everything--especially David. "It's just dinner and dancing, okay? All you have to do is smile and shake a few hands."
"Skye--"
She cut him off before he could argue any more. "It'd really help to have some police presence there, the appearance of support. I can't imagine it'd be bad for the department, either. We're both on the victim's side, right?
We should act friendly even if we're not."
"I just want to keep you safe."
"Then make sure I'm safe on Saturday."
With a heavy sigh, he shifted his gaze and stared off toward the shooting range, from which they could hear the "crack" and "pop" of gunfire. "I have Jeremy this weekend."
That was the one excuse she couldn't contest, which frustrated her more than ever. "Fine." Pivoting, she hurried across the parking lot, but when she reached her car, he called after her.
"I'll find a babysitter. What time do I pick you up?"
Pulling out her keys, she unlocked her door.
"Are you going to answer me?"
She told herself to put an end to the tug-of-war between them. To tell him to forget it and never contact her again. But, in the end, she couldn't do it. "Six."
"I'll be there."
"One more thing," she said.
"What's that?"
"It's formal."
"Formal?" His tone was a complaint, but she didn't give him the chance to back out. Getting in her car, she drove away.
The address in the phone book for Jane Burke corresponded to a rental off Sunrise. Tonight that rental was dark and quiet and had been since ten.
Skye knew because she'd been sitting across the street in her 1998 Volvo sedan for two hours. This late, there wasn't much to see. But it was still creepy to be here, to know Burke's wife and daughter were so close and that 74
he'd be joining them in just three days.
Tilting her seat back, Skye took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes at the building with its peeling paint and the child's swing hanging from a tree in the front yard. She wanted to leave and not look back, to go on as if what had happened with Burke would never happen again. David would be furious if he knew what she was doing tonight. But she couldn't leave. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Burke glaring at her as they read the verdict. He planned to come after her. Maybe not right away, but eventually.
And how many others would he hurt in the meantime?
She knew what he was. Couldn't ignore it. Which meant she had to stay one step ahead of him, anticipate his movements, act before he could. If she was lucky, she'd uncover enough evidence to put him away for life. If she wasn't...
Burke's blade flashed in her mind's eye, so real she almost lifted her arms to protect herself. When I get out, I'm going to slit your throat.... He couldn't have made that call himself. But someone else could've made it for him.
Alone on the dark street, frightened by her own thoughts, she grew even more uneasy when a pair of headlights swung around the corner.
Ducking so the driver couldn't see her, she listened for the hum of the motor.
But the car didn't pass as quickly as she expected it to. It decelerated as it drew near, then sped up again and continued down the street.
Why had it slowed? Raising her head long enough to check the rearview mirror, she noted that it was a midsize Lexus, which wouldn't draw stares in a middle- or upper-class neighborhood but didn't fit here. This neighborhood was cluttered with dented trucks, economy cars and a few pimped-out sports cars.
Still, she didn't think much of it until five minutes later, when the same car made another pass.
Again she slid down, listening. This time the Lexus moved at a crawl when it reached her, and she got the uneasy feeling the driver was trying to peer into her windows.
Obviously, she'd caught someone's interest. Jane's? There'd been a porch light on when Skye arrived, which had since gone off, but perhaps Jane had left a babysitter in charge of Kate.
Afraid that whoever it was would come by again--and that this time he or she would park and approach
"Skye--"
She cut him off before he could argue any more. "It'd really help to have some police presence there, the appearance of support. I can't imagine it'd be bad for the department, either. We're both on the victim's side, right?
We should act friendly even if we're not."
"I just want to keep you safe."
"Then make sure I'm safe on Saturday."
With a heavy sigh, he shifted his gaze and stared off toward the shooting range, from which they could hear the "crack" and "pop" of gunfire. "I have Jeremy this weekend."
That was the one excuse she couldn't contest, which frustrated her more than ever. "Fine." Pivoting, she hurried across the parking lot, but when she reached her car, he called after her.
"I'll find a babysitter. What time do I pick you up?"
Pulling out her keys, she unlocked her door.
"Are you going to answer me?"
She told herself to put an end to the tug-of-war between them. To tell him to forget it and never contact her again. But, in the end, she couldn't do it. "Six."
"I'll be there."
"One more thing," she said.
"What's that?"
"It's formal."
"Formal?" His tone was a complaint, but she didn't give him the chance to back out. Getting in her car, she drove away.
The address in the phone book for Jane Burke corresponded to a rental off Sunrise. Tonight that rental was dark and quiet and had been since ten.
Skye knew because she'd been sitting across the street in her 1998 Volvo sedan for two hours. This late, there wasn't much to see. But it was still creepy to be here, to know Burke's wife and daughter were so close and that 74
he'd be joining them in just three days.
Tilting her seat back, Skye took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes at the building with its peeling paint and the child's swing hanging from a tree in the front yard. She wanted to leave and not look back, to go on as if what had happened with Burke would never happen again. David would be furious if he knew what she was doing tonight. But she couldn't leave. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Burke glaring at her as they read the verdict. He planned to come after her. Maybe not right away, but eventually.
And how many others would he hurt in the meantime?
She knew what he was. Couldn't ignore it. Which meant she had to stay one step ahead of him, anticipate his movements, act before he could. If she was lucky, she'd uncover enough evidence to put him away for life. If she wasn't...
Burke's blade flashed in her mind's eye, so real she almost lifted her arms to protect herself. When I get out, I'm going to slit your throat.... He couldn't have made that call himself. But someone else could've made it for him.
Alone on the dark street, frightened by her own thoughts, she grew even more uneasy when a pair of headlights swung around the corner.
Ducking so the driver couldn't see her, she listened for the hum of the motor.
But the car didn't pass as quickly as she expected it to. It decelerated as it drew near, then sped up again and continued down the street.
Why had it slowed? Raising her head long enough to check the rearview mirror, she noted that it was a midsize Lexus, which wouldn't draw stares in a middle- or upper-class neighborhood but didn't fit here. This neighborhood was cluttered with dented trucks, economy cars and a few pimped-out sports cars.
Still, she didn't think much of it until five minutes later, when the same car made another pass.
Again she slid down, listening. This time the Lexus moved at a crawl when it reached her, and she got the uneasy feeling the driver was trying to peer into her windows.
Obviously, she'd caught someone's interest. Jane's? There'd been a porch light on when Skye arrived, which had since gone off, but perhaps Jane had left a babysitter in charge of Kate.
Afraid that whoever it was would come by again--and that this time he or she would park and approach
Similar Books
