He gazed at her across the desk for several moments before he said quietly, “I’m sorry about your husband.”
“Thank you.” Was that what he had called to say? she wondered. Why couldn’t he have said that over the phone?
He spoke the words she had heard repeatedly over the past months, but there was something unique in the way he said them, an element of intensity. She thought it was more than Thomas’s demise he was sorry about. And the piercing way he was looking at her made her distinctly uncomfortable, as though he were weighing her reaction to everything he said.
“I’ve seen you on television,” he remarked with seeming nonchalance. Actually she thought it was a calculated comment. She doubted if Mr. McKee ever said anything off the top of his head.
“That’s like saying ‘I’ve seen your baby.’ What’s your opinion?”
He grinned. She had been right. He was handsome and sexy. She could think of a dozen young ladies who would love to remedy his single status.
“I used to turn off the TV after the hard news stories.” He glanced away and unnecessarily opened his lap desk drawer, then closed it. “Lately I’ve been making it a point to watch your entertainment features. They’re very good.”
“Thank you,” she said with a formal nod of her head and a wide smile.
“You have a clever way with words and you always look … beautiful.” The last word was uttered softly after a slight, almost imperceptible pause.
Kari’s heart did a fancy little dance it had never done before. An odd but thrilling feeling slipped past her tight control and feathered up through her stomach and chest. She caught her breath at the strange sensation, and barely quelled the impulse to place her hand over her stomach. Could it have been her baby moving? No. It was too early. Then what? Certainly she wasn’t reacting in schoolgirl fashion to Mr. McKee’s compliment.
“You could have saved yourself this visit and written me a fan letter.” She smiled, but it was shaky.
“I am a fan and I wanted to tell you so.” His brows drew together into a frown. “But I’m afraid there’s more to this appointment than that.”
“I thought there was. If it’s a news story, you should call our assignments editor. He’ll send over the—”
“No, it’s not a story. At least, not yet. It will be by this afternoon.”
She recrossed her legs and shifted in her chair impatiently. When was he going to get to the point? “Why don’t you tell me what this is about, Mr. McKee?”
“It concerns your late husband,” he said bluntly.
That stilled her rising impatience. She blinked in surprise and watched as Hunter McKee opened the file lying on his desk. His movements were methodical, official. He no longer had the aspect of a gracious host, an admiring fan, but of a public servant about to carry out an unpleasant duty. “Thomas? What about him?”
He drew a deep breath. “For several months this office has been conducting an investigation into the disappearance of huge sums of money. The funds went into the city council’s coffers. There was never anything tangible to show for this money, though the ledgers showed a place for every penny. But only on paper. The funds allocated for several projects were never forthcoming.”
“I don’t see what—”
“Please,” he said calmly, holding up both palms. “The funds were being misappropriated. We have the evidence now to go before the grand jury. This afternoon two councilmen will be arrested on charges of fraud and embezzlement of city funds. I wanted to speak with you before the issue became public knowledge.”
She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. “Why?”
His eyes speared into hers. “Because Thomas Wynne was alledgedly in on the scam.”
For a long moment she sat perfectly still. So did Hunter. It was silent. Sounds of typewriter keys and ringing telephones filtered down the hallways and through the insulated walls, but overall the room was silent.
In one abrupt motion, Kari bolted from the chair and made a beeline for the door. Nimbly Hunter rounded his desk and caught up with her just as she reached it. His strong lean fingers circled her upper arm.
“I’m sorry, Kari—”
“Mrs. Wynne,” she hissed, “and please let go of my arm.”
“I want to explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain.” Her eyes were hot with anger. “Thomas served this city for more years than you’ve been out of law school. He was a scrupulous, conscientious businessman and public official. He would never …” She halted to draw a deep breath when her air ran out. “Your allegations are wrong and will be proven so. Let me go.”