Christmas Male(41)

When her eyes finally focused, he read a mix of desire and confusion—a pretty close match to what he was feeling. He captured one of her hands and raised it to his lips. “I’m sorry it’s winter. And I’m even sorrier we’re not alone.”

“I don’t understand this.”

“Ditto.” But he suspected he was beginning to. He thought of those two moments in the exhibition room when they’d stood, their gazes locked, with only the Rubinov separating them. He thought of the legend, and once again, he couldn’t discount it. Something crawled up his spine. He recognized it as the same feeling that had always served him well as a kid, that feeling of imminent danger that he’d experienced when he’d first sensed her presence in the sculpture garden.

He’d known her less than twenty-four hours, but no other woman had ever been so important to him. So necessary.

For now, he pushed the thought aside. They had work to do.

Gathering up their trash and his cane, he rose, then held out his free hand to Fiona. “C’mon, Lieutenant. Let’s go turn over another stone.



BILLY FRANKS LIVED on the second floor of an older three-story building within walking distance of the main campus of American University. A small sign out front advertised efficiency apartments. Luck had been with them, and a tenant had been leaving just as they’d been about to ring Billy’s apartment.

As they climbed the stairs, Fiona said, “Remember, I’m taking the lead on this one.”

“Sure,” D.C. said. They’d discussed their strategy on the way over. She was going to introduce him as Captain Campbell and they were going to try to sidestep the issue of his being stationed at Fort McNair and knowing Amanda. He was perfectly willing to take a backseat because that would leave him free to observe and figure out exactly what role he would play.

She stopped at the top of the stairs and turned to face him. “Since I’ll be doing most of the talking, is there anything in particular that you’d like me to ask?”

D.C. bit back a grin. “You don’t trust me to stay in the background.”

“I think that if you sense an opportunity, you’ll run with it. I’d like to avoid that, if possible. So if you have a question…?”

“Other than how he found out his cousin was in the hospital?”

“Yes.”

“I won’t know until he answers that one.”

She sighed. “D.C., I would prefer not to spook him.”

“I’ll try to keep my inner bad cop under control.”

“Do that.” Turning abruptly, she led the way down the short hallway to apartment 207, then knocked on the door.

Footsteps approached and the door opened the length of the security chain. “Yes?”

Over Fiona’s shoulder, D.C. saw a young man with longish dark hair, wearing a black turtleneck, jeans and glasses. He fit the descriptions they’d received from General Eddinger, the desk nurse, and Amanda’s landlady to a T.

Fiona held out her badge. “Are you Billy Franks?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Lieutenant Gallagher and this is Captain Campbell. We’re here to ask you about your cousin, Amanda Hemmings. Can we come in?”

“Sure.” He shut the door, released the chain and then opened it again. The apartment was small and narrow with a kitchen at one end and an open door leading to a bathroom at the other. But it was what filled the room that caught D.C.’s interest.

Billy Franks had company. And the dress code for the day was head-to-toe black. Not that D.C. could argue with it.

A young man with carrot-red hair sat at one of two computers on a long table that stretched the length of one wall. He was busily clicking himself out of screens. The girl sitting on the couch closed a laptop. She wore her dark hair pulled into two ponytails. But it was her feet that drew D.C.’s attention. She wore thick soled black boots laced to the knees.

Pulling out his notebook, D.C. moved to the one computer that was still open to a screen. Once he’d noted the URL, he turned, rested his hip against the table and waited.

Fiona turned to him. “If you wouldn’t mind taking notes, Captain?”

“Not at all.”

Fiona sent a smile at all three of the young people. “Sorry to interrupt. This shouldn’t take long. Are you classmates?”

“Yes.” Billy sat on the arm of the sofa. “We’re studying together.”

Out of the corner of his eye, D.C. watched a puzzled expression bloom on Fiona’s face.

“Aren’t you all on winter break?”

Carrottop flicked a glance at the girl, but Billy replied without missing a beat. “We’re doing an independent study project for one of our professors.”