haven’t told someone.”
“Except this thing about Tanya Abutto and the duffel bag? Does Al know about it? Maybe it would be best if we go and see him.”
Peggy touched his hand on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to work it out. I wish I understood your job more. I’m sure you’re a very good FBI agent.”
“Thanks.” He headed back into traffic. “Peggy, there’s no way to assure you that nothing will happen to me, like it did to John. I can only promise to be careful and not to take any unnecessary risks.”
“I know.”
He laughed. “I wish you’d promise me the same thing. You don’t give a thought to putting yourself in harm’s way.”
“I don’t mean to.”
“That’s part of the not thinking aspect, I’m afraid.”
They were quiet for a few minutes while Steve maneuvered the car through heavy evening traffic. When they’d reached the police station where Al’s office was located, Steve parked and turned off the engine.
“I wasn’t trying to hold anything back,” she assured him.
“I know. You seem to be inspired by events around you.” He lightly touched her face. “People trust you and say things to you that they forget to say to the police. I’ve seen you at work.”
“Thanks, I think.” She smiled. “I help where I can.”
“That’s what scares me.” Steve took her hands. “My point is that I’m sorry you’re afraid. I wouldn’t have put this on you—except that I fell in love with this beautiful woman with the greenest eyes. I couldn’t go back after that.”
“Flattery will get you somewhere.”
“You know all my secrets now. I wish I’d been free to tell you sooner, but you were very involved with your Internet friend, Nightflyer . We suspected him of killing John. It was important for you to put on an innocent face. Your life could’ve been in danger if he’d guessed what was going on.”
Peggy wasn’t surprised by his words about Nightflyer . He’d partially explained about that right after she’d found out about him being with the FBI.
She’d met Nightflyer in an Internet chat room and they’d proceeded to spend a lot of time on the Internet, playing chess and sharing information. She still didn’t believe Nightflyer had killed John. He’d saved her life with his information more than once.
Steve kissed her quickly and got out of the car. “Let’s see what Al makes of the many Tanyas that have come into your life today.”
Peggy got out of the car and followed him to the building. “I really meant to call Al, but with the shop getting busy and talking to the flower show people, I forgot.”
Before Steve could answer, Al walked out of the building, almost bumping into them.
“Steve! Peggy! What brings you here? And please don’t tell me it has anything to do with what happened at the convention center. Unless you’re here to take me out to dinner, I don’t want to know about it.”
Steve shrugged. “We were headed that way.”
“Good deal. I haven’t eaten since breakfast, and that was one of Mary’s homemade granola bars. This healthy eating is about to kill me.”
“I know some place that doesn’t have any healthy food at all,” Peggy said.
“Lead on then.” Al laughed. “Don’t say a blessed other thing to me about work until I have either a biscuit, some fried chicken, or a big glob of buttery mashed potatoes in my mouth.”
Peggy directed Steve to Bob’s Chicken Coop Restaurant on Tryon Street. It was tucked away from the usual places people went in the downtown area, but it was always crowded. People who’d lived in Charlotte a long time knew the best food was found here, as long as you didn’t mind fat and calories.
Pictures of state senators, N.C. governors, and even a president or two, were up on the walls but that was the only pretention the old place had, except for serving a good meal. The chairs were wooden ladder backs and the tables were worn smooth. There was always a single flower
“Except this thing about Tanya Abutto and the duffel bag? Does Al know about it? Maybe it would be best if we go and see him.”
Peggy touched his hand on the steering wheel. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to work it out. I wish I understood your job more. I’m sure you’re a very good FBI agent.”
“Thanks.” He headed back into traffic. “Peggy, there’s no way to assure you that nothing will happen to me, like it did to John. I can only promise to be careful and not to take any unnecessary risks.”
“I know.”
He laughed. “I wish you’d promise me the same thing. You don’t give a thought to putting yourself in harm’s way.”
“I don’t mean to.”
“That’s part of the not thinking aspect, I’m afraid.”
They were quiet for a few minutes while Steve maneuvered the car through heavy evening traffic. When they’d reached the police station where Al’s office was located, Steve parked and turned off the engine.
“I wasn’t trying to hold anything back,” she assured him.
“I know. You seem to be inspired by events around you.” He lightly touched her face. “People trust you and say things to you that they forget to say to the police. I’ve seen you at work.”
“Thanks, I think.” She smiled. “I help where I can.”
“That’s what scares me.” Steve took her hands. “My point is that I’m sorry you’re afraid. I wouldn’t have put this on you—except that I fell in love with this beautiful woman with the greenest eyes. I couldn’t go back after that.”
“Flattery will get you somewhere.”
“You know all my secrets now. I wish I’d been free to tell you sooner, but you were very involved with your Internet friend, Nightflyer . We suspected him of killing John. It was important for you to put on an innocent face. Your life could’ve been in danger if he’d guessed what was going on.”
Peggy wasn’t surprised by his words about Nightflyer . He’d partially explained about that right after she’d found out about him being with the FBI.
She’d met Nightflyer in an Internet chat room and they’d proceeded to spend a lot of time on the Internet, playing chess and sharing information. She still didn’t believe Nightflyer had killed John. He’d saved her life with his information more than once.
Steve kissed her quickly and got out of the car. “Let’s see what Al makes of the many Tanyas that have come into your life today.”
Peggy got out of the car and followed him to the building. “I really meant to call Al, but with the shop getting busy and talking to the flower show people, I forgot.”
Before Steve could answer, Al walked out of the building, almost bumping into them.
“Steve! Peggy! What brings you here? And please don’t tell me it has anything to do with what happened at the convention center. Unless you’re here to take me out to dinner, I don’t want to know about it.”
Steve shrugged. “We were headed that way.”
“Good deal. I haven’t eaten since breakfast, and that was one of Mary’s homemade granola bars. This healthy eating is about to kill me.”
“I know some place that doesn’t have any healthy food at all,” Peggy said.
“Lead on then.” Al laughed. “Don’t say a blessed other thing to me about work until I have either a biscuit, some fried chicken, or a big glob of buttery mashed potatoes in my mouth.”
Peggy directed Steve to Bob’s Chicken Coop Restaurant on Tryon Street. It was tucked away from the usual places people went in the downtown area, but it was always crowded. People who’d lived in Charlotte a long time knew the best food was found here, as long as you didn’t mind fat and calories.
Pictures of state senators, N.C. governors, and even a president or two, were up on the walls but that was the only pretention the old place had, except for serving a good meal. The chairs were wooden ladder backs and the tables were worn smooth. There was always a single flower
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