket. “But she’ll let us know as long as she’s carrying her purse.”
“Cold, man. You’re cold.”
What choice did he have? While she remained flaming mad at him, she wouldn’t agree to a single request of his. “Better than letting her kill herself. She doesn’t realize what she’s up against and she’s not likely to believe me.”
Daniels chuckled. “You mean you haven’t charmed your way back into her good graces yet?” Her good graces?
She barely spoke to him after dinner. He would have preferred a shouting match to her stony silence. Despite obvious exhaustion, she’d ignored his suggestion that she go to bed. Instead, she sat in front of the television watching the most ridiculous shows she could find. He’d learned more about the mating rituals of the fruit fly than he would ever need to know.
He figured she wanted to punish him, but after watching her jump at every little noise, he realized she was trying to bore herself to sleep, not him. Of course, she would never admit that she appreciated his presence in her house. Instead, she wrapped herself in a blanket and stared at the screen.
“So, what direction is she heading?” Daniels asked.
“Northeast,” Erik said. “She has her briefcase. My guess is that she’s heading to her office.”
“For a woman who’s on vacation, she sure spends a lot of time there.”
From what Erik gathered, she didn’t have much of a social life outside of her work. She referred to neighbors and colleagues, but never spoke about friends. He imagined that a woman with her looks and intelligence would intimidate both men and women alike.
Oddly, solitude suited her. Several times last night he got the impression that she was off in her own world and perfectly happy there. Unfortunately, with his ego running in overdrive, he couldn’t stand not having the attention of a beautiful woman and he spitefully made his presence known.
Why? Personal involvement led to complications. Once this job ended, he’d be assigned to another case.
Victoria differed from the scheming felons or thrill-seeking operatives he’d come to know through his work. She was a “to have and to hold” type of woman. That made her all the more dangerous to his peace of mind and the unencumbered lifestyle he’d perfected over the years.
* * * *
Victoria finished up the last of her paperwork, keeping a watchful eye on the door. She’d accomplished her escape with surprising ease, but she couldn’t enjoy the moment. In fact, her so-called brave action put her in more danger. With Becker still on the loose, her safety depended on Erik for the time being. She decided to return to the house before he sent out a search party. Or worse, called her brother.
As she started down the hall, she caught sight of Roger strutting towards her with one of his physically endowed, but intellectually impaired, coeds at his side. She figured he’d planned a private tutoring session. “Victoria. What brings you here today?” He waved the young woman into his office.
“Hi, Roger. Just leaving.”
“Too bad.” He looked her over like one of his “grade A” students. She didn’t acknowledge his appraising grin, since he looked at her sweater instead of her face when he spoke. “Maybe we can meet up for lunch later.”
“I don’t think—”
“Are you ready, Tori?”
The deep voice from behind gave her a start. She turned to see Erik leaning against
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