Heart of the Night Read Free Page B

lips to her robe, she caught a cry of fear before it could escape.
    Her life was not supposed to be this way, she wailed silently. She was supposed to marry her prince and live happily ever after. But the castle walls were crumbling, and, alone, the prince was helpless. She had to do something.
    â€œWe’re movin’ along at two twenty-one with the smoothest of down-home sounds, cool country, 95.3 FM, WCIC Providence.” He spoke gently, the words flowing with barely an effort, so soft, so laid-back. “The temperature is twenty-five degrees and falling outside my door, so wrap up tight and stay warm while you’re thinkin’ country cool. This is Jared Snow in the heart of the night, kickin’ around with you right up until six in the morning.…”
    Megan squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t have until six o’clock. Slowly, she released her knees from the cinch of her arms and folded her legs down against the bone-dry tub. Her eyes opened and fell to her lap, to the small, black gun that Will had given her when she had first become a Vandermeer. For her own protection, he had told her.
    He’d been right, but not in the way he had envisioned.

C HAPTER 2
    â€œGood timing,” Savannah’s secretary called as Savannah rounded the corner and came into sight. Holding the telephone receiver high enough to be seen above the plants rimming her station, she wiggled it and mouthed, “The boss.”
    With a nod, Savannah increased her already rapid step. She was nearly flying, yet the only thing at all unsettled about her person was the long, loosely fitting blazer that flared out as she whisked past. Her hair was neatly anchored in a twist at the nape of her neck, her straight skirt shifted smoothly around her legs. The leather briefcase that hung from double straps looked professional enough, but it was her face that made the boldest statement. Her features were totally composed.
    Janie Woo marveled at that, given the fact that Savannah had been in court since nine in the morning, arguing a series of motions that would have had many of the other lawyers in the office craning their necks against their ties. Savannah knew what she was doing, and her ability was evident as she surefootedly entered her office.
    â€œPaul?” She snatched the button earring from her free ear and shifted the phone there in time to catch his response.
    â€œJust get back?”
    Her briefcase slid to the floor. Working around the phone cord, she shrugged out of her blazer. “Uh-huh.”
    â€œHow’d it go?”
    She stepped out of her heels. “We won on the motion to suppress, the bill of particulars, and the early trial date, but we lost on the grand jury transcripts.”
    â€œThree out of four. Not bad.” Paul paused for the space of a breath, then went on in a suspiciously casual voice. “Can I see you up here for a minute?”
    Savannah grew alert. She knew Paul DeBarr well, knew the meaning of each of the tones he used. She could accurately predict, simply from his voice, whether he’d been upset by an article in the Journal, whether he’d won a case or lost another to a lawyer on appeal, or whether his wife was sick again. The tone he used now, though, was odd.
    â€œTrouble?” she asked.
    His only response, still too casual, particularly in light of his words, was, “How soon can you be here?”
    She hesitated for only a minute. Even if Paul hadn’t been her boss, she would have been unable to resist. He sounded mysterious. Clearly he was not alone in the room, and she wanted to know what was happening. She’d been in the attorney general’s office long enough to be conditioned to respond to unforeseen developments. The adrenaline was already flowing.
    Stepping back into her shoes, she said, “I’m on my way.” While one hand replaced the telephone receiver, the other reclipped her earring. Grabbing her blazer, she swept