Evidence of Marriage by Ann Voss Peterson Page B

reassure her, tell her they would find Nadine Washburn, that she would be okay. But he couldn’t do that. No more than he could make pronouncements he didn’t know to be true. “His intention was to kill her all along, Diana. Remember that.”
    She opened her mouth to protest.
    He held up a hand. “Serial killers don’t just kidnap, they kill. Our chances of finding Nadine alive might be slimmer after this, but they were almost nonexistent from the beginning.”
    He knew she didn’t want to believe it. Hell, he didn’t blame her. Even with all she’d been through in her twenty-three years, she hadn’t seen even a small fraction of life’s underbelly. He hoped she never had to experience more of it than she alreadyhad. “We need to be more covert about your involvement in the case. For your safety. There’s no point in egging Kane on.”
    â€œCovert? What does that mean? That I sit in my hotel room and knit?”
    And you don’t come out until this is over. He took a deep breath, trying to come up with a more tactful way of saying it. “Being seen riding around with me isn’t a good idea.”
    â€œBut I can go to the district office, right? I can help there.”
    He shifted in his seat, trying to stave off the pain from another shot of acid to his burgeoning ulcer.
    â€œAs long as I don’t go anywhere, Kane won’t know the difference, right?”
    â€œI suppose you’re right. And we could use your help. The paperwork that goes with coordinating a case like this is staggering. We never have enough civilian support staff.” Of course, with all Diana knew about Kane, she brought more to the table than the average civilian. And she’d certainly be safe sitting in the district office surrounded by police. The wheels in his mind started turning, thinking of ways she might be able to help.
    He started the car, the AC slapping him in the face with a bout of refreshingly cold air. He had to admit, he was more comfortable with the thought of Diana being where he could see her, watch overher. He wasn’t dumb enough to tell her that after their discussion last night, but he liked the idea all the same.
    Even though every hour with her made it harder and harder to remember she was no longer his.
    He focused on the case, turning things over in his mind as they made the hour drive back to Madison.
    They reached the shadow of the state capitol at about one o’clock and circled on the one-way street a block off the capitol square. Turning on Carroll Street, they approached the district office entrance.
    A crowd had gathered on the sidewalk. As television cameras turned to capture his and Diana’s images, ice descended into his gut. “Damn Perreth. He must have convinced the lieutenant to issue a press release. Or he just booked it. I’m going to choke the living—” He hit the gas, cruising right past the swarm of reporters and cameras. He turned right onto another one-way street and started winding his way around the block. “We’ll go in through the garage. Hopefully the buzzards don’t have that door staked out.”
    â€œSo much for Kane not seeing us together.”
    â€œThey haven’t gotten a clear shot yet.” He turned back onto Doty Street. If he was smart, he’d take Diana straight to the hotel, no matter what her protests.
    He glanced at her. Despite the determined set toher chin, fine lines rimmed her lips and dug between her eyebrows.
    What he wouldn’t give to smooth those lines away with his fingers. What he wouldn’t give to hit the highway and keep driving until she was far away from Dryden Kane.
    Maybe she was right. Maybe he would always try to take care of her, despite the odds, despite his failures. Maybe he would never change. Maybe, if he was honest with himself, he didn’t even want to.
    A weight settled in his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He