Read Online Deadly Contact by Lara Lacombe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lara Lacombe
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to his papers, accepting her response.
James touched her arm again, and they moved to the elevator. He waited until the doors shut before turning to look at her. “Are you doing okay?”
She barked out a laugh. “Am I okay? What do you think? I just spent my afternoon getting interrogated about the behavior and motivations of my boss, and you people don’t believe me when I tell you that I have absolutely no idea what’s going on.”
“You’re not in trouble,” he said quietly. She looked up to find him regarding her with a serious expression, his dark brown eyes radiating reassurance. She found herself wanting to trust him, to believe his words, but she shook herself mentally. He had told her that she wasn’t a suspect, but his boss clearly felt otherwise. That meant trusting him would most likely be a mistake.
“Forgive me if I don’t quite believe you,” she scoffed.
They walked in silence through the parking garage. Kelly gave him directions to her apartment and then turned to look out the window. The silence in the car was thick, but she didn’t feel like talking. Unfortunately, her stomach betrayed her, emitting a loud rumble as James turned north onto Wisconsin Avenue.
“Hungry?”
It was pointless for her to deny it as her stomach rumbled again. “Yes.”
“Feel like a hamburger?”
She almost laughed at the question because it was so normal compared to the ones she had spent the afternoon answering. “That sounds good.”
“I know a place. We can stop in for a quick bite before I drop you off, if you’re up for it,” he offered. When she didn’t respond right away, he continued, “I thought it could be a peace offering.”
She smiled, unable to help herself. She wanted to clear the air between them, and dinner would be the perfect opportunity to start fresh. “That sounds nice,” she said, feeling some of the tension leave the car.
He maneuvered into the right lane and turned into a nondescript shopping center. He parked in front of a storefront marked Buddy’s, and a small neon sign indicated the place was open. Tinted windows hid the interior, but as she climbed out of the car, she caught a whiff of hot grease, and her stomach growled in appreciation.
The interior wasn’t anything to write home about, but apparently she was the only person in D.C. who didn’t know about the place, as it was packed full of diners. Families with young children and couples on dates sat at the booths lining the room and occupied the tables in the center, filling the air with the buzz of conversation.
The crowd and the heat of the grill made the place warm, and Kelly pulled her hair into a ponytail as she and James made their way to the counter to order. She studied the menu in silence, reading the choices again and again so she wouldn’t have to look at James. She didn’t know what to say to him and was starting to regret agreeing to dinner. What exactly were they supposed to talk about? Sorry I wrecked our friendship and stomped on your feelings wasn’t exactly the most eloquent thing to say, even if it was the truth.
Kelly claimed an open table after picking up their sodas while James went to get napkins and condiments. She sat and sipped her soda, idly tracing the red checkerboard tablecloth with her fingertip. It had been one crazy day. If even half of what the FBI had told her was true, George was in way over his head.
James placed the napkins and condiments in the middle of the table, and Kelly pushed his soda toward him as he sat down. “Thanks.” He picked up the drink and took a sip, watching her across the rim of the cup.
“Long day, huh?” he asked.
“You could say that.”
He opened his mouth but was interrupted by the arrival of their food. The teenage waitress placed cheeseburgers and fries on their table.
“Can I get you anything else?” she asked, her eyes on James as he shrugged out of his suit jacket and flipped his tie over his shoulder. He glanced up with a
James touched her arm again, and they moved to the elevator. He waited until the doors shut before turning to look at her. “Are you doing okay?”
She barked out a laugh. “Am I okay? What do you think? I just spent my afternoon getting interrogated about the behavior and motivations of my boss, and you people don’t believe me when I tell you that I have absolutely no idea what’s going on.”
“You’re not in trouble,” he said quietly. She looked up to find him regarding her with a serious expression, his dark brown eyes radiating reassurance. She found herself wanting to trust him, to believe his words, but she shook herself mentally. He had told her that she wasn’t a suspect, but his boss clearly felt otherwise. That meant trusting him would most likely be a mistake.
“Forgive me if I don’t quite believe you,” she scoffed.
They walked in silence through the parking garage. Kelly gave him directions to her apartment and then turned to look out the window. The silence in the car was thick, but she didn’t feel like talking. Unfortunately, her stomach betrayed her, emitting a loud rumble as James turned north onto Wisconsin Avenue.
“Hungry?”
It was pointless for her to deny it as her stomach rumbled again. “Yes.”
“Feel like a hamburger?”
She almost laughed at the question because it was so normal compared to the ones she had spent the afternoon answering. “That sounds good.”
“I know a place. We can stop in for a quick bite before I drop you off, if you’re up for it,” he offered. When she didn’t respond right away, he continued, “I thought it could be a peace offering.”
She smiled, unable to help herself. She wanted to clear the air between them, and dinner would be the perfect opportunity to start fresh. “That sounds nice,” she said, feeling some of the tension leave the car.
He maneuvered into the right lane and turned into a nondescript shopping center. He parked in front of a storefront marked Buddy’s, and a small neon sign indicated the place was open. Tinted windows hid the interior, but as she climbed out of the car, she caught a whiff of hot grease, and her stomach growled in appreciation.
The interior wasn’t anything to write home about, but apparently she was the only person in D.C. who didn’t know about the place, as it was packed full of diners. Families with young children and couples on dates sat at the booths lining the room and occupied the tables in the center, filling the air with the buzz of conversation.
The crowd and the heat of the grill made the place warm, and Kelly pulled her hair into a ponytail as she and James made their way to the counter to order. She studied the menu in silence, reading the choices again and again so she wouldn’t have to look at James. She didn’t know what to say to him and was starting to regret agreeing to dinner. What exactly were they supposed to talk about? Sorry I wrecked our friendship and stomped on your feelings wasn’t exactly the most eloquent thing to say, even if it was the truth.
Kelly claimed an open table after picking up their sodas while James went to get napkins and condiments. She sat and sipped her soda, idly tracing the red checkerboard tablecloth with her fingertip. It had been one crazy day. If even half of what the FBI had told her was true, George was in way over his head.
James placed the napkins and condiments in the middle of the table, and Kelly pushed his soda toward him as he sat down. “Thanks.” He picked up the drink and took a sip, watching her across the rim of the cup.
“Long day, huh?” he asked.
“You could say that.”
He opened his mouth but was interrupted by the arrival of their food. The teenage waitress placed cheeseburgers and fries on their table.
“Can I get you anything else?” she asked, her eyes on James as he shrugged out of his suit jacket and flipped his tie over his shoulder. He glanced up with a
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