very unstable. I was willing to overlook all her faults because I loved her. Her death was a tragedy. The furor around our wedding day has finally started to fade away and I don’t want it stirred up again. Now, I’ve asked nicely. Next time I won’t be so kind.”
Alex’s hackles rose. “That a threat, Mr. Landover?”
“A promise,” Pierce said, his gaze shifting to Alex. “Stay out of my business.”
Tara’s gaze flicked to Alex as if she were annoyed by his sudden protectiveness. But as Pierce turned to leave, she blurted out, “Have you ever heard of Brenda Latimer?”
Pierce hesitated and frowned. “Who?”
“Brenda Latimer,” she said carefully. She spelled the last name.
Alex watched Pierce’s expression closely. As a cop, he’d learned not only to listen to what people said, but also concentrate on how they said it.
“No,” Pierce said. He seemed genuinely bemused, but then he had a reputation as an accomplished liar. “Who is she?”
“A grifter and prostitute from New York,” Tara said.
He arched a gray eyebrow. “Why would I know someone like that?”
Tara shrugged. “I’ve seen pictures of her. She looks a lot like Kit.”
Pierce sipped his scotch. “We all have our doubles, Ms. Mackey.”
“These two women could be twins,” Tara interjected as he started to turn.”
Pierce shook his head. “Don’t start any nasty rumors.”
“I only deal in hard facts.”
His expression tightened. “You will only get one warning from me.” He strode away.
Tara watched him leave as she sipped her beer. “That went well.”
Alex didn’t hide his surprise. “You’ve been a reporter too long not to recognize a serious threat.”
“His threats are a good thing.”
“How so?”
She tapped her finger against the side of her beer bottle. “I’m getting closer to the truth.”
Trying to kill Tara last night had been an impulsive act.
Borelli had been so careful this past year to cover his tracks. But when the nosy reporter had come sniffing around, pure adrenaline and anger had driven him into action. He’d gone to the paper, and when he’d seen her leaving he’d followed her. His rage had overtaken him and he’d rammed her car.
It had been thrilling and exciting to see the fear in her eyes as her car had rolled off the road. It had also been maddening to see her climb out of the wreckage whole and healthy. It had been tempting to double back and take a second swipe at her but by then motorists had begun to stop and help her.
In retrospect, it was better she’d lived.
The last thing he needed was Detective Alex Kirkland breathing down his neck. The cop was smart and he’d figure this whole mess out if Borelli wasn’t careful.
Borelli just needed to control his temper and stay calm. What was it Kit used to tell him? Keep your anger in check and your mouth shut.
Just a few more weeks and the waiting would be over.
Chapter 9
Tuesday, July 15, 10:00 p.m.
T ara relaxed back in her seat as Kirkland drove them back to Roxie’s after they left the club. They talked on the ride back about everything and nothing and Tara found herself forgetting about Robert, Pierce and the fact that Kirkland was from their social set.
Right now, he was just a man. A very attractive man, who made her feel things she hadn’t felt in a very long time.
He parked in front of Roxie’s and shut off the engine. They sat in the moonlight. He’d taken off his jacket and loosened his tie. Chest hair curled out from the vee of his shirt collar.
She wasn’t in a rush for the evening to end. “Thanks again for taking me.”
“You’re not a bad date, Mackey.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
She remembered the kiss they’d shared the other night. She wanted to kiss him again, and that insight scared her. She had vowed nine years ago never to enter the high-society world and she feared Kirkland would put her back there.
Tara grabbed the door handle with hands that
Alex’s hackles rose. “That a threat, Mr. Landover?”
“A promise,” Pierce said, his gaze shifting to Alex. “Stay out of my business.”
Tara’s gaze flicked to Alex as if she were annoyed by his sudden protectiveness. But as Pierce turned to leave, she blurted out, “Have you ever heard of Brenda Latimer?”
Pierce hesitated and frowned. “Who?”
“Brenda Latimer,” she said carefully. She spelled the last name.
Alex watched Pierce’s expression closely. As a cop, he’d learned not only to listen to what people said, but also concentrate on how they said it.
“No,” Pierce said. He seemed genuinely bemused, but then he had a reputation as an accomplished liar. “Who is she?”
“A grifter and prostitute from New York,” Tara said.
He arched a gray eyebrow. “Why would I know someone like that?”
Tara shrugged. “I’ve seen pictures of her. She looks a lot like Kit.”
Pierce sipped his scotch. “We all have our doubles, Ms. Mackey.”
“These two women could be twins,” Tara interjected as he started to turn.”
Pierce shook his head. “Don’t start any nasty rumors.”
“I only deal in hard facts.”
His expression tightened. “You will only get one warning from me.” He strode away.
Tara watched him leave as she sipped her beer. “That went well.”
Alex didn’t hide his surprise. “You’ve been a reporter too long not to recognize a serious threat.”
“His threats are a good thing.”
“How so?”
She tapped her finger against the side of her beer bottle. “I’m getting closer to the truth.”
Trying to kill Tara last night had been an impulsive act.
Borelli had been so careful this past year to cover his tracks. But when the nosy reporter had come sniffing around, pure adrenaline and anger had driven him into action. He’d gone to the paper, and when he’d seen her leaving he’d followed her. His rage had overtaken him and he’d rammed her car.
It had been thrilling and exciting to see the fear in her eyes as her car had rolled off the road. It had also been maddening to see her climb out of the wreckage whole and healthy. It had been tempting to double back and take a second swipe at her but by then motorists had begun to stop and help her.
In retrospect, it was better she’d lived.
The last thing he needed was Detective Alex Kirkland breathing down his neck. The cop was smart and he’d figure this whole mess out if Borelli wasn’t careful.
Borelli just needed to control his temper and stay calm. What was it Kit used to tell him? Keep your anger in check and your mouth shut.
Just a few more weeks and the waiting would be over.
Chapter 9
Tuesday, July 15, 10:00 p.m.
T ara relaxed back in her seat as Kirkland drove them back to Roxie’s after they left the club. They talked on the ride back about everything and nothing and Tara found herself forgetting about Robert, Pierce and the fact that Kirkland was from their social set.
Right now, he was just a man. A very attractive man, who made her feel things she hadn’t felt in a very long time.
He parked in front of Roxie’s and shut off the engine. They sat in the moonlight. He’d taken off his jacket and loosened his tie. Chest hair curled out from the vee of his shirt collar.
She wasn’t in a rush for the evening to end. “Thanks again for taking me.”
“You’re not a bad date, Mackey.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
She remembered the kiss they’d shared the other night. She wanted to kiss him again, and that insight scared her. She had vowed nine years ago never to enter the high-society world and she feared Kirkland would put her back there.
Tara grabbed the door handle with hands that
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