The Other Lady Vanishes (Burning Cove #2)(92)

“You’re joking.”

He shook his head.

She eyed him warily. “You’re not joking.”

“No. I haven’t been writing for long, just a couple of years. I’ve only had two books in the series published. I can’t assure you that I’m going to be a success in that line of work.”

She thought about the yellow legal pad and the sharpened pencils that he kept in his briefcase. She wrinkled her nose.

“Does Luther Pell know about your writing career?” she asked.

“He’s one of the very few people who does know.”

She groaned. “You must have been very amused by my efforts to get you to concentrate on finding a new job.”

“No,” he said. He twisted a lock of her hair around his fingers and tugged her gently down on his chest. “I was touched that you cared enough to be concerned. I can’t remember the last time someone worried about me.”

She glared at him. And then she started to laugh. He watched her, bemused for a moment, and then he grinned.

“You’re not mad?” he said.

“No. Why should I be mad? I’m going to marry the author of the Cooper Boone novels. I won’t have to wait for the next one to be released. I’ll get to read it before anyone else.”

“Yes,” he said. “You will.”

She widened her eyes. “Gosh, could I have your autograph?”

It was his turn to laugh.

“How about something a little more useful?” he said.

“Such as?”

“Such as this.”

He released his grip on her hair, cupped his hand around the back of her head, and drew her down so that he could kiss her.

“This is all right,” she said against his mouth. “But I still want you to sign my copy of your latest book.”

“Fine. I’ll sign anything if you’ll promise to stop talking and kiss me.”

“I can do that.”





Chapter 50


The following morning Raina opened the drawer of her desk and took out the slender file folder that contained the flawlessly typed report she had prepared. She put the folder on the desk but she did not open it. Instead she folded her hands on top, anchoring it securely in place.

“I have the names of your liquor thieves, Mr. Pell,” she said. “But we need to discuss this situation before I give you the report.”

Luther lounged back in the client chair and eyed the folder. When he looked at her again, his expression was perfectly neutral. He gave nothing away.

“What is there to discuss?” he asked. “I hired you to find out who was stealing liquor from my club. You say you were successful. Now you are going to give me the names of the thieves and I will pay you for your time. That does not sound complicated.”

“Actually, it is somewhat complicated. You see, there are nuances.”

“Nuances.” He made it sound as if it were an unfamiliar word.

“The people involved in the theft are not expert thieves,” she said. “That, by the way, is probably why your security people didn’t identify them. They were looking for professionals.”

“Then we aren’t talking about an organized ring.”

“No, Mr. Pell, we are dealing with a couple of young people.”

“Kids?”

“Not exactly. They are working for you, after all. But they are young and in love and planning to marry.”

Luther’s expression was no longer neutral. He looked deeply pained.

“Spare me any excuses that involve romance,” he said. “If you think that I’m going to overlook the thefts because you imagine that the two crooks are modern-day versions of Romeo and Juliet—”

“They aren’t stealing the liquor to pay for a honeymoon,” Raina said. “One of the thieves has a mother who is quite ill. Her doctor has told her that her only hope is an operation. Unfortunately the family can’t afford to pay for it.”

“Before we go any deeper into this subject, are you telling me that you actually believe the tale of the poor, sick mother?”

“Yes. I verified the facts of the situation. Before I give you the names of the two young people, I want your word that you won’t do anything to them.”

“Do anything?”

“I realize you’ll probably feel you must fire them. That will be devastating to both, I promise you. Losing their jobs will be ample punishment, especially because in a small town like Burning Cove it will be very hard for them to find new jobs. Once the word gets out that you let them go, other employers won’t want to hire them.”

“Maybe they should have considered the consequences before they started stealing from me,” Luther said.

“I told you, they are very young.”

“And in love. And trying to pay for an operation. Stop right there. If you give me any more details, you’ll have to provide me with a hankie.”

She relaxed a little. “There’s an extra charge for hankies.”

Luther’s mouth kicked up a little at the corner. “All right, let me get this straight. You’ll give me the names of the thieves if I promise to do nothing more than fire them.”

Raina cleared her throat. “I don’t want you to make an example out of these kids by doing something . . . harsh.”