start a fire. Beth would enjoy that after her bath.
Thoughts came and went, particularly about how his life had changed since Elizabeth Sturgis had entered it. She was five foot nine with brown hair and the largest green eyes. Add to that, she wasfunny, quick witted, and intelligent as hell. At thirty-three, she was six years younger than he was. He’d never met anyone like her and didn’t expect to. An added bonus was that she and his thirteen-year-old daughter, Morgan, got along really well. They’d become Twitter and Facebook friends and spoke regularly, sending each other pictures and inane messages about what they were doing at any given moment.
The last time Morgan had come to visit, she had broached the subject of living with them. Apparently, Jack’s ex-wife’s new boyfriend had become a source of friction. Morgan made him promise not to say anything until she thought the matter out further, which was typical of her. She was a serious and contemplative child. He told her not to make any snap decisions and to give her mother a chance to work things out.
To his pleasant surprise, Beth was in favor of Morgan relocating. She was close to her own family and saw it as a good decision for all involved.
That discussion had started him thinking about the subject of marriage. He knew Beth was the one and that it was time to make their relationship permanent. For some reason, taking that step still scared him. Over the last eight years, he’d basically given up the idea of finding someone to love again. Beth had changed this. They’d been together what? Eight months? She knew the worst things about him—his frailties—and to his everlasting astonishment they were still all right with her.
“What do you think about marriage?” Jack asked Marta.
Marta had no opinion, but he was certain she approved.
A few weeks earlier, he’d asked Dan Pappas if he knew any reliable jewelers in town. Pappas told him he had a friend in the diamond business. Jack hadn’t mentioned marriage, but he supposed their loosely kept secret had managed to spread its way around the police department. As it turned out, everyone had a friend in the diamond business. Dwayne had one. Dwayne’s partner, Ed Mundas, had one. Even Beth’s secretary knew somebody who could give him a great deal.
While Beth was trying on clothes a month earlier, he took the opportunity to speak with a saleslady at Neiman Marcus’s jewelrydepartment. He hadn’t purchased a diamond in a long time and was surprised by how much they had gone up in price. She told him the more colorless and clearer a stone, the higher its price. Made sense. When Beth returned carrying her purchases, he was positive the lady winked at her as they were leaving the store. Privately, he was convinced some mystical form of communication existed between women where engagement rings were concerned. Though Beth said nothing about it, she seemed unusually affectionate that evening.
Definitely time , he decided. Just as soon as they caught a killer that police on three continents hadn’t come close to in six years.
Chapter 8
A fter reaching the house, Jack dried Marta off and got the fire going. Beth was still upstairs soaking. He then started some water boiling for the pasta he planned to make and took two chicken breasts out of the fridge, coating them with olive oil and flattening them with his knife. He had no doubt she’d be hungry when she came down. The amount of food that woman could eat and still stay in shape amazed him. Of course, going to the gym four days a week helped. If there was an ounce of fat on her, it was a well-kept secret.
By the time the water was starting to boil, he heard Beth stirring and placed the chicken breasts in a frying pan. Having just been fed, Marta lost interest in watching him and wandered into the family room. In under a minute, she was asleep on their love seat by the fire. He added a few shallots to the pan then tossed the pasta into the boiling
Thoughts came and went, particularly about how his life had changed since Elizabeth Sturgis had entered it. She was five foot nine with brown hair and the largest green eyes. Add to that, she wasfunny, quick witted, and intelligent as hell. At thirty-three, she was six years younger than he was. He’d never met anyone like her and didn’t expect to. An added bonus was that she and his thirteen-year-old daughter, Morgan, got along really well. They’d become Twitter and Facebook friends and spoke regularly, sending each other pictures and inane messages about what they were doing at any given moment.
The last time Morgan had come to visit, she had broached the subject of living with them. Apparently, Jack’s ex-wife’s new boyfriend had become a source of friction. Morgan made him promise not to say anything until she thought the matter out further, which was typical of her. She was a serious and contemplative child. He told her not to make any snap decisions and to give her mother a chance to work things out.
To his pleasant surprise, Beth was in favor of Morgan relocating. She was close to her own family and saw it as a good decision for all involved.
That discussion had started him thinking about the subject of marriage. He knew Beth was the one and that it was time to make their relationship permanent. For some reason, taking that step still scared him. Over the last eight years, he’d basically given up the idea of finding someone to love again. Beth had changed this. They’d been together what? Eight months? She knew the worst things about him—his frailties—and to his everlasting astonishment they were still all right with her.
“What do you think about marriage?” Jack asked Marta.
Marta had no opinion, but he was certain she approved.
A few weeks earlier, he’d asked Dan Pappas if he knew any reliable jewelers in town. Pappas told him he had a friend in the diamond business. Jack hadn’t mentioned marriage, but he supposed their loosely kept secret had managed to spread its way around the police department. As it turned out, everyone had a friend in the diamond business. Dwayne had one. Dwayne’s partner, Ed Mundas, had one. Even Beth’s secretary knew somebody who could give him a great deal.
While Beth was trying on clothes a month earlier, he took the opportunity to speak with a saleslady at Neiman Marcus’s jewelrydepartment. He hadn’t purchased a diamond in a long time and was surprised by how much they had gone up in price. She told him the more colorless and clearer a stone, the higher its price. Made sense. When Beth returned carrying her purchases, he was positive the lady winked at her as they were leaving the store. Privately, he was convinced some mystical form of communication existed between women where engagement rings were concerned. Though Beth said nothing about it, she seemed unusually affectionate that evening.
Definitely time , he decided. Just as soon as they caught a killer that police on three continents hadn’t come close to in six years.
Chapter 8
A fter reaching the house, Jack dried Marta off and got the fire going. Beth was still upstairs soaking. He then started some water boiling for the pasta he planned to make and took two chicken breasts out of the fridge, coating them with olive oil and flattening them with his knife. He had no doubt she’d be hungry when she came down. The amount of food that woman could eat and still stay in shape amazed him. Of course, going to the gym four days a week helped. If there was an ounce of fat on her, it was a well-kept secret.
By the time the water was starting to boil, he heard Beth stirring and placed the chicken breasts in a frying pan. Having just been fed, Marta lost interest in watching him and wandered into the family room. In under a minute, she was asleep on their love seat by the fire. He added a few shallots to the pan then tossed the pasta into the boiling
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