things, so he hadn’t met her.
He heard the click-click of high heels on hardwood before he saw her. Then she turned a corner and entered the room. Beside him, Hayden straightened her back. Wryly, he realized he had too, in that come-to-attention response a soldier had to his officer in charge.
“Well, well, Mrs. Garner was right. You are the spitting image of our Mr. McBride. Identical twins, I presume?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She was thin and very fit looking for her age, but her dark hair was shot with silver. And she projected incredible command presence as she crossed the room, her carriage as upright and impeccable as any queen’s. No wonder Hayden had described her as royalty. She drew up in front of him and looked him squarely in the eye. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Mr. McBride. We still miss your brother at our breakfast table.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
She extended an elegant hand and he grasped it in a firm handshake. She released her grip quickly, turning to Hayden. “Dr. Walsh. Good to see you again.”
“Thank you, Dr. Stratton. You too.”
She turned her gaze back to Boyd. “And what’s your first name, Mr. McBride?”
“Boyd, ma’am.”
“Well, Boyd McBride, for all of your shared genetics, you are a harder customer than Joshua, unless I miss my guess.”
She didn’t add, “And I never miss my guess,”but she might as well have. He heard it loud and clear.
“I understand you wanted to view your brother’s room?”
“That’s right, ma’am. I’m just trying to get a feel for his life here. I never got a chance to visit, and now . . .” He let his words trail off.
“I understand,” she said, and he felt oddly pinned by those steely blue eyes that held his gaze so steadily. The Senator must have had brass ones to take this woman on. “But perhaps I can do you one better?”
One better? What the hell does that mean? “Ma’am?”
“Your brother had paid his rent to the end of the month, Mr. McBride. If you’re going to be reconstructing his life and death here in Fredericton, you’re welcome to have his room. I had thought to prorate the unused rental and send a check along to his estate, but if you’re in need of a place to stay, perhaps this will work just as well.”
Yes! Legitimate, long-term access to Josh’s room, handed to him on a platter. He could quietly tear the place apart until he found Josh’s notes. Plus it would save him a bundle. He could cancel his reservation at the Comfort Inn. Nothing of his excitement showed, though, when he spoke.
“Thank you, Dr. Stratton. That’s very kind of you. I’ll take you up on that offer.”
She waved his thanks away with a gracious hand. “No need to thank me. The room is bought and paid for. Breakfast is served between six and seven thirty, if you want to avail yourself of it. You may, of course, have to share the breakfast table with myself or my staff.”
Better and better on the budget. “That’s great with me.”
“All other meals are on your own, and please, no music or television or other loud noises late at night.” She aimed a look at Hayden as if that message were for her too.
Boyd’s mind leapt immediately to a picture of him and Hayden in a bedroom upstairs and the kinds of noise they could make. Clearly, Sylvia Stratton’s impersonation of a general must have put him more off balance than he’d realized. Time to get a grip.
“Thank you—that sounds very reasonable.”
“Very well. Shall I show you to the room? The key is in there.”
“Please.”
She turned and click-clicked her way back along the tiled hall. With a gesture for Hayden to precede him, he brought up the rear of the procession.
Sylvia Stratton led them up a wide, elegant staircase with an intricately carved newel post. As they climbed the stairs, he let his right hand glide along the polished banister. The dark wood felt smooth as satin beneath his hands. She hung a left at the top of the stairs and led them
He heard the click-click of high heels on hardwood before he saw her. Then she turned a corner and entered the room. Beside him, Hayden straightened her back. Wryly, he realized he had too, in that come-to-attention response a soldier had to his officer in charge.
“Well, well, Mrs. Garner was right. You are the spitting image of our Mr. McBride. Identical twins, I presume?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She was thin and very fit looking for her age, but her dark hair was shot with silver. And she projected incredible command presence as she crossed the room, her carriage as upright and impeccable as any queen’s. No wonder Hayden had described her as royalty. She drew up in front of him and looked him squarely in the eye. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Mr. McBride. We still miss your brother at our breakfast table.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
She extended an elegant hand and he grasped it in a firm handshake. She released her grip quickly, turning to Hayden. “Dr. Walsh. Good to see you again.”
“Thank you, Dr. Stratton. You too.”
She turned her gaze back to Boyd. “And what’s your first name, Mr. McBride?”
“Boyd, ma’am.”
“Well, Boyd McBride, for all of your shared genetics, you are a harder customer than Joshua, unless I miss my guess.”
She didn’t add, “And I never miss my guess,”but she might as well have. He heard it loud and clear.
“I understand you wanted to view your brother’s room?”
“That’s right, ma’am. I’m just trying to get a feel for his life here. I never got a chance to visit, and now . . .” He let his words trail off.
“I understand,” she said, and he felt oddly pinned by those steely blue eyes that held his gaze so steadily. The Senator must have had brass ones to take this woman on. “But perhaps I can do you one better?”
One better? What the hell does that mean? “Ma’am?”
“Your brother had paid his rent to the end of the month, Mr. McBride. If you’re going to be reconstructing his life and death here in Fredericton, you’re welcome to have his room. I had thought to prorate the unused rental and send a check along to his estate, but if you’re in need of a place to stay, perhaps this will work just as well.”
Yes! Legitimate, long-term access to Josh’s room, handed to him on a platter. He could quietly tear the place apart until he found Josh’s notes. Plus it would save him a bundle. He could cancel his reservation at the Comfort Inn. Nothing of his excitement showed, though, when he spoke.
“Thank you, Dr. Stratton. That’s very kind of you. I’ll take you up on that offer.”
She waved his thanks away with a gracious hand. “No need to thank me. The room is bought and paid for. Breakfast is served between six and seven thirty, if you want to avail yourself of it. You may, of course, have to share the breakfast table with myself or my staff.”
Better and better on the budget. “That’s great with me.”
“All other meals are on your own, and please, no music or television or other loud noises late at night.” She aimed a look at Hayden as if that message were for her too.
Boyd’s mind leapt immediately to a picture of him and Hayden in a bedroom upstairs and the kinds of noise they could make. Clearly, Sylvia Stratton’s impersonation of a general must have put him more off balance than he’d realized. Time to get a grip.
“Thank you—that sounds very reasonable.”
“Very well. Shall I show you to the room? The key is in there.”
“Please.”
She turned and click-clicked her way back along the tiled hall. With a gesture for Hayden to precede him, he brought up the rear of the procession.
Sylvia Stratton led them up a wide, elegant staircase with an intricately carved newel post. As they climbed the stairs, he let his right hand glide along the polished banister. The dark wood felt smooth as satin beneath his hands. She hung a left at the top of the stairs and led them
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