Private Affair(59)

“He could have done something similar,” Shane said. “Introduce some kind of gas into her house. Something more subtle than breaking the window. But we can’t find out if we can’t go over there and investigate.”

“That jerk Hamilton is irrational,” Max muttered.

Jack shook his head. “We probably wouldn’t have access anyway.”

“We’d have a better chance of getting some evidence,” Max shot back, then glanced toward Olivia. She had thrown her head back and looked exhausted. He’d wanted to talk about the assailant’s motivation, but he decided that was going to have to wait.

“I think we’ve worked you hard enough tonight,” he said. “Why don’t you take a shower? You probably feel grimy after that smoke attack.”

Olivia sat up and looked at him. “Yes.”

When she’d gone into the bedroom and closed the door, Max looked at his partner. “I was thinking about something,” he said.

“And we’re not going to like it,” Jack said.

“Yeah. It’s about the two of you staying in the hotel with us. I understand why you got yourselves a room, but under the circumstances, it’s not the best plan.”

“Why not?” Jack asked.

“Because the killer has obviously researched us. Not just me—the whole Rockfort organization. He knows who we all are, and he’s got a line on how we operate. He knew enough to get your cell phone.”

Shane made an angry sound.

“And use it to trick me,” Max added. “Unfortunately, I think if the two of you are in the hotel, that increases the chance of his finding us here.”

His partners thought about that for a few moments.

“I hate to admit it, but that makes sense,” Shane said.

“So go back to your wives tonight. And tomorrow, try to get those DNA results. Also, we need to do some more intensive research on Olivia’s class. We can narrow it down to rich guys.”

“Unless he bought the shoes and shirt on sale,” Shane said.

“Well, that would mean he wants to look prosperous. We can also focus on guys who think image is important.”

“That will take a bit of digging,” Shane said. He cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry about the phone.”

“Not your fault,” Max answered immediately.

“I should have put you in the loop as soon as the damn thing disappeared.”

“And I shouldn’t have fallen for that damn ruse like a wet-behind-the-ears patrol officer,” Max snapped.

“Don’t either of you beat yourselves up on that,” Jack said. “It was a clever ploy executed with finesse.”

“It could have gotten Olivia killed,” Max shot back.

“But she’s okay,” Jack said. “She held him off long enough for you to get back there.”

“And we know the guy is smart. Don’t underestimate him,” Shane said.

“He was clever enough to make his previous murders look like accidents until Angela,” Max said.

“And now maybe he’s coming unraveled,” Jack said.

“Which makes him more dangerous,” Max added.

They discussed the case for a few more minutes but drew no other useful conclusions. When the two other Rockfort agents left, Max was alone with his thoughts—and with Olivia.

He hated the way he’d bought into the idea that Olivia was involved in the case as more than a victim, even when he understood his twisted logic. Partly it was because he was certain that she was hiding something from him. And he’d been using that as an excuse to distance himself from her.

And now that they were alone, he had to talk to her about what had happened, even though the thought of the conversation made him feel like he’d stepped out of a helicopter and was hurtling toward a crash landing onto a concrete slab.

Unable to sit still, he stepped to the bedroom door, listening. The shower went off, and then he heard rustling noises in the bathroom. He was standing by the window when the door opened and she stepped into the living room, facing him.

She looked a lot better than she had twenty minutes ago. She was wearing one of those white hotel robes, and he wondered what she had on under it. Forcing his mind away from intimate thoughts, he folded his arms across his chest and said, “I have to ask you something.”

His tense posture and the tone of his voice had apparently made her wary.

“What is it?”

“Do you still want me on the case?”





Chapter 19


Fighting a feeling of disorientation, Olivia stared at the man standing beside the sofa.

“Why are you even asking?”

“Because I screwed up,” Max said.