The mighty Quinns: Liam - By Kate Hoffmann Page 0,40

school. That they all slept together in a little room somewhere and talked about books and chalk and school paste all day and all night. I figured that’s why I never saw them around town. They weren’t allowed out.”

Liam turned his car onto Ellie’s street and scanned the length of it for a place to park. He found a spot right in front, and when he shut the car off, he waited for her to ask him in. Since their encounter in the bathroom, they’d both been a bit hesitant about where to go next. Though Liam didn’t regret what they’d done, he had to admit that the event had brought a change in his feelings toward her.

With other women such an intimacy had always signaled the start of a very passionate but brief affair. With Ellie he was afraid to repeat what they’d shared, afraid that he’d have just a finite number of nights with her before it was all over. He’d have to use them sparingly.

Liam hadn’t given a thought to the future. Until he knew who’d embezzled the money from Ellie’s bank, then he couldn’t completely believe that she hadn’t. And allowing himself to get wrapped up in her life right now was not a smart move.

“Do you want to come in?” Ellie asked.

He’d refused after he’d taken her to the baptism brunch, but it would be difficult to say no again without her wondering why. “Sure. For a little while. I gave the film to one of the sports guys before we left Fenway, so I just have to go down to the Globe before seven to look at the proofs.”

“I’ll make us some hot chocolate and we can warm up.”

They strolled up to her building, then climbed the stairs to the third floor. But when she reached her front door, Ellie stopped short. The door was ajar. She reached out and pushed it open, but Liam slipped around her side and stepped in first.

“What happened here?” Ellie murmured, peering over his shoulder.

It was apparent to Liam that the apartment had been torn apart from top to bottom, completely ransacked. He held his arm out to keep her behind him. “Just wait,” he murmured. “Stay right here.”

“You think he’s still here?” Ellie asked with a gasp.

Liam slowly walked through the apartment, checking each room and flipping on lights, finding them all in the same condition as the others. When he was satisfied that they were alone, he carefully evaluated the scene. He wasn’t really sure what to look for. Sean was the P.I. and Conor was the cop. He was completely out of his element here.

He walked back out into the living room to find Ellie sitting on the edge of the sofa, still in shock. “Is anything missing?”

“How am I supposed to tell?” Ellie asked with a defeated shrug.

“Well, let’s just start to pick everything up and put it in its place and maybe you’ll notice if something is missing.” He sighed. “I guess we shouldn’t touch anything until the police take a look first.”

“No,” she said, jumping to her feet. “I don’t want to pick this up. I don’t want to hang around until the police arrive. I don’t want to stay here. This is the second time someone has come into this apartment and I don’t feel safe here anymore. We have to leave.”

“I can’t understand how they got in without setting off the security alarm.”

Ellie gnawed her bottom lip as she glanced furtively over at the keypad he’d so patiently explained to her.

“You didn’t set the alarm?”

“I was in a hurry and you were waiting. We were late for the game.”

Liam closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “Well, at least you weren’t here.”

“And I’m not going be here tonight, either. I’ll find a hotel—with big locks on the door and a burly security guard in the lobby.”

“No,” Liam said. “I’ll take you somewhere safe. You can come home with me.”

Ellie blinked, clearly surprised by his offer. “I couldn’t do that.”

Liam glanced around the apartment again, a thought creeping into his mind. Sean had a key. Had he done this to Ellie’s apartment? Liam couldn’t believe his brother would be so obvious—unless he meant to scare Ellie on purpose. Now he was glad they hadn’t called the police.

“You can,” Liam said. He pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to her forehead.

Ellie sank against his body and he held her gently, stroking her back. “Maybe I’m just not meant to live in