apartment?”
***
Several hours later, Mia slammed the laptop shut and stared across the coffee table at Jake. She hadn’t slept. Her mind wouldn’t stop thinking about Leigh Anne’s body, lying in a pile of ashes with her throat slit.
And the murderer following them.
And Jake Stone lying in bed in the next room.
“I can’t find a thing linking Leigh Anne to Pam Foley other than the fact that they worked at the same company.” After hours of combing through Leigh Anne’s files, Mia’s head ached.
“Then we’ll fall back on plan B. Ask her for an interview.”
“What plan B? You think she’d talk to me?” Mia leaned back on the sofa.
“You’re a reporter.” Jake rubbed a hand over his day old beard. “I’ll go along as your cameraman.”
“What camera?” Mia lifted a brow. “Do you think she was the one we heard in the condo?”
“Someone there, but it wasn’t the secretary.”
Mia glared at him. “How do you know? We didn’t see who was upstairs.”
“Time,” Jake tapped his wrist. “The news anchor said Pam Foley was arrested around three A.M. We were back here by twelve. And don’t forget someone followed us.”
Mia’s imagination supplied the watch he wasn’t wearing, but it didn’t stop there. The dark hair on his arms made her wonder if he had hair on his chest or if—what was wrong with her?
The intruder could have killed them last night. Or they might have been arrested like the secretary had, but all she could think about was how appealing she found Jake.
“You don’t think Pam was the person following us?” She asked, knowing the answer, but not liking it all the same. At least an interview wouldn’t be breaking the law. “I’ll make the call.”
***
Pam Foley agreed to meet Mia, alone, in a public place. Mia suggested the bookstore at Center Towne Mall in one hour.
Jake stopped at Best Buy on the way and picked up a Flip camcorder. Then they headed for the mall. Arriving early, they entered Barnes and Noble from two different doors. Jake ordered coffee and picked a seat.
Mia got in line and ordered two coffees, and chose a seat near Jake so he could record the interview. Sipping coffee, she went over her questions as she waited.
Pam Foley arrived ten minutes later. “Sorry to make you wait but I wanted to make sure you came alone.”
Mia swallowed the urge to blurt the truth as the red-haired secretary pulled off dark glasses and a knitted cap. The dark circles under the woman’s fair skin, showed Pam’s fear.
Mia kept her tone friendly as she nodded toward the table in the corner, near the exit. The redhead had been sitting there when Mia arrived. “I didn’t know that was you.”
“Yeah, well, I have to be careful.”
“Is this private enough for you?” Mia indicated their seat near the coffee bar.
Pam shrugged. “I haven’t seen anyone I recognized. I guess this place is as safe. Why did you call me?”
“Are you willing to answer questions about Leigh Anne Saddler?” Mia probed.
“That bitch?” Pam rolled her eyes and stirred the coffee Mia passed her so energetically, so sloshed out on the table. “Sorry. I just get so angry when I think—“
Clamping her lips shut, she shook her head. “My lawyer would have a fit if he knew I was talking to you.”
“Why did you agree to meet me?” Mia couldn’t resist asking.
“Because I didn’t murder Leigh Anne. She was a two-timing bitch, but I didn’t kill her.”
Mia studied the lines of stress on the woman’s face and wondered if she was looking at the face of a killer. “So you weren’t friends?”
“We were when she first came to work at Stern-McHamlin, but Leigh Anne didn’t need female friends. All she cared about was men.” Pam glared at Mia across the table. “I know what you’re thinking. That I’m speaking ill of the dead and she can’t defend herself, but it’s the truth. Leigh Anne dated any VP who asked her out.”
“Did that cause tension
***
Several hours later, Mia slammed the laptop shut and stared across the coffee table at Jake. She hadn’t slept. Her mind wouldn’t stop thinking about Leigh Anne’s body, lying in a pile of ashes with her throat slit.
And the murderer following them.
And Jake Stone lying in bed in the next room.
“I can’t find a thing linking Leigh Anne to Pam Foley other than the fact that they worked at the same company.” After hours of combing through Leigh Anne’s files, Mia’s head ached.
“Then we’ll fall back on plan B. Ask her for an interview.”
“What plan B? You think she’d talk to me?” Mia leaned back on the sofa.
“You’re a reporter.” Jake rubbed a hand over his day old beard. “I’ll go along as your cameraman.”
“What camera?” Mia lifted a brow. “Do you think she was the one we heard in the condo?”
“Someone there, but it wasn’t the secretary.”
Mia glared at him. “How do you know? We didn’t see who was upstairs.”
“Time,” Jake tapped his wrist. “The news anchor said Pam Foley was arrested around three A.M. We were back here by twelve. And don’t forget someone followed us.”
Mia’s imagination supplied the watch he wasn’t wearing, but it didn’t stop there. The dark hair on his arms made her wonder if he had hair on his chest or if—what was wrong with her?
The intruder could have killed them last night. Or they might have been arrested like the secretary had, but all she could think about was how appealing she found Jake.
“You don’t think Pam was the person following us?” She asked, knowing the answer, but not liking it all the same. At least an interview wouldn’t be breaking the law. “I’ll make the call.”
***
Pam Foley agreed to meet Mia, alone, in a public place. Mia suggested the bookstore at Center Towne Mall in one hour.
Jake stopped at Best Buy on the way and picked up a Flip camcorder. Then they headed for the mall. Arriving early, they entered Barnes and Noble from two different doors. Jake ordered coffee and picked a seat.
Mia got in line and ordered two coffees, and chose a seat near Jake so he could record the interview. Sipping coffee, she went over her questions as she waited.
Pam Foley arrived ten minutes later. “Sorry to make you wait but I wanted to make sure you came alone.”
Mia swallowed the urge to blurt the truth as the red-haired secretary pulled off dark glasses and a knitted cap. The dark circles under the woman’s fair skin, showed Pam’s fear.
Mia kept her tone friendly as she nodded toward the table in the corner, near the exit. The redhead had been sitting there when Mia arrived. “I didn’t know that was you.”
“Yeah, well, I have to be careful.”
“Is this private enough for you?” Mia indicated their seat near the coffee bar.
Pam shrugged. “I haven’t seen anyone I recognized. I guess this place is as safe. Why did you call me?”
“Are you willing to answer questions about Leigh Anne Saddler?” Mia probed.
“That bitch?” Pam rolled her eyes and stirred the coffee Mia passed her so energetically, so sloshed out on the table. “Sorry. I just get so angry when I think—“
Clamping her lips shut, she shook her head. “My lawyer would have a fit if he knew I was talking to you.”
“Why did you agree to meet me?” Mia couldn’t resist asking.
“Because I didn’t murder Leigh Anne. She was a two-timing bitch, but I didn’t kill her.”
Mia studied the lines of stress on the woman’s face and wondered if she was looking at the face of a killer. “So you weren’t friends?”
“We were when she first came to work at Stern-McHamlin, but Leigh Anne didn’t need female friends. All she cared about was men.” Pam glared at Mia across the table. “I know what you’re thinking. That I’m speaking ill of the dead and she can’t defend herself, but it’s the truth. Leigh Anne dated any VP who asked her out.”
“Did that cause tension
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