elevators.
“I’ve been debating that most of the day. By now, yes, I’m sure. They didn’t do anything. There was only one at first. He just—got too close. Said things that were off. And then there was a car, going too fast.”
“Do you remember the plates?”
“No. It was way after midnight. I was scared.”
“Could you describe the first man if you had to?” Deke asked. He seemed suddenly very curious.
“Middle-aged. Very ordinary.”
“Anything stand out? You know, like a hairstyle or a birthmark?” He watched her closely.
“Nothing like that. He was well-groomed, had a nice suit—he was polite at first. I thought he was a fan. Then he came nearer without ever touching me. I had to step back. He totally creeped me out.”
If she had to guess, she would say Deke was making mental notes of every word.
“I was just glad to make it home in one piece.”
“And you live—”
“In a rented condo.”
“How’s the security?”
“There’s a doorman, day and night. Surveillance cameras. Valet parking—I don’t have to walk through a garage or a lot.”
“I’m driving home with you.” Deke held up a hand when she began to protest. “Separate cars. Don’t argue.”
Her phone rang the second the door shut behind her. Couldn’t be Deke, not so soon after he’d dropped her off. Kelly upended her purse on the couch and found the phone in the tumbled contents before the ringing stopped. It was Laura.
“Hi. I meant to call you.” Kelly felt a little guilty that she hadn’t. It wasn’t like she was nursing a grudge against Laura for doing the right thing and going to the cops before she got around to it. “How are you?”
“I’m all right, I guess. I just wanted to touch base. I haven’t been back to WBRX since—you know.”
“The shootout.” Laura could be awfully sensitive. Kelly believed in saying what needed to be said.
“It gave me nightmares. But it sort of helped me make up my mind,” Laura said.
“Huh?”
“Listen, I never told you, but I got a job offer, like, several weeks ago from a nonprofit gardening program. They do grow-it-yourself videos, apples to zucchini. I called them to see if the job was still open. It is. So I’m quitting, Kelly.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Kelly wasn’t that surprised. “Okay. But are you sure you want to film zucchinis growing? I mean, they grow fast, but not that fast.”
Laura laughed. “I’m sure. I’ll stop by the station soon. We can go out to lunch or something.”
“You bet. Looking forward to it.”
“Take care of yourself, Kelly.” Laura’s tone grew serious. “I mean it.”
“I will. You too.”
C HAPTER 6
G etting Gunther Bach to talk to her had been as simple as calling him from WBRX. His secretary had put her on hold and Bach had picked up a minute later, inviting her to an early lunch at one of Atlanta’s best restaurants when she told him—vaguely—that she was developing a feature story on finance.
She decided to drive herself to the restaurant, figuring she’d be back in plenty of time for hair and makeup before the evening broadcast. The car that the station provided for her was several spaces away and the driver was deep in a discussion of baseball with the parking lot guard.
After several wrong turns, Kelly spotted the restaurant and parked, entering through paneled doors in a rush. She was greeted at once by the maître d’, an older man, short and impeccably groomed, who welcomed her with a slight bow.
“Good afternoon, Miss Johns,” he said. “Mr. Bach is waiting for you. Please come this way.”
He motioned for her to follow him. The crowded restaurant was situated in the lobby of an expensive hotel favored by business executives. She got noticed as she walked by but looked straight ahead, spotting Gunther Bach in a far corner.
And there was Deke, at a table set for one, absorbed in a menu. He didn’t look up as she brushed past. A tiny blue light flashed in the phone
“I’ve been debating that most of the day. By now, yes, I’m sure. They didn’t do anything. There was only one at first. He just—got too close. Said things that were off. And then there was a car, going too fast.”
“Do you remember the plates?”
“No. It was way after midnight. I was scared.”
“Could you describe the first man if you had to?” Deke asked. He seemed suddenly very curious.
“Middle-aged. Very ordinary.”
“Anything stand out? You know, like a hairstyle or a birthmark?” He watched her closely.
“Nothing like that. He was well-groomed, had a nice suit—he was polite at first. I thought he was a fan. Then he came nearer without ever touching me. I had to step back. He totally creeped me out.”
If she had to guess, she would say Deke was making mental notes of every word.
“I was just glad to make it home in one piece.”
“And you live—”
“In a rented condo.”
“How’s the security?”
“There’s a doorman, day and night. Surveillance cameras. Valet parking—I don’t have to walk through a garage or a lot.”
“I’m driving home with you.” Deke held up a hand when she began to protest. “Separate cars. Don’t argue.”
Her phone rang the second the door shut behind her. Couldn’t be Deke, not so soon after he’d dropped her off. Kelly upended her purse on the couch and found the phone in the tumbled contents before the ringing stopped. It was Laura.
“Hi. I meant to call you.” Kelly felt a little guilty that she hadn’t. It wasn’t like she was nursing a grudge against Laura for doing the right thing and going to the cops before she got around to it. “How are you?”
“I’m all right, I guess. I just wanted to touch base. I haven’t been back to WBRX since—you know.”
“The shootout.” Laura could be awfully sensitive. Kelly believed in saying what needed to be said.
“It gave me nightmares. But it sort of helped me make up my mind,” Laura said.
“Huh?”
“Listen, I never told you, but I got a job offer, like, several weeks ago from a nonprofit gardening program. They do grow-it-yourself videos, apples to zucchini. I called them to see if the job was still open. It is. So I’m quitting, Kelly.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Kelly wasn’t that surprised. “Okay. But are you sure you want to film zucchinis growing? I mean, they grow fast, but not that fast.”
Laura laughed. “I’m sure. I’ll stop by the station soon. We can go out to lunch or something.”
“You bet. Looking forward to it.”
“Take care of yourself, Kelly.” Laura’s tone grew serious. “I mean it.”
“I will. You too.”
C HAPTER 6
G etting Gunther Bach to talk to her had been as simple as calling him from WBRX. His secretary had put her on hold and Bach had picked up a minute later, inviting her to an early lunch at one of Atlanta’s best restaurants when she told him—vaguely—that she was developing a feature story on finance.
She decided to drive herself to the restaurant, figuring she’d be back in plenty of time for hair and makeup before the evening broadcast. The car that the station provided for her was several spaces away and the driver was deep in a discussion of baseball with the parking lot guard.
After several wrong turns, Kelly spotted the restaurant and parked, entering through paneled doors in a rush. She was greeted at once by the maître d’, an older man, short and impeccably groomed, who welcomed her with a slight bow.
“Good afternoon, Miss Johns,” he said. “Mr. Bach is waiting for you. Please come this way.”
He motioned for her to follow him. The crowded restaurant was situated in the lobby of an expensive hotel favored by business executives. She got noticed as she walked by but looked straight ahead, spotting Gunther Bach in a far corner.
And there was Deke, at a table set for one, absorbed in a menu. He didn’t look up as she brushed past. A tiny blue light flashed in the phone
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