Seeing Red(86)

“That’s all bullshit, Kerra. You didn’t tell me because you knew I’d be mad as hell. Think what would have happened if you’d gotten caught.”

“But I didn’t! And now you have the recording.”

“A recording of me spinning what Wilcox called a captivating story.”

“He talked about wanting to avenge his daughter’s murder. He talked about the four men outside standing by to rush the building and kill you. It’s something. At least it’s enough to get the authorities to listen to you without laughing.” His lack of excitement dismayed and confused her. “I thought you’d be pleased.”

“I’m glad to have the recording. And it is something on that son of a bitch. But it makes my point, Kerra. If not for me, you wouldn’t have been there in that life-threatening situation, taking risks.”

He paced a few feet away from her, and when he turned back, he said, “Your involvement in this should’ve ended the night I took you those damn flowers.” He held her gaze for a moment, then looked down at his boots and, in a mumble, added, “I just couldn’t stay away from you.”

The admission made her heart flutter. But it turned to a thud of dread with his next statement. “Your involvement ends now.”

“I’ve changed my mind from what I said earlier.”

He gave a negative shake of his head. “You’re going back to your life. Or not. But in any case you’re going away from me.”

“But I don’t want to drop this.”

“I don’t want another Berkley Johnson on my conscience. Only with you, it would be worse. I never kissed him.” The words shimmered between them, then he said, “Besides, this is something I’ve got to do alone.”

That statement had a different ring to it. “You’ve got to do it alone? That’s an odd thing to say.”

“What’s odd about it?”

“It doesn’t sound like someone who’s only seeking justice. It sounds like you have a hidden agenda.”

“And that sounds like psychobabble.”

If she hadn’t hit on something, he wouldn’t be responding so defensively. Determined to get to the bottom of it, she searched his face and asked again, “Why must you do this alone?”

“I just do, okay?”

“Not okay. That’s not an explanation.”

“That’s all you’re getting.”

“Why alone, Trapper?”

“Kerra.”

“To restore your pride?”

He drew himself up to full height. “Yeah. That’s it. I’m a peacock whose tail feathers got plucked by the ATF. Save that quote. Put it in your story.”

“Don’t do that,” she said, coming to her feet. “Don’t slam the door on me or cop that smart-ass attitude.”

“Then stop asking questions. I don’t give interviews, remember?”

“Aren’t we beyond that?”

“Well, I thought so, but obviously not.”

“We’re just two people talking, Trapper.”

“Wrong. Only one person is talking. You. I’m not listening anymore.”

He went around her, scooped her bag from off the floor, and carried it with him into the bathroom, where he began tossing in grooming articles and the sleepwear she’d left hanging on the hook on the back of the door.

She followed him as far as the threshold between the two rooms. “You’re really sending me packing?”

He didn’t say anything, just raided the shower of her shampoo and razor and added them to the bag.

“Me plus you equals jeopardy for the bad guys, isn’t that what you said? Well, it’s worked. Someone got nervous enough about our being together to ransack your apartment and office. Thomas Wilcox came to you wanting to make a deal for immunity. How likely was that to happen if he hadn’t feared what you have on him? Someone went to a lot of trouble to set up Leslie Duncan for Sunday night’s crimes.”

She had to move aside or get mowed down as he came through the bathroom door. “We’ve stirred live coals, Trapper. Isn’t that what you had in mind when you abducted me?”

“What I had in mind was banging you.”

“That’s very romantic,” she said, “but it wasn’t your primary motivation.”

He lowered his eyelids to half mast. “Wanna bet?”

“Please follow along, ladies and gentlemen, as we move from scare tactic number one to scare tactic number two. Lewd and lascivious innuendo.” She paused for a beat. “Save it, Trapper. I’m not going to have the vapors or run screaming in fear of my virtue.”

“Don’t be so sure. I can get really lewd and … whatever that other thing was.”

She huffed out a breath. “Let me see what’s on the flash drive.”

He dropped all degree of suggestiveness and reverted to anger. “You’re just after the story.”

“Damn right, I am. But I can’t turn my back on this injustice and then blithely go on with my life.”

“It’s your life I’m trying to save.”

“Which is why I have a bodyguard.”

“You haven’t advanced me a penny of my retainer.”