act
quickly.
Finally, Clancy agreed. "I'll take it."
Parker didn't let his relief show. "Good.
You can start immediately?"
"I think I can rearrange my caseload to
accommodate you. Do you have a suspect?"
"Elaine Adams."
"And she is...?"
"My executive assistant." He felt an
unaccustomed twinge of guilt. Elaine was nothing if not faithful.
It felt like a betrayal to even pretend that she could be
otherwise.
There was no reason for her to find out.
He'd send Clancy on this fool's mission. Clancy would spin his
wheels for a few weeks, guaranteeing he'd be too busy to see
Olivia, and find nothing to support Parker's allegations.
And Elaine would remain ignorant of the
inquest.
"What gives you reason to suspect Ms.
Adams?" Clancy asked.
He would have expected anyone else to take
notes. Clancy didn't, making him either very sharp or a fool.
Parker doubted it was the latter. "I didn't until recently. Elaine
was the only one, other than myself, who had access to the
information."
"Why me?"
Parker didn't pretend to misunderstand.
"I've heard you're the best."
"My reputation precedes me."
"There's also the consideration that we're
going to be in the Bay Area for the next few weeks. Since you're
local, I thought you'd be the best choice."
"So this has nothing to do with Olivia?"
Parker's cup paused for a moment on the way
to his mouth. He didn't delude himself that Clancy missed the
gaffe. "Why would this have anything to do with Olivia?"
Clancy shrugged. "I don't know, but I have a
feeling it does."
"Has Olivia mentioned me?"
"No. I did a little homework after you
called me. Olivia clams up anytime you're mentioned."
"This has nothing to do with Olivia," he
lied. It had everything to do with Olivia. All of it was about
Olivia.
He hadn't expected her to have a boyfriend
when he set this plan in motion. It threw a serious wrench into the
works. He had to make sure Clancy was out of the way so Olivia
could reconcile with Michael.
His daughter was the only reason he could
justify siccing Clancy on Elaine. He found it distasteful to even
question her loyalty.
Although his
assistant was hiding something from him.
He'd realized it when she came back from her
errands clutching a Romantic Notions bag. She had a secret. He
wasn't sure if he was more shocked that she kept a secret from him
or that she'd bought something from Olivia's boutique.
Of course, Elaine wasn't entitled to confide
in him, and she could buy anything she wanted. But, according to
Mae, Olivia sold sexy, high-end lingerie. Was that what Elaine wore
underneath those staid suits?
He couldn't count the number of times over
the past few days he'd wondered what was in that little bag. Every
time Elaine walked into the room, he could hardly keep himself from
staring at her body, looking for a clue, a hint at what was
underneath.
It was insane. He couldn't believe he was
mentally undressing her. She was his assistant, for Christ's
sake.
Clancy downed the last of his coffee. "I'll
get right on this. I expect you'll want periodic reports."
"Yes. Though I'd like to stress the need for
confidentiality."
"Of course." Clancy unfolded his long legs,
stood up, and held out his hand. "I'll be in touch, Mr.
Parker."
"Thank you." Parker stood
and shook Clancy's hand. The grip was confident and firm. Damn . He'd been prepared
to dislike Clancy, but everything about the man made it impossible
to feel anything other than admiration.
He watched Clancy return his mug to the bar
and exchange a few words with the pretty blonde manning the
register. Parker wondered what was said when she glanced over at
him curiously. Clancy pecked her on the cheek and left.
Parker drank his coffee, waiting to feel
satisfaction at a plan in motion. He only felt a vague sense of
unease.
But Elaine wouldn't find out, and the end
justified the means.
Chapter Ten
"Gwen, I really think you should
reconsider," Eve said, reclining on the couch and stretching her
legs out in front of
quickly.
Finally, Clancy agreed. "I'll take it."
Parker didn't let his relief show. "Good.
You can start immediately?"
"I think I can rearrange my caseload to
accommodate you. Do you have a suspect?"
"Elaine Adams."
"And she is...?"
"My executive assistant." He felt an
unaccustomed twinge of guilt. Elaine was nothing if not faithful.
It felt like a betrayal to even pretend that she could be
otherwise.
There was no reason for her to find out.
He'd send Clancy on this fool's mission. Clancy would spin his
wheels for a few weeks, guaranteeing he'd be too busy to see
Olivia, and find nothing to support Parker's allegations.
And Elaine would remain ignorant of the
inquest.
"What gives you reason to suspect Ms.
Adams?" Clancy asked.
He would have expected anyone else to take
notes. Clancy didn't, making him either very sharp or a fool.
Parker doubted it was the latter. "I didn't until recently. Elaine
was the only one, other than myself, who had access to the
information."
"Why me?"
Parker didn't pretend to misunderstand.
"I've heard you're the best."
"My reputation precedes me."
"There's also the consideration that we're
going to be in the Bay Area for the next few weeks. Since you're
local, I thought you'd be the best choice."
"So this has nothing to do with Olivia?"
Parker's cup paused for a moment on the way
to his mouth. He didn't delude himself that Clancy missed the
gaffe. "Why would this have anything to do with Olivia?"
Clancy shrugged. "I don't know, but I have a
feeling it does."
"Has Olivia mentioned me?"
"No. I did a little homework after you
called me. Olivia clams up anytime you're mentioned."
"This has nothing to do with Olivia," he
lied. It had everything to do with Olivia. All of it was about
Olivia.
He hadn't expected her to have a boyfriend
when he set this plan in motion. It threw a serious wrench into the
works. He had to make sure Clancy was out of the way so Olivia
could reconcile with Michael.
His daughter was the only reason he could
justify siccing Clancy on Elaine. He found it distasteful to even
question her loyalty.
Although his
assistant was hiding something from him.
He'd realized it when she came back from her
errands clutching a Romantic Notions bag. She had a secret. He
wasn't sure if he was more shocked that she kept a secret from him
or that she'd bought something from Olivia's boutique.
Of course, Elaine wasn't entitled to confide
in him, and she could buy anything she wanted. But, according to
Mae, Olivia sold sexy, high-end lingerie. Was that what Elaine wore
underneath those staid suits?
He couldn't count the number of times over
the past few days he'd wondered what was in that little bag. Every
time Elaine walked into the room, he could hardly keep himself from
staring at her body, looking for a clue, a hint at what was
underneath.
It was insane. He couldn't believe he was
mentally undressing her. She was his assistant, for Christ's
sake.
Clancy downed the last of his coffee. "I'll
get right on this. I expect you'll want periodic reports."
"Yes. Though I'd like to stress the need for
confidentiality."
"Of course." Clancy unfolded his long legs,
stood up, and held out his hand. "I'll be in touch, Mr.
Parker."
"Thank you." Parker stood
and shook Clancy's hand. The grip was confident and firm. Damn . He'd been prepared
to dislike Clancy, but everything about the man made it impossible
to feel anything other than admiration.
He watched Clancy return his mug to the bar
and exchange a few words with the pretty blonde manning the
register. Parker wondered what was said when she glanced over at
him curiously. Clancy pecked her on the cheek and left.
Parker drank his coffee, waiting to feel
satisfaction at a plan in motion. He only felt a vague sense of
unease.
But Elaine wouldn't find out, and the end
justified the means.
Chapter Ten
"Gwen, I really think you should
reconsider," Eve said, reclining on the couch and stretching her
legs out in front of
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