huffed her way to the door, her breath pluming in visible clouds.
It had been a miserable few days for Rocco since he’d hitched a ride in a laundry cart leaving Memphis Federal Prison. It was time to wrap up loose ends and get out of town. With a little luck, this roommate would be his ticket to finding Lydia.
He tamped down his anger with an effort and replaced his scowl with what he knew was an irresistible smile. He could be charming when he tried. His charm had served him well since his escape, helping him to survive this last cold snap of winter in the warm beds of gullible women. Women were easy, and Lydia’s rosy-cheeked roommate would be no exception.
He crossed the street, arriving at the apartment just before she closed the door.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?” Jessie’s face lit up when she saw the tall, dark stranger smiling apologetically for his intrusion.
“I’m looking for someone, and I thought she lived here.” He spread his hands in a disarming manner. “You see, I owe her some money, and I can’t seem to find her.”
“You mean Lydia? I’m so sorry, she just moved out. You literally just missed her.” Jessie’s heart melted at the obvious disappointment on the man’s face. That sounded like Lydia, generous to a fault. She was always loaning money to someone, and then scraping by to pay the next month’s rent.
He was handsome, and he looked cold. It had been a long time since she’d had a tall, dark stranger in her apartment, even if he was just a friend of Lydia’s. She was suddenly glad she had bought an extra Egg McMuffin. She held out her hand. “I’m Jessie,” she said with a giggle. “Come on in; I think I can help.”
“Are you sure I’m not imposing?” He was already stepping inside.
“Not at all.” She led the way, wondering how Lydia could have let this one get away.
Chapter 5
“Lincoln, Colbert and Colbert, how may I help you? One moment, please.” After a quick look at the phone chart, Lydia punched the button that sent the caller through to Accounting. So far, the morning had been fairly easy. Mr. Lincoln, whom she had met the week before, greeted her when she arrived. He was pushing eighty, she guessed, but moved with a slow fluidity that belied his years.
He introduced her to his assistant Betsy, who was also his wife, and retreated to his office. The older woman showed her around, introducing her to the other employees, all of whom seemed friendly and happy to have her aboard.
It was apparent that Mr. Lincoln was as good as his word and had not shared her sketchy past with her new coworkers. She’d wondered how that would feel, to be taken at face value. It felt liberating! She was grateful to Anne for setting this up for her. It was part of the Fresh Start Program, and she felt lucky to have been accepted. She was thankful that only Mr. Lincoln knew about her past. Humming contentedly under her breath, she took the top folder from the stack and walked to the row of file cabinets behind the reception desk. L, M, N, O, P, Patterson, Pendleton, Peters, Potter. She stuck the Potter file in place.
“You must be Lydia Steadman.”
She turned to see a sharply-dressed man at the reception desk. “Yes.”
He held out his hand. “Welcome to the company. I’m Ace Colbert.”
“Thank you. Glad to be here.” Did he say Ace? So, one of the partners, she guessed.
He looked to be around her age, maybe a couple of years out of law school. She had a brief moment of discomfort when his eyes took a second to travel from the top of her head to her toes and back up again. But he had an attractive boyish charm, and smiled so disarmingly that she forgave his rude perusal of her body.
“Things are definitely looking up,” he said. “I hope you’ll be very happy here. Glad to have you on our team.” He appeared to be a ball of energy, oozing confidence. With a parting wink over his shoulder, he disappeared down the hall to his office.
Minutes later a woman
It had been a miserable few days for Rocco since he’d hitched a ride in a laundry cart leaving Memphis Federal Prison. It was time to wrap up loose ends and get out of town. With a little luck, this roommate would be his ticket to finding Lydia.
He tamped down his anger with an effort and replaced his scowl with what he knew was an irresistible smile. He could be charming when he tried. His charm had served him well since his escape, helping him to survive this last cold snap of winter in the warm beds of gullible women. Women were easy, and Lydia’s rosy-cheeked roommate would be no exception.
He crossed the street, arriving at the apartment just before she closed the door.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?” Jessie’s face lit up when she saw the tall, dark stranger smiling apologetically for his intrusion.
“I’m looking for someone, and I thought she lived here.” He spread his hands in a disarming manner. “You see, I owe her some money, and I can’t seem to find her.”
“You mean Lydia? I’m so sorry, she just moved out. You literally just missed her.” Jessie’s heart melted at the obvious disappointment on the man’s face. That sounded like Lydia, generous to a fault. She was always loaning money to someone, and then scraping by to pay the next month’s rent.
He was handsome, and he looked cold. It had been a long time since she’d had a tall, dark stranger in her apartment, even if he was just a friend of Lydia’s. She was suddenly glad she had bought an extra Egg McMuffin. She held out her hand. “I’m Jessie,” she said with a giggle. “Come on in; I think I can help.”
“Are you sure I’m not imposing?” He was already stepping inside.
“Not at all.” She led the way, wondering how Lydia could have let this one get away.
Chapter 5
“Lincoln, Colbert and Colbert, how may I help you? One moment, please.” After a quick look at the phone chart, Lydia punched the button that sent the caller through to Accounting. So far, the morning had been fairly easy. Mr. Lincoln, whom she had met the week before, greeted her when she arrived. He was pushing eighty, she guessed, but moved with a slow fluidity that belied his years.
He introduced her to his assistant Betsy, who was also his wife, and retreated to his office. The older woman showed her around, introducing her to the other employees, all of whom seemed friendly and happy to have her aboard.
It was apparent that Mr. Lincoln was as good as his word and had not shared her sketchy past with her new coworkers. She’d wondered how that would feel, to be taken at face value. It felt liberating! She was grateful to Anne for setting this up for her. It was part of the Fresh Start Program, and she felt lucky to have been accepted. She was thankful that only Mr. Lincoln knew about her past. Humming contentedly under her breath, she took the top folder from the stack and walked to the row of file cabinets behind the reception desk. L, M, N, O, P, Patterson, Pendleton, Peters, Potter. She stuck the Potter file in place.
“You must be Lydia Steadman.”
She turned to see a sharply-dressed man at the reception desk. “Yes.”
He held out his hand. “Welcome to the company. I’m Ace Colbert.”
“Thank you. Glad to be here.” Did he say Ace? So, one of the partners, she guessed.
He looked to be around her age, maybe a couple of years out of law school. She had a brief moment of discomfort when his eyes took a second to travel from the top of her head to her toes and back up again. But he had an attractive boyish charm, and smiled so disarmingly that she forgave his rude perusal of her body.
“Things are definitely looking up,” he said. “I hope you’ll be very happy here. Glad to have you on our team.” He appeared to be a ball of energy, oozing confidence. With a parting wink over his shoulder, he disappeared down the hall to his office.
Minutes later a woman
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