An Unforgettable Lady(118)

She stopped walking as John's eyes bored into hers.

"When did you apprehend him?" There was a period of silence. "Can you make it stick?"

As soon as he hung up the phone, she said, "Did they find..."

He nodded and she was surprised when he didn't look relieved.

"So tell me," she prompted, feeling a sweet rush of release.

"Isadora came around early this m orning. She identified the man who attacked her as an associate of her husband's. Marks and his boys arrested the guy."

"Who is it?"

"Someone named Margis. You ever heard that name before?"

She nodded, dumbstruck by the news. "Of course I have. He's an investment manager and a real bon vivant. He was always chasing after women, especially the richest ones. I know he worked with Mimi's husband on a deal and I think he took care of some of Cuppie's money. I'm not sure if Suzanna had any contact with him but it wouldn't have surprised me if she had. As for Isadora, he was very close to Raphael Cunis. They were partners."

"What about you? Did you ever deal with him?"

Grace thought for a moment.

"Now that you mention it, he did approach me right after my father's death. He told me with the change in my net worth, I needed more personal attention and he wanted to take care of things for me. I told him no. I'd heard that his firm was struggling because of the downturn in the markets and there was something I didn't trust about him."

John seemed to be thinking deeply.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Marks says that Isadora admitted to having had an affair with the guy. Evidently, she was trying to break it off, which was why she came back to town. That's a very personal connection, unlike the business ones Margis had with the other women. Although I suppose it's possible he'd been having affairs with them, too."

"His name was on the list," Grace blurted. "Those lists from the buildings—I saw his name on them that day you were looking at them."

"Yeah. Marks's boys checked and the man had been in van der Lyden's and Lauer's buildings on the days of those murders."

"Well, I'm relieved," Grace said. As she measured John's expression, she felt almost defensive about her optimism. "What does Marks think?"



John shrugged. "He thinks the guy did it. Apparently they found a collection of weapons in Margis's house. He likes knives."

"So it's over," she murmured. "And I can get back to my life."

She stared at him and his eyes met hers intensely. For a moment, she held her breath in her chest as all of her painful, secret hopes came back.

Tell me you've changed your mind, she thought. Tell me that you love me and you're going to stay. Tell me that I was right and you were wrong and you can't imagine a life without me. Tell me that I'll be waking up next to you tomorrow.

Not wondering where you are.

But when he remained silent, she turned away and walked down the hall. There were no tears. They would come later, she was quite sure.

Kat looked up from her desk. "There's a man here to see you."

Grace glanced over her shoulder and saw the blond giant, Tiny, get to his feet. Her heart sank as he came forward, a duffel bag hanging off one heavy shoulder, a bright smile directed toward John. The man's expression became downright suspicious when he looked at her.

Smith clapped his partner on the back but Grace didn't hear what was said between them because of a loud ringing in her ears.

She walked into her office and sat at the desk. Moments later, the men came in, John with a serious expression on his face and Tiny looking like he'd been asked to take charge of a ticking bomb. The man's luggage hit the floor with a dull thud.

When the door was shut, she addressed them in her most commanding voice. "Although I appreciate you coming all this way, Mr...." She waited for the man to fill in the name.

"Just call me Vic," he said.

"Vic. But I don't believe I require the services of a bodyguard any longer." She started to shuffle papers around, trying to look busy.

"Yes, you do," John countered.

"No," she flashed him an angry look, "I don't."

"Grace—"

She ignored him. "So, Vic, you can pick up that duffel and haul out. No doubt you're relieved by the dismissal. You don't look happy to be here."