looked toward the morning sun. “What do you mean?”
“Like you’re having second thoughts.”
“No doubts.”
“Good. Because I am going to catch Benito with or without your help.”
Resentment surged through him. “I don’t need a lecture. I know my job.” Before Lucian could reply, Dane added, “I do need for you to do something.”
“Yes?”
“There’s a punk in this neighborhood named Tony. Early twenties. I don’t have a last name for him but ask around and you can find it.”
“I can do that.”
“This guy must have a rap sheet. See if he has any outstanding warrants. I need him in jail until this is over. He could cause problems we don’t need.”
“Consider it done.”
“Good.” He hung up, shoved the cell back in its belt holster and picked up his equipment. As he climbed the front stairs, he caught a glimpse of Kristen in the front window.
She reminded him of the fabled sirens—beauties who lured sailors to their deaths. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was as dangerous as the sirens. Yes, she appeared vulnerable and kind. But her brother was a skilled chameleon. Benito could be charming and giving. He’d seduced the Miami social world with elegant parties that included all A-list people and huge donations to the right charities.
He tightened his hold on the toolbox. Whether her heart was pure or as black as Satan’s, he would stay objective.
He owed that much to Nancy.
Kristen joined Dane in the room under construction. He stood by the large window. He wore a clean T-shirt but had on his same grungy pair of jeans and boots. From his narrow waist hung his tool belt, cocked at an angle like a fabled gunslinger’s belt.
She glanced at his long hands resting on his hips. Her pulse quickened when she thought about them on her body.
Kristen straightened. She couldn’t think this way about him. It wasn’t safe for anyone to care about her.
She flexed swollen and tired fingers, a reminder of her hard labors yesterday. “Last night it was difficult to judge the progress but this morning with the sunlight streaming in, I can see that Sheridan had been right to knock down the wall.”
Dane glanced at the skeletal frame and the exposed wires running between the two-by-fours. “By the end of today this will all be gone and you will really start to see it come together. Yesterday was a good first day.”
First day. These past months had been a study in firsts. First haircut and dye job. First bus ride. First night sleeping in a doorway. Her first paycheck.
“So where do you want me to start?” she said, walking into the room.
He turned as she approached. “I’ll take the wires out and then we knock down the wood. For now just take it easy.”
“You’re paying me to help.”
“You’ll get your chance soon enough. For now, relax.”
Relaxation was tough for her. It gave her too much time to think. “Sure.”
“I’ve got to turn off the electricity again.” He’d turned the breakers back on last night in case she needed to use the computer. “Computer off?”
“I finished the entries last night. Everything is saved and it’s off.”
“You worked more last night? What about Mark?”
“Had to work late.”
“Ah.”
He studied her an extra beat. “I’ll just head to the basement and flip those breakers.”
She followed him to a small door that took them down rickety steps to a dank basement. Sheridan had given her the grand tour so she knew the light switch was at the top of the stairs. She flipped up the old switch.
A single light bulb hanging from a wire clicked on. It cast an eerie circle of light on the blackened room. She didn’t venture off the step.
He moved past her and down the stairs. “You don’t like the basement.” He opened the tiny metal door, studied the circular fuses and unscrewed the one controlling the upstairs room.
She shuddered dramatically. “Utter blackness, creepy spiders and rats. What’s not to love?”
He
“Like you’re having second thoughts.”
“No doubts.”
“Good. Because I am going to catch Benito with or without your help.”
Resentment surged through him. “I don’t need a lecture. I know my job.” Before Lucian could reply, Dane added, “I do need for you to do something.”
“Yes?”
“There’s a punk in this neighborhood named Tony. Early twenties. I don’t have a last name for him but ask around and you can find it.”
“I can do that.”
“This guy must have a rap sheet. See if he has any outstanding warrants. I need him in jail until this is over. He could cause problems we don’t need.”
“Consider it done.”
“Good.” He hung up, shoved the cell back in its belt holster and picked up his equipment. As he climbed the front stairs, he caught a glimpse of Kristen in the front window.
She reminded him of the fabled sirens—beauties who lured sailors to their deaths. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was as dangerous as the sirens. Yes, she appeared vulnerable and kind. But her brother was a skilled chameleon. Benito could be charming and giving. He’d seduced the Miami social world with elegant parties that included all A-list people and huge donations to the right charities.
He tightened his hold on the toolbox. Whether her heart was pure or as black as Satan’s, he would stay objective.
He owed that much to Nancy.
Kristen joined Dane in the room under construction. He stood by the large window. He wore a clean T-shirt but had on his same grungy pair of jeans and boots. From his narrow waist hung his tool belt, cocked at an angle like a fabled gunslinger’s belt.
She glanced at his long hands resting on his hips. Her pulse quickened when she thought about them on her body.
Kristen straightened. She couldn’t think this way about him. It wasn’t safe for anyone to care about her.
She flexed swollen and tired fingers, a reminder of her hard labors yesterday. “Last night it was difficult to judge the progress but this morning with the sunlight streaming in, I can see that Sheridan had been right to knock down the wall.”
Dane glanced at the skeletal frame and the exposed wires running between the two-by-fours. “By the end of today this will all be gone and you will really start to see it come together. Yesterday was a good first day.”
First day. These past months had been a study in firsts. First haircut and dye job. First bus ride. First night sleeping in a doorway. Her first paycheck.
“So where do you want me to start?” she said, walking into the room.
He turned as she approached. “I’ll take the wires out and then we knock down the wood. For now just take it easy.”
“You’re paying me to help.”
“You’ll get your chance soon enough. For now, relax.”
Relaxation was tough for her. It gave her too much time to think. “Sure.”
“I’ve got to turn off the electricity again.” He’d turned the breakers back on last night in case she needed to use the computer. “Computer off?”
“I finished the entries last night. Everything is saved and it’s off.”
“You worked more last night? What about Mark?”
“Had to work late.”
“Ah.”
He studied her an extra beat. “I’ll just head to the basement and flip those breakers.”
She followed him to a small door that took them down rickety steps to a dank basement. Sheridan had given her the grand tour so she knew the light switch was at the top of the stairs. She flipped up the old switch.
A single light bulb hanging from a wire clicked on. It cast an eerie circle of light on the blackened room. She didn’t venture off the step.
He moved past her and down the stairs. “You don’t like the basement.” He opened the tiny metal door, studied the circular fuses and unscrewed the one controlling the upstairs room.
She shuddered dramatically. “Utter blackness, creepy spiders and rats. What’s not to love?”
He
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