Sensuous Angel by Heather Graham Page A

because the police knew then that someone would rather have Lorna dead than able to talk to anyone about what she had seen.”
    “So where is she now?” Donna asked.
    Both men were silent.
    “Where is she?” Donna persisted angrily.
    “I don’t want to tell you where she is, Miss Miro,” Andrew said softly. “You would be tempted to try to get there, to see her, write to her, or call her.”
    “But why can’t I?”
    “Donna,” Luke said, “we believe that Hal Simson killed his grandmother—or paid an assassin to kill her—for control of the company. At her death he became an extremely wealthy man. We’ve always suspected that he had links with the underworld. He has a network system of information that would put A.T. and T. to shame. He can hire dozens of paid assassins. The only way we could possibly keep Lorna safe was to make her disappear absolutely—so that no one could find her.”
    “You can’t even trust me?” Donna whispered.
    “Donna,” Luke murmured, “it isn’t a matter of trusting you. We don’t want you getting involved, and we don’t want you leading anyone to Lorna.”
    Andrew laughed. “I have to stay so low myself that I crawl through windows to see my own brother. Can you understand what a horribly tenuous position we’re in?”
    “Yes,” Donna said, feeling numb, “I—I guess I can.” She glanced sharply at Andrew. “What has Tricia to do with this?”
    “She’s my partner, Donna. The club where she works is very elite, but it also hosts a number of our shadier businessmen. She’s hoping to pick up something there.”
    Donna glanced at Luke. “Luke,” she murmured, “I want you to swear to me that this is all true. Word for word true.”
    “It’s true, Donna. I swear it.”
    “So…” She took a deep breath and stared at Andrew. “What do I do?”
    “Go home, Donna. Trust me, and trust the N.Y.P.D.”
    “How can I just go home?” Donna asked miserably. “I’ll be worried day and night.”
    “I’m working as hard as I can to come up with enough evidence to arrest Simson,” Andrew assured her. “I swear to you that Lorna is well and safe. Please, trust us. If something leaked to the papers now, the whole case could be blown before it really gets started. And if anything at all were to give away Lorna’s whereabouts…well, it could be fatal.”
    “Oh, God!” Donna groaned.
    “Donna,” Luke said softly. “Andrew just assured you that Lorna is well and fine.” He glanced at his brother. “And actually,” he added more lightly, “it’s not as grim as you think. Lorna is determined to see this man arrested, and she actually considers it all to be an extremely important adventure.”
    “Yeah, she considers it an adventure,” Andrew said dryly.
    There were undercurrents there, Donna decided, that she didn’t quite understand. She instinctively trusted Andrew, just as she was compelled to trust Luke.
    Was there something going on between Lorna and Andrew McKennon? Not McKennon, she reminded herself. Trudeau.
    A touch of sparks? She lowered her head. If so, it would be good for Lorna. But the situation itself was still frightening. Very frightening.
    “I doubt that it can really be an adventure,” she murmured skeptically.
    Andrew hesitated. “The state needs Lorna. And Lorna needs the state.”
    “I understand that.”
    “Witnesses often become victims in one way or another.”
    “I…know.”
    “Donna,” Luke said, “as soon as it is at all feasible, you’ll be able to see her.”
    Donna drew in an only slightly shaky breath. “Okay. I’m not going to ask any more questions. I won’t do any more snooping around. I won’t do anything to risk Lorna’s life or your case. But I’m not going to be able to stop worrying, and I do want to know the second that anything happens.”
    “You’ve got it,” Andrew assured her.
    “Thank you,” Donna said. Andrew was reassuring. There was something about him despite his shaggy appearance—an