investigate.
She tried to second-guess his reasoning. "And thought the kidnappers might have come
back to the scene of the crime?"
"Actually," he leaned against the desk, looking down at her, "I didn't know what to think."
And that, he decided, was the case here with her. Every time he made up his mind about
Brenda York, something else was thrown into the mix. "I try not to jump to conclusions
until all the evidence is in." And then, because the moment was so serious and begged to be
lightened, he smiled at her. "But it doesn't hurt to stay on top of things."
The air felt a little rare. She moved back a little. "How did the canvas turn out?"
"Nothing so far." How long did it take for perfume to fade, he wondered. Hers was still getting to him. He rose, moving back toward the printer. "We have an Amber Alert going."
Over the last couple of years, it had become standard procedure every time a child went
missing. Descriptions of the little girl now flashed across freeway signs up and down the
state. A great deal of distance could be covered in eight hours.
She nodded toward the radio she had on beside the desk. "Yes, I know."
She'd been on his mind ever since he'd left her at theTylerestate. He wasn't even sure
exactly why, but she was, lingering in the corners like the scent of some potent flower
drifting invisibly through the warm summer night air. When he'd gone back to theTylers—
and spent some time with a tearful Mrs. Tyler—Danvershad told him he'd dropped her off
at the school.
Seeing her car in the lot had given him a measure of concern. And made him wonder if
he'd written her off a little too soon.
"How are you doing?"
She blew out a breath. Maybe it was because she was too tired, or too stressed, but for
once in her life, she didn't hide her feelings behind a smoke screen. "Not too well."
Chapter 5
«^»
Lookingcloser at her, he could see the definite signs of weariness. Her skin was almost
translucent.
He curbed the urge to run the back of his knuckles against her cheek, as if that could
somehow bring the color back to her face.
The girl's abduction had taken a toll on her. He thought of his gut feelings, the instincts
that had absolved Brenda of the crime. If she was faking it, then she was a damn better
actress than he would have thought she was.
"How did it go with Mrs. Tyler?"
"Not well." She was trying to be charitable toward the other woman, but it was difficult.
Frowning as she remembered the encounter at the mansion, Brenda pushed herself away
from the desk. "She blames the school, blames me." She sighed, dragging her hand through her hair. "Is probably on the phone with her lawyer right now, discussing a lawsuit."
He parked himself on the corner of the desk. He'd formed his own opinions about the
actress after only several minutes in her presence. His sympathies were entirely on
Brenda's side.
"Lawsuit?"
Brenda nodded. "Those were the last words Rebecca Allen-Tyler said to me. That she was
going to 'sue my ass.'"
Was that what had drained the color from Brenda's face? Fear of being taken to court?
"I don't think you really have to worry about that."
The threat had never concerned her. She had precious little that could be taken from
her.
"I'm not worried. I'm annoyed, maybe, but not worried." Her thoughts returned to Annie.
"Not about her, anyway."
"Annoyed?" He wasn't sure he followed her. "Why annoyed?"
Try as she might to suppress it, her anger rose up like bile in her throat. She thought of
the sad look in Annie's eyes when she tried to get the little girl to talk about her mother.
"Because this woman can't spare fifteen minutes for that little girl. Because she's always
'on,' not to mention the fact that she's usually away on some trip. And now suddenly she
wants to sue everybody because her daughter's been kidnapped? Why isn't her first
concern to do everything she can to have Annie found? Why isn't she taking herself
She tried to second-guess his reasoning. "And thought the kidnappers might have come
back to the scene of the crime?"
"Actually," he leaned against the desk, looking down at her, "I didn't know what to think."
And that, he decided, was the case here with her. Every time he made up his mind about
Brenda York, something else was thrown into the mix. "I try not to jump to conclusions
until all the evidence is in." And then, because the moment was so serious and begged to be
lightened, he smiled at her. "But it doesn't hurt to stay on top of things."
The air felt a little rare. She moved back a little. "How did the canvas turn out?"
"Nothing so far." How long did it take for perfume to fade, he wondered. Hers was still getting to him. He rose, moving back toward the printer. "We have an Amber Alert going."
Over the last couple of years, it had become standard procedure every time a child went
missing. Descriptions of the little girl now flashed across freeway signs up and down the
state. A great deal of distance could be covered in eight hours.
She nodded toward the radio she had on beside the desk. "Yes, I know."
She'd been on his mind ever since he'd left her at theTylerestate. He wasn't even sure
exactly why, but she was, lingering in the corners like the scent of some potent flower
drifting invisibly through the warm summer night air. When he'd gone back to theTylers—
and spent some time with a tearful Mrs. Tyler—Danvershad told him he'd dropped her off
at the school.
Seeing her car in the lot had given him a measure of concern. And made him wonder if
he'd written her off a little too soon.
"How are you doing?"
She blew out a breath. Maybe it was because she was too tired, or too stressed, but for
once in her life, she didn't hide her feelings behind a smoke screen. "Not too well."
Chapter 5
«^»
Lookingcloser at her, he could see the definite signs of weariness. Her skin was almost
translucent.
He curbed the urge to run the back of his knuckles against her cheek, as if that could
somehow bring the color back to her face.
The girl's abduction had taken a toll on her. He thought of his gut feelings, the instincts
that had absolved Brenda of the crime. If she was faking it, then she was a damn better
actress than he would have thought she was.
"How did it go with Mrs. Tyler?"
"Not well." She was trying to be charitable toward the other woman, but it was difficult.
Frowning as she remembered the encounter at the mansion, Brenda pushed herself away
from the desk. "She blames the school, blames me." She sighed, dragging her hand through her hair. "Is probably on the phone with her lawyer right now, discussing a lawsuit."
He parked himself on the corner of the desk. He'd formed his own opinions about the
actress after only several minutes in her presence. His sympathies were entirely on
Brenda's side.
"Lawsuit?"
Brenda nodded. "Those were the last words Rebecca Allen-Tyler said to me. That she was
going to 'sue my ass.'"
Was that what had drained the color from Brenda's face? Fear of being taken to court?
"I don't think you really have to worry about that."
The threat had never concerned her. She had precious little that could be taken from
her.
"I'm not worried. I'm annoyed, maybe, but not worried." Her thoughts returned to Annie.
"Not about her, anyway."
"Annoyed?" He wasn't sure he followed her. "Why annoyed?"
Try as she might to suppress it, her anger rose up like bile in her throat. She thought of
the sad look in Annie's eyes when she tried to get the little girl to talk about her mother.
"Because this woman can't spare fifteen minutes for that little girl. Because she's always
'on,' not to mention the fact that she's usually away on some trip. And now suddenly she
wants to sue everybody because her daughter's been kidnapped? Why isn't her first
concern to do everything she can to have Annie found? Why isn't she taking herself
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