Owen tipped an imaginary hat. „And you. Kristen, I’ll see you soon.“
„Thanks, Owen.“ Kristen smiled at Lois who stood waiting. „The kid can stay.“
Rachel unwrapped the Reuben. „I am so hungry. I was talking to my teacher and missed lunch.“ She took a huge bite, and said between chews, „We were talking about you.“
„Me?“
Rachel nodded and swallowed. „Got anything to drink around here?“
Kristen handed her one of the bottles of water she kept in her desk drawer and Rachel gulped half a bottle before continuing. „Thanks. She loved my interview with you. She wanted to know if you would come in to talk to my class.“ She angled her head slyly. „Please?“
Kristen frowned at her because it seemed like the right thing to do. „Does your mother know you’re here?“
„Kind of. I told her I was going to a friend’s house after school. You said you practically live here, you work so many hours, so I wasn’t exactly lying.“
Kristen swallowed her smile and gave Rachel a stern look. „You weren’t exactly telling the truth either. How did you get down here anyway?“
„I came on the El.“ She looked annoyed. „I’m not stupid, Kristen. I can get downtown.“
But there were a lot of seedy places between Rachel’s neighborhood and the El stop for the ASA’s offices. Kristen shuddered at the thought of a thirteen-year-old roaming the streets by herself. „Rachel, your parents don’t let you walk around town all by yourself, do they?“
Rachel’s eyes dropped to the sandwich on her lap and Kristen realized she’d seen that same expression on Abe’s face – the morning they’d found the first body and he’d been so angry that she’d put cops on the suspect list. She’d rebuked him and he’d been embarrassed. Now, Rachel wagged her dark head. „No. I’ll probably get grounded again.“ She looked up, a gleam in her blue eyes. Abe’s eyes. And in Abe’s Kristen had seen that same gleam. „Unless you don’t tell on me.“
Kristen had to chuckle. „Actually, what’s going to happen is that I’m going to see you home and your parents will wonder why I’m with you. Then you’ll tell them yourself. You didn’t think I’d let you waltz out of here alone, did you? It’s going to be dark soon.“
Rachel’s pretty mouth pushed up in a frown. „I didn’t think about that.“
Kristen lifted a brow. „You’d better be thinking three steps ahead of everyone if you want to be a prosecutor. You have to determine all the possible outcomes and plan for each one.“
Rachel perked back up. „So will you come to my school? Please?“ She pressed her clasped hands to her heart. „I promise not to come see you alone on the El ever again.“
„I notice you didn’t promise not to take the El alone ever again,“ Kristen responded wryly and Rachel just grinned. Kristen looked at the files on her desk. They were Greg’s problem now. She was on an „overdue vacation.“
„Why not? My calendar has suddenly been freed.“
With a confident look that said she’d never really expected any other outcome, Rachel sat back and took another bite. „Extra credit, here I come.“
Kristen looked at the young girl fondly. „Don’t talk with your mouth full, Rachel.“
Monday, February 23,
5:00 p.m.
Jacob Conti sat back in his chair, brooding. „So what do you know?“
Drake shot him a concerned look. „She’s squeaky clean, Jacob. The woman hasn’t had so much as a parking ticket. She seems to be the impossible. An honest lawyer.“
Jacob turned his chair to face the wall, scowling. „You told me that before.“
„It was true when Angelo was on trial, it’s true now,“ Drake said with a patience that grated on his nerves. Drake thoroughly investigated Miss Mayhew when she was assigned Angelo’s murder trial. They’d looked for some-thing, anything to use against her then, to embarrass her, to blackmail her if necessary. There’d been nothing.
She was a sanctimonious little bitch.
He stared at Angelo’s picture hanging on the wall before his eyes and felt the sting of tears. Stupid, stupid kid. Opening his mouth that way.
The man who took his son’s life would pay dearly.
Elaine hadn’t left her bed since he’d broken the news to her yesterday. Hardest thing he’d done in his life. She’d had to be sedated and the doctor even now waited at her bedside in case she woke up in hysterics again.
„She scratched Paglieri,“ Drake said and Jacob turned his head, staring.
„What?“
„Paglieri,“ Drake said tightly. „The guy you sent over last night to bully Mayhew with a gun without my knowledge.“
Jacob turned the chair, narrowed his eyes at Drake. „I don’t need your permission, Drake. I’m still the boss here, remember?“
Drake didn’t blink. „I remember. I’m also telling you it was a damn stupid thing to have done, Jacob. You were thinking with your heart, not with your head.“
An ashtray went flying across the room, shattering against the wall and splattering ash all over the floor. „Of course I’m thinking with my heart. My son is dead, Drake.“ A wave of grief hit him so immense he bowed from its weight. „Angelo’s dead, Drake.“
„I know, Jacob,“ Drake said gently. „But you can’t harass a woman like Mayhew in her own home without consequences. She scratched Paglieri. Skin samples, Jacob. DNA. If he’s caught, they’ll follow him back to you. Let me handle this.“
„You said you couldn’t find anything.“
„Nothing illegal, Jacob. That doesn’t mean she can’t be convinced to cooperate.“
Jacob sighed. Drake was right He wasn’t doing Angelo any good by acting impulsively. „I’m listening.“
Monday, February 23,
6:00 p.m.
Zoe squinted at the tape. Dammit, they’d been too far away and it was too grainy. She’d tried to get film of Mayhew’s house last night from a couple of streets down because the damn cops in front of her house wouldn’t let her any closer. Something had happened last night, and for once it was inside the house, not outside. Looked like Mayhew’s castle had been scaled. Unfortunately, Mayhew appeared unhurt. How unsatisfying. That would have made great copy. Nevertheless, this little story was starting to percolate in all kinds of different directions. Good thing, too, because her lover hadn’t come back. She guessed he actually did have a conscience after all.
She stopped the grainy video. It was worthless. She needed something new. CNN had called this morning and wanted rights to her tape. This was her one shot and she wasn’t going to let Mayhew and her guard dogs ruin it.
Chapter Sixteen
Monday, February 23,
9:00 p.m.
He let himself into his mother’s kitchen and took an appreciative breath. Whatever his mother had fixed for dinner smelled wonderful. He only hoped they’d saved him some.
„Well?“ Kristen asked from behind him and suddenly dinner was the last thing on his mind. He turned to find her standing in the doorway to his parents’ living room looking totally beautiful and thoughts of the newest box they’d found on her front porch slipped to the fringes of his mind. A glance over her shoulder revealed a grinning Rachel.
„Hiya, Abe.“
He reached around Kristen to cover Rachel’s face with one of his hands. Gently he pushed her, feeling her giggle under his palm. „Scram, kid.“
Kristen’s smile was wry. „We’ve been doing algebra. Actually, Rachel’s been doing algebra, and I’ve been feeling old and stupid.“ She silently mouthed, „Save me. Please.“
Abe slid his arm around Kristen’s shoulders to Rachel’s obvious glee. „I’m serious, Rach. Kristen and I have to talk about work. You go back to your algebra.“