see he doesn’t understand.
“I thought you didn’t like this work? That
you’d decided it’s not for you.”
“After you went away, I…floundered. That was
a serious miscarriage of justice. You should never have gone to
prison. I thought maybe I could make a difference from inside the
system. I’m good at the work, but…it’s not a drive in me the way it
should be and sometimes I hate it. I hate constantly seeing the
worst in people. People like Tim Monroe.”
He stares at me a long time and I can’t read
him. I have no idea what he’s thinking.
“How much longer are you going to be here?”
he asks.
“I’m not getting any information out of him,
so I’ll be going home soon. I think I’ve done my family duty
tonight.”
I’d come to the party mainly because Mom
expected me to, and she would understand my wanting to cut out
early. Since Honor isn’t here tonight, Mom is the only one in the
room who agrees with me on Tim’s creep status. She also knows
something is up with me and has subtly questioned me all night.
Certain it has something to do with a man other than Monroe, she
seems determined to get answers.
I stifle a groan. There is no telling how
Joanne will react once she finds out Trace is back...and that I’m
sleeping with him. Since my father died and is no longer around to
control our lives or behavior, no longer around to terrorize the
women he was supposed to cherish, my mom has gone the eccentric
Southern lady route. But even she has limits.
Out of view on the other side of the tree,
the door creaks opened.
“Lynn?” Tim calls out. I hear his steps on
the flagstone and jerk away from Trace.
“Go,” I mouth to him. I turn and walk around
the tree.
“I’m here.” I walk past him to the door and
reach for the knob before he can get it. “I was just getting a good
view of the tree. Nice job this year, huh?”
I plaster a fake smile on my face and look up
at him. He’s looking at the grounds and his brow creases in
puzzlement.
“What is it?” I ask, trying to remain
nonchalant.
He shakes his head. “Nothing. Thought I saw
someone, but it must have been a shadow.”
Or Trace Graham. But he doesn’t need to know
that. I have an overwhelming urge to leave the party immediately,
knowing he’ll be waiting for me at home. I suspect Monroe isn’t
safe as long as I’m with him, and I’d hate like hell to have to
send Trace back to prison for beating him up...or worse.
I smother a yawn. It’s been a long day and
Christmas is only a few days away. I dragged my tree and ornaments
out of storage earlier in the day in hopes I’d get it up tonight,
but I really just want to fall into bed. I’ll do it tomorrow, when
I’m off and can take care of that and my shopping, along with my
mother’s twenty questions.
Monroe is silent beside me as we walk through
the ballroom. I’m looking for my mother, and he’s what? Following
me? In the back of the room, I see Mom deep in conversation with
Mrs. Baker and suppress a groan. Not tonight. Please. I stop and
look up at Tim.
“I’m beat. I need to say good-bye to my
mother, and then if you’re ready, I’d like to head home. I can call
someone to come get me if you aren’t.”
He grins and looks past me. “One more dance,
and then maybe your mom will be free.”
I force a laugh. “Okay. One more, and then
really, I need to go.”
He talks about work and I lead the
conversation around to Magee.
“Heard from Magee again?” I ask.
“No,” he answers, sounding concerned but I
hear the insincerity. “I hope nothing happened to him. Mexico can
be a dangerous place.”
“Hmm,” I reply. A non-comment. “I’d like to
talk to the guys he worked with again.”
“Sure. We’re working a half-day on Christmas
Eve at headquarters, and will be having a lunch around eleven. Why
don’t you stop by?”
“I think I will. Thanks.”
The dance ends and I can’t pull away from him
fast enough. I sigh when I see my mother still
“I thought you didn’t like this work? That
you’d decided it’s not for you.”
“After you went away, I…floundered. That was
a serious miscarriage of justice. You should never have gone to
prison. I thought maybe I could make a difference from inside the
system. I’m good at the work, but…it’s not a drive in me the way it
should be and sometimes I hate it. I hate constantly seeing the
worst in people. People like Tim Monroe.”
He stares at me a long time and I can’t read
him. I have no idea what he’s thinking.
“How much longer are you going to be here?”
he asks.
“I’m not getting any information out of him,
so I’ll be going home soon. I think I’ve done my family duty
tonight.”
I’d come to the party mainly because Mom
expected me to, and she would understand my wanting to cut out
early. Since Honor isn’t here tonight, Mom is the only one in the
room who agrees with me on Tim’s creep status. She also knows
something is up with me and has subtly questioned me all night.
Certain it has something to do with a man other than Monroe, she
seems determined to get answers.
I stifle a groan. There is no telling how
Joanne will react once she finds out Trace is back...and that I’m
sleeping with him. Since my father died and is no longer around to
control our lives or behavior, no longer around to terrorize the
women he was supposed to cherish, my mom has gone the eccentric
Southern lady route. But even she has limits.
Out of view on the other side of the tree,
the door creaks opened.
“Lynn?” Tim calls out. I hear his steps on
the flagstone and jerk away from Trace.
“Go,” I mouth to him. I turn and walk around
the tree.
“I’m here.” I walk past him to the door and
reach for the knob before he can get it. “I was just getting a good
view of the tree. Nice job this year, huh?”
I plaster a fake smile on my face and look up
at him. He’s looking at the grounds and his brow creases in
puzzlement.
“What is it?” I ask, trying to remain
nonchalant.
He shakes his head. “Nothing. Thought I saw
someone, but it must have been a shadow.”
Or Trace Graham. But he doesn’t need to know
that. I have an overwhelming urge to leave the party immediately,
knowing he’ll be waiting for me at home. I suspect Monroe isn’t
safe as long as I’m with him, and I’d hate like hell to have to
send Trace back to prison for beating him up...or worse.
I smother a yawn. It’s been a long day and
Christmas is only a few days away. I dragged my tree and ornaments
out of storage earlier in the day in hopes I’d get it up tonight,
but I really just want to fall into bed. I’ll do it tomorrow, when
I’m off and can take care of that and my shopping, along with my
mother’s twenty questions.
Monroe is silent beside me as we walk through
the ballroom. I’m looking for my mother, and he’s what? Following
me? In the back of the room, I see Mom deep in conversation with
Mrs. Baker and suppress a groan. Not tonight. Please. I stop and
look up at Tim.
“I’m beat. I need to say good-bye to my
mother, and then if you’re ready, I’d like to head home. I can call
someone to come get me if you aren’t.”
He grins and looks past me. “One more dance,
and then maybe your mom will be free.”
I force a laugh. “Okay. One more, and then
really, I need to go.”
He talks about work and I lead the
conversation around to Magee.
“Heard from Magee again?” I ask.
“No,” he answers, sounding concerned but I
hear the insincerity. “I hope nothing happened to him. Mexico can
be a dangerous place.”
“Hmm,” I reply. A non-comment. “I’d like to
talk to the guys he worked with again.”
“Sure. We’re working a half-day on Christmas
Eve at headquarters, and will be having a lunch around eleven. Why
don’t you stop by?”
“I think I will. Thanks.”
The dance ends and I can’t pull away from him
fast enough. I sigh when I see my mother still
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