to his book. “Did it sound mechanical, or genuine?”
She went blank for a moment. “Oh, you mean like a tape. No, it didn’t sound like a tape.”
“Is your number listed?”
“No.” Then she understood the significance of the question. “No,” she repeated slowly. “It’s not.”
“I want a list of everyone who has your home number. Everyone.”
She straightened, forcing herself to keep calm. “I can give you a list of everyone I know who has it. I can’t tell you who might have gotten it by other means.” She cleared her aching throat. “Ry, do professionals usually call their victims before a fire?”
He tucked his notebook away and looked into her eyes. “Even pros can be crazy. I’ll drive you to your office.”
“It’s not necessary.”
Patience. He reminded himself he’d worked overtime so that he could be patient with her. Then he thought, the hell with it. “You listen to this, real careful.” He curled his fingers around the lapel of her jacket. “I’m driving you to your office. Got that?”
“I don’t see—”
He tugged. “Got it?”
She bit back an oath. It would be petty to argue. “Fine. I’m going to need my car later today, soyou’ll have to get yourself wherever you’re going after you drop me off.”
“Keep listening,” he said evenly. “Until I get back to you, you’re not to go anywhere alone.”
“That’s ridiculous. I’ve got a business to run.”
“Nowhere alone,” he repeated. “Otherwise, I’m going to call some of my pals in Urbana PD and have them sit on you.” When she opened her mouth to protest, he overrode her. “And I can sure as hell keep your little shop here off-limits to everyone but official fire- and police-department personnel until further notice.”
“That sounds like a threat,” she said stiffly.
“You’re a real sharp lady. You get one of your minions to drive you today, Natalie, or I’ll slap a fire-department restriction on the front door of this place for the next couple of weeks.”
He could, she realized, reading the determination on his face. And he would. From experience, she knew it was smarter, and more practical, to give up a small point in a negotiation in order to salvage the bottom line.
“All right. I’ll assign a driver for any out-of-the-office meetings today. But I’d like to point out that this man is burning my buildings, Ry, not threatening me personally.”
“He called you personally. That’s enough.”
* * *
She hated the fact that he’d frightened her. Stringent control kept her dealing with office details coolly, efficiently. By noon, she had a cleanup crew on standby, waiting for Ry’s okay. She’d ordered her assistant to contact the decorator about new carpet, wallpaper, draperies and paint. She’d dealt with a frantic call from her Atlanta branch and an irate one from Chicago, and managed to play down the problem with her family back in Colorado.
Impatient, she buzzed her assistant. “Maureen, I needed those printouts thirty minutes ago.”
“Yes, Ms. Fletcher. The system’s down in Accounting. They’re working on it.”
“Tell them—” She bit back the searing words, and forced her voice to level. “Tell them it’s a priority. Thank you, Maureen.”
Deliberately she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Having an edge was an advantage in business, she reminded herself. Being edgy was a liability. If she was going to handle the meetings set for the rest of the day, she had to pull herself together. Slowly she unfisted her hands and ordered her muscles to relax.
She’d nearly accomplished it when a quick knock came at her door. She straightened in her chair as Melvin poked his head in.
“Safe?”
“Nearly,” she told him. “Come in.”
“I come bearing gifts.” He carried a tray into the room.
“If that’s coffee, I may find the energy to get up and kiss your whole face.”
He flushed brightly and chuckled. “Not only is it coffee,
She went blank for a moment. “Oh, you mean like a tape. No, it didn’t sound like a tape.”
“Is your number listed?”
“No.” Then she understood the significance of the question. “No,” she repeated slowly. “It’s not.”
“I want a list of everyone who has your home number. Everyone.”
She straightened, forcing herself to keep calm. “I can give you a list of everyone I know who has it. I can’t tell you who might have gotten it by other means.” She cleared her aching throat. “Ry, do professionals usually call their victims before a fire?”
He tucked his notebook away and looked into her eyes. “Even pros can be crazy. I’ll drive you to your office.”
“It’s not necessary.”
Patience. He reminded himself he’d worked overtime so that he could be patient with her. Then he thought, the hell with it. “You listen to this, real careful.” He curled his fingers around the lapel of her jacket. “I’m driving you to your office. Got that?”
“I don’t see—”
He tugged. “Got it?”
She bit back an oath. It would be petty to argue. “Fine. I’m going to need my car later today, soyou’ll have to get yourself wherever you’re going after you drop me off.”
“Keep listening,” he said evenly. “Until I get back to you, you’re not to go anywhere alone.”
“That’s ridiculous. I’ve got a business to run.”
“Nowhere alone,” he repeated. “Otherwise, I’m going to call some of my pals in Urbana PD and have them sit on you.” When she opened her mouth to protest, he overrode her. “And I can sure as hell keep your little shop here off-limits to everyone but official fire- and police-department personnel until further notice.”
“That sounds like a threat,” she said stiffly.
“You’re a real sharp lady. You get one of your minions to drive you today, Natalie, or I’ll slap a fire-department restriction on the front door of this place for the next couple of weeks.”
He could, she realized, reading the determination on his face. And he would. From experience, she knew it was smarter, and more practical, to give up a small point in a negotiation in order to salvage the bottom line.
“All right. I’ll assign a driver for any out-of-the-office meetings today. But I’d like to point out that this man is burning my buildings, Ry, not threatening me personally.”
“He called you personally. That’s enough.”
* * *
She hated the fact that he’d frightened her. Stringent control kept her dealing with office details coolly, efficiently. By noon, she had a cleanup crew on standby, waiting for Ry’s okay. She’d ordered her assistant to contact the decorator about new carpet, wallpaper, draperies and paint. She’d dealt with a frantic call from her Atlanta branch and an irate one from Chicago, and managed to play down the problem with her family back in Colorado.
Impatient, she buzzed her assistant. “Maureen, I needed those printouts thirty minutes ago.”
“Yes, Ms. Fletcher. The system’s down in Accounting. They’re working on it.”
“Tell them—” She bit back the searing words, and forced her voice to level. “Tell them it’s a priority. Thank you, Maureen.”
Deliberately she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Having an edge was an advantage in business, she reminded herself. Being edgy was a liability. If she was going to handle the meetings set for the rest of the day, she had to pull herself together. Slowly she unfisted her hands and ordered her muscles to relax.
She’d nearly accomplished it when a quick knock came at her door. She straightened in her chair as Melvin poked his head in.
“Safe?”
“Nearly,” she told him. “Come in.”
“I come bearing gifts.” He carried a tray into the room.
“If that’s coffee, I may find the energy to get up and kiss your whole face.”
He flushed brightly and chuckled. “Not only is it coffee,
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