Deadly Charade - By Virna Depaul Page 0,49

was treading a thin line between professional standards and reckless behavior, yes, but no matter what Tony had done, no matter what he’d become, he was helpless to defend himself right now. Bottom line, he’d saved her and she was returning the favor.

“Neil,” she said, “that shooting affected me more than I expected. I’m still shaky, and I need to take some time away. I’ve called and left Norm a message and I’m sure he’ll understand.”

Neil chuffed out a breath. “I’m sure he’ll understand, but I’m not sure I do. When you didn’t return my messages, I went by your place. One of your neighbors told me she saw two men scuffling in your yard, and that you’d hit them with a Taser. Yet you didn’t file a report with the police and you certainly haven’t said anything at all about that.”

Damn. She’d thought no one had seen what had happened.

But nearsighted neighbors aside, there was something else causing her concern. Since when did Neil talk to her in that superior, condescending way? Her first instinct was to call him on his domineering behavior, but since she didn’t want to arouse his suspicions any more than she had and because she wanted to get back to Tony... “Was it Mrs. Whitlock?” she asked with a little laugh. “The little old lady in the house to the right of my place? The one with all the wooden ducks?”

“One and the same.” She could almost picture Neil rubbing the back of his neck. “And I think those are geese.”

“Right. Well, Mrs. Whitlock is retired from the Post Office and has plenty of time to peer out her windows and spread gossip. She’s never used this much imagination, though.”

“So what she said about two men—”

“There were two men in my yard, but they weren’t scuffling”—that wasn’t quite a lie—“and I can promise you I absolutely did not Taser anybody.” Although she had come close, she thought. Given sufficient reason, she knew she wouldn’t have hesitated to hit the other man with a thousand volts of electricity to save Tony.

And what did that say about her? About them together?

“Then who were the men, Linda? And where are you? After what happened to you yesterday, I want to make sure you’re safe.”

His words made her feel better about his high-handed manner earlier. She’d trusted Neil enough to let him handle Tony’s case, and she wanted to trust him now...

But Tony’s words about dirty cops, along with her own knowledge of them, as well as dirty judges and murdering drug dealers, kept her cautious. “I had a couple of male friends over, that’s all. They were goofing off.”

“Male friends.” More censure in his voice. And a hint of jealousy? “And where are you now?”

Such an innocuous, reasonable question, but it made her nervous. Or was it suspicious? “I’m taking some time off to ground myself. You know how tough it’s been for me to see Tony again...and now, with the shooting, well...”

“I don’t think you should be alone, Linda. Let me—”

“Please don’t worry, Neil. I’m fine. Really. Goodbye.”

After she hung up, she thought about what she’d said.

Was she going to be fine?

Not until Tony was healthy again and out of whatever bind he was in.

Not until her heart stopped aching every time she caught a glimpse of him.

Not until her breath stopped whooshing out of her lungs every time he said her name.

No, she wasn’t fine, and she didn’t know if she’d ever be fine again.

* * *

In his dreams, Tony’s past, present and future merged into disorienting vignettes that bled into each other. The only constant in them was Linda, and that’s what kept him from fighting his way to consciousness. Even when being with Linda caused him pain, it was so much better than the chilling, hollow feeling he felt without her, knowing he was never going to be with her again.

Linda caressed his face. Murmured reassurances. Tucked a blanket around him when he was cold and gave him water when he was hot. She also recognized when he was in pain, and though she didn’t promise to take it away, she held his hand and promised him she wouldn’t leave. And that was enough.

In his dreams Tony had been granted a second chance to be with the woman he loved, and he wanted nothing more than to stay with her forever.

Only that feeling of blissful oblivion was a little too familiar.

It was the same feelings he’d sought the drugs for.

And those feelings had