appointment book against
her chest and leaned back against the sofa.
“That’s why he’s called twice and sent
truckloads of flowers. Must’ve been some trip.”
Rachel cut her eyes at Cameron then glanced
down at the appointment book. “Please don’t tell me I’ve had
another cancellation.”
Cameron bit her lip. Please don’t kill me.
“That frees you up for the whole week.”
“I told Hawke I was booked the whole
week.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t want to look desperate,
Cameron.”
“He sounded persistent when he called.”
Rachel snorted. “Of course. He’s used to
getting exactly what he wants.”
Cameron smirked. “He wants you,
girlfriend.”
“No, he wants the thought of me.”
“That’s a really blonde thing to say, Rachel.
Even I don’t get it.”
“Hawke likes the thrill of the chase,
Cameron, and since I’m running, he’s thrilled. If he ever caught
me, he’d be bored.”
“Then beat him at his own game.”
“You are insane.” Rachel rolled her eyes.
“That’s no secret,” Cameron agreed, “but as
long as you have the upper hand, the universe is balanced. Besides,
I thought we agreed you’d try him on for size.”
Rachel’s eyes flickered and Cameron suspected
Rachel hadn’t forgotten.
“We did, but—”
“But what?”
“I’m not good at this.”
Not willing to let Rachel quit, Cameron made
the one suggestion she knew Rachel wouldn’t argue with. “Use the
week to work on his house.”
Rachel raised an eyebrow and bobbed her head
from side to side as if considering the suggestion.
“And,” Cameron pressed, “maybe you should
tell him about your People project.”
Rachel shrugged. “He probably already
knows.”
Cameron swallowed hard. “You think?”
“Nothing gets past Max.”
“Yeah, Secret Agent Man,” Cameron mumbled,
more than agreeable to let Max take the blame.
“I’ll think about it.” Rachel took the
appointment book from Cameron and headed back toward her
office.
Cameron folded her arms across her chest and
shook her head, both annoyed and proud that Rachel wouldn’t give in
easily. “You think entirely too much.”
CHAPTER TEN
Rachel had just dozed off when somewhere in
the depths of her subconscious she swore she heard a telephone
ring, but her brain refused to let her believe it. Instead,
peaceful REM patterns took over and returned her to a warm,
dream-filled cocoon.
And then the obnoxious noise intruded
again.
Why didn’t someone answer the ringing beast?
Rachel groaned and forced herself awake enough to realize the noise
came from the phone on a table beside the bed.
Half irritated, she rolled over and answered.
“Hello?”
“Miss Newberry?”
Rachel sat up, rubbed one eye with her free
hand, then glanced at the clock next to the phone. 2:00 a.m.
“Yes?”
“Sorry to bother you, Ma’am, but this is the
Diablo Fire Department central dispatch. There’s been a fire in the
Pacific Valley Heights addition. It’s one of yours.”
Rachel didn’t give the dispatcher time to
explain any further. She mumbled a quick thank you, slammed down
the phone and sprung from bed.
Minutes later, Rachel crammed the car in
park, shoved open the door, and sprinted toward the smoldering
structure. Heat penetrated her pores as tiny bits of ash fell from
the night sky like snowflakes and stuck to her sweat-dampened
skin.
“Rachel!”
Rachel only vaguely recognized her name as
she came to an involuntary abrupt stop when she bounced off a
hard-bodied fireman in her path.
“You can’t go any closer.”
She lifted her now-watering, burning eyes to
see Rick Martinelli slide his helmet from his head.
“How did this happen?”
Rick brushed his forearm across his forehead
then wedged the helmet between one arm and one hip. “We don’t know
for sure yet.”
She dug deep for patience. “Guess, Rick.”
“Arson.”
“Why?”
“No way to know.”
“How extensive is the damage?”
“Total.”
Rachel fumbled
her chest and leaned back against the sofa.
“That’s why he’s called twice and sent
truckloads of flowers. Must’ve been some trip.”
Rachel cut her eyes at Cameron then glanced
down at the appointment book. “Please don’t tell me I’ve had
another cancellation.”
Cameron bit her lip. Please don’t kill me.
“That frees you up for the whole week.”
“I told Hawke I was booked the whole
week.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t want to look desperate,
Cameron.”
“He sounded persistent when he called.”
Rachel snorted. “Of course. He’s used to
getting exactly what he wants.”
Cameron smirked. “He wants you,
girlfriend.”
“No, he wants the thought of me.”
“That’s a really blonde thing to say, Rachel.
Even I don’t get it.”
“Hawke likes the thrill of the chase,
Cameron, and since I’m running, he’s thrilled. If he ever caught
me, he’d be bored.”
“Then beat him at his own game.”
“You are insane.” Rachel rolled her eyes.
“That’s no secret,” Cameron agreed, “but as
long as you have the upper hand, the universe is balanced. Besides,
I thought we agreed you’d try him on for size.”
Rachel’s eyes flickered and Cameron suspected
Rachel hadn’t forgotten.
“We did, but—”
“But what?”
“I’m not good at this.”
Not willing to let Rachel quit, Cameron made
the one suggestion she knew Rachel wouldn’t argue with. “Use the
week to work on his house.”
Rachel raised an eyebrow and bobbed her head
from side to side as if considering the suggestion.
“And,” Cameron pressed, “maybe you should
tell him about your People project.”
Rachel shrugged. “He probably already
knows.”
Cameron swallowed hard. “You think?”
“Nothing gets past Max.”
“Yeah, Secret Agent Man,” Cameron mumbled,
more than agreeable to let Max take the blame.
“I’ll think about it.” Rachel took the
appointment book from Cameron and headed back toward her
office.
Cameron folded her arms across her chest and
shook her head, both annoyed and proud that Rachel wouldn’t give in
easily. “You think entirely too much.”
CHAPTER TEN
Rachel had just dozed off when somewhere in
the depths of her subconscious she swore she heard a telephone
ring, but her brain refused to let her believe it. Instead,
peaceful REM patterns took over and returned her to a warm,
dream-filled cocoon.
And then the obnoxious noise intruded
again.
Why didn’t someone answer the ringing beast?
Rachel groaned and forced herself awake enough to realize the noise
came from the phone on a table beside the bed.
Half irritated, she rolled over and answered.
“Hello?”
“Miss Newberry?”
Rachel sat up, rubbed one eye with her free
hand, then glanced at the clock next to the phone. 2:00 a.m.
“Yes?”
“Sorry to bother you, Ma’am, but this is the
Diablo Fire Department central dispatch. There’s been a fire in the
Pacific Valley Heights addition. It’s one of yours.”
Rachel didn’t give the dispatcher time to
explain any further. She mumbled a quick thank you, slammed down
the phone and sprung from bed.
Minutes later, Rachel crammed the car in
park, shoved open the door, and sprinted toward the smoldering
structure. Heat penetrated her pores as tiny bits of ash fell from
the night sky like snowflakes and stuck to her sweat-dampened
skin.
“Rachel!”
Rachel only vaguely recognized her name as
she came to an involuntary abrupt stop when she bounced off a
hard-bodied fireman in her path.
“You can’t go any closer.”
She lifted her now-watering, burning eyes to
see Rick Martinelli slide his helmet from his head.
“How did this happen?”
Rick brushed his forearm across his forehead
then wedged the helmet between one arm and one hip. “We don’t know
for sure yet.”
She dug deep for patience. “Guess, Rick.”
“Arson.”
“Why?”
“No way to know.”
“How extensive is the damage?”
“Total.”
Rachel fumbled
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