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On Fire(24)

By:Carla Neggers


"No, you're not. Riley, I wouldn't want anyone to question your  priorities and obligations. I understand your devotion to Emile, your  loyalty to him in the face of what everyone else so clearly believes  happened last year."

The past few days had given any critics she had more ammunition. She  liked Henry. He was good for the center. And it was the center he cared  about, not Labreques, St. Joes, or even, ultimately.

Grangers.

He'd gone on quietly, "If Mr. Straker is acting against your will, then, in my judgment, he can be accused of stalking you."

She'd seen her opening and had seized it.

She dropped onto her chair now, her tote on her lap. She didn't know  what had come over her. Sure, she'd gotten herself off the hook with  Henry. But she should have anticipated what would happen--what did  happen. Straker's description was circulated to security, and he was  barred from the premises.

And he'd found out about it.

It was the kiss.

It wasn't the kiss. That was absurd. She'd been kissed before.

But not by John Straker.

She was so far in over her head she didn't know if she'd ever come up  for air. The man she'd kissed last night, the man she'd thwarted at  every turn, was an FBI special agent. He wasn't a marine scientist.

He wasn't even the teenager who'd tormented her as a kid.

She'd checked the Internet for various accounts of the incident that had  nearly killed him six months ago. He and his team had tracked down  three men wanted in connection with a string of armored car robberies.

The thieves had killed four guards, seriously injured three. They were  using the money to fund their own private, paranoid domestic army, with  plans to target an array of state and federal government buildings and  private institutions.

Straker and his team had managed to arrest two of the men without  incident. The third took two teenagers hostage, shooting Straker in the  leg and abdomen. The terrorist made the mistake of believing Straker was  dead instead of just damned close to it.

None of the accounts went into great detail about John Straker. All  portrayed him as skilled, well- trained, professional and courageous.

That he was also obnoxious and sexy and couldn't get along with anyone didn't enter the picture.

Way, way over her head she was.

Now she'd turned a respected FBI agent into a would-be stalker.

"He's going to shoot me dead," she said out loud, then noticed Abigail in her doorway.

She smiled a bit formally.

"Henry told me you were taking some time off--I'm glad I caught you  before you left. I don't know if Caroline's told you, but I'm joining  her in Maine this weekend. Sam's death has dredged up all the pain and  controversy we'd hoped we'd put behind us." She shuddered, not going  further.

"I'm sure you understand." "Of course. My father left an hour ago.

He claims he needs to run up to Bath and check on the progress of the Encounter II."

"He'll be so much happier when he can spend more time at sea."

Riley nodded.

"It's going to be a beautiful ship."

"He invited you to go with him, didn't he?"

"Pleaded would be more accurate. If I'd known Henry was going to kick me  out of here, I might have accepted Dad's offer. Have a good trip.

Give my regards to Caroline. We've all had a pretty awful few days.

"

Abigail lingered in the doorway. She bit her lower lip awkwardly.

"I was wondering--do you think it'd be okay if I stopped in Camden to see Sig? It's been ages. "

"If you're asking me if she'd see you, I don't honestly know." There was  still the matter of Sig's pregnancy. If Abigail noticed and Sig didn't  mention it, her sister-in-law wouldn't say a word.

"She won't be ugly about it or anything. She'd just say she's painting and can't be disturbed."

"I don't want to get involved in her and Matt's problems. I just--well, I  don't know what I'm thinking at this point." She smiled, the strain of  the past few days evident in her delicate features.                       
       
           



       

"Caroline invited Henry, too. We're driving up together."

Riley wasn't surprised, but she didn't know what to say.

"Oh."

Abigail blushed.

"Maybe if we're not here for the media to pester, it'll help diffuse the crisis atmosphere."

"What about your brother?" Riley asked.

"Is he going to Maine with you?"

"I haven't seen Matt since last night. I'm sure this has all been a  nightmare for him. Caroline and I are worried about him. Henry is, too.  That's why I want to see Sig. If she can do something, suggest something  we can do..."

"You don't think he had anything to do with Sam" "--No!" She shrank back  in horror, deeply offended. "How could you possibly say such a thing?"

Riley debated telling Abigail about seeing Matt at the fire last night,  but quickly rejected the idea. She'd have to explain her own presence  there. She said quietly, "I don't mean to imply he had a hand in Sam's  death. Forget it. I don't know what I meant."

"It's all right. We're all on edge." Abigail regained her poise, even  managed a soft smile. "Have a good weekend. I hope when we see each  other next this will all have resolved itself."

"I hope so, too."

After Abigail left, Riley turned out the lights and headed for the  subway. Straker and his car, she knew, would be long gone from her spot  in the parking garage.

The rain had stopped, but gray clouds continued to hang over the city.

The subway ride and walk back to her apartment did nothing to calm her.

She climbed up her front steps, rummaging for her keys, and almost screamed when she heard a movement behind her.

She whipped around, keys in hand.

"Whoa," Matthew Granger said.

"You could poke an eye out with those things."

"That was the whole idea."

He looked haggard and drawn, as if he hadn't slept in days.

"You can hit me for last night if you want. Just leave my eyes alone, okay?"

It was an apology, and Riley accepted it.

"You're not worth hitting.

Granger. I'm not even going to ask what possessed you, because I know.

We're all under a lot of stress right now. "

Sheepishness, however, wasn't her brother-in-law's long suit. Although  clearly exhausted, he stood tall, patrician, his emotions under rigid  control.

"I know you mean well, Riley, but" -- "Don't let's start, okay?" "I saw  Emile on Beacon Hill last night. So did you. So did John Straker."

He paused, his piercing eyes narrowing. Riley resisted the urge to  explain, to defend Emile, to distance herself from Straker. Matt hadn't  gone to the trouble of intercepting her just to apologize. He had an  agenda, and she needed to let him get to it.

"Funny." He came up another step, still two down from her. "Not an hour  after Emile turned up on Beacon Hill, Sam's house caught fire."

So he hadn't seen Emile in Arlington. Riley shrugged.

"Funny you were at Sam's yourself."

She hadn't caught him by surprise. He remained coolly under control,  last night's rage dissipated. This was the Matthew Granger who could  charm and infuriate at will.

"So that was you. I thought so. You must have followed Emile."

He was trying to trap her into confirming his suspicions. Riley didn't bite.

"Emile? Did you see him at Sam's?"

Matt exhaled slowly, not rising to her provocation.

"I didn't come here to go round and round with you. Riley, something  very nasty and dangerous is going on. If Emile's at the bottom of it or  not, it doesn't change the facts. Sam Cassain is dead--murdered-and his  place was torched." He paused, letting her digest his words. His gaze  was serious, fraternal, just this side of patronizing.

"You need to pull back."

"So do you," she said automatically. He hissed through his teeth.

This was her day to try everyone's patience.

"I know you care about Emile. I know you believe in him. But whatever  his role in this business is, you know damned well he wouldn't want you  meddling."

"And what are you doing if not meddling?"

"I'm not here about me. I'm here about you."

"Well, thank you very much. Why bother? What difference does it make to you what I do?"

"If I didn't make the effort and something happened to you..." He  averted his gaze, and she could see the dark circles under his eyes, the  stubble of beard on his jaw, the difficulty he was having maintaining  his unyielding stance.                       
       
           



       

"It's tough enough between Sig and me right now as it is."

"You don't need a dead or beat-up sister-in-law mucking up the works."

His eyes flashed.

"Bluntly put, no, I don't." She swallowed.

"You should go see Sig."

"I saw her yesterday." His eyes gleamed with affection, even humor, but sadness and frustration quickly crept in.