Fair Game Inc Part 9

oAnd?o He was still standing there, blocking the way to her office. It was a challenge of sorts. What sort, she couldnAEt tell.

oAnd your services will not be needed.o oI see.o oGood.o He crossed to the coat rack. Taking her coat down off its hook, he held it out to her.

HeAEs kicking me out! Injustice raged inside her. oWhat about the work Grayson left for me to do tonight?o oIAEll see to it.o He pushed her coat further toward her. Having no other choice, she took it.

You havenAEt seen the last of me, Mr. Barlow. She wanted to say it, but she didnAEt dare give herself away. Let Barlow trip over his inflated confidence. They always did.

oGood night, Mr. Barlow,o she said politely. Then the pretense at politeness deserted and she s.n.a.t.c.hed up her purse and stormed through the door.

Thinking of the invoice nestled safely in her purse, she came to a sudden decision.

Could she find the way to his house down those winding country roads in the dark?

It was worth a try.

Chapter TEN.

The world disappeared into a dark spiral beyond the glow of her headlights. Amber gripped the steering wheel harder and kept her foot on the gas, and fought back the urge to turn the car back around and head for the city. City-born and bred she could never understand what possessed people to live in what she deemed pre-industrial standards. Quiet, open s.p.a.ces broken only by the howl of the wind through the trees struck her as eerie rather than comforting. The rules of city living she understood. DonAEt talk to strangers, mind your own business and watch out for dark alleys where you could be mugged or worse. Good fences, good locks on the front door made good neighbors. It wasnAEt comforting, but it was familiar. In the country everything was dark, neighbors few and far between.

If she hadnAEt been so surprised by GraysonAEs choice of a neighborhood, she might not have paid such close attention to where they were going. Being a pa.s.senger once, however, was a lot different than trying to find your own way down unfamiliar roads in the dark.

Ahead, the road branched into two different directions. Had they turned left or right? Amber peered into the darkness. Left, she decided, letting instinct take over. Inside her head, she called herself every variation of fool she could think of. What on earth compelled her to be out there in the middle of nowhere, searching for the home of a man who would likely slam the door in her face and leave her to find her own way home?

She simply couldnAEt leave things as they stood between Grayson and herself. The thought that he might think her involved with that worm James Heck, kept her driving. I have my standards, Grayson. What in heavens were you thinking?

Gravel sprayed beneath the HondaAEs wheels. A dim glow through the poplar hedge lit up the familiar outline of the schoolhouse. The last time sheAEd come here ... Amber thrust the thought from her mind. Letting the car door close softly, she walked toward the house.

He must have heard her coming. Before she could even knock on the ancient wooden door, it flew open.

oYou!o Amber felt the last vestiges of her hope evaporate. Grayson didnAEt look at all happy to see her.

oMe,o she said softly. A fire beckoned in the living room beyond. But between her and the comfort of warmth on a cold night stood the impa.s.sive Grayson Charles. oCan I come in?o Grayson motioned to the couch before the fireplace. Papers littered its surface and the sum of sitting s.p.a.ce on the couch opposite. Apparently, when he worked, Grayson was just as untidy at home as at the office. oAs you can see, IAEm very busy.o oIAEll only take a moment of your time.o oI donAEt have a moment to spare.o He wasnAEt going to make it easy for her. Amber dug in her purse, her fingers closing around the copy of HeckAEs invoice. She brought it out, into the dim light between them. oI just wanted to show you this.o Grayson took the paper reluctantly, turning it into the light to see better. Amber stepped closer, inching past the threshold. It would be harder for him to turf her out now. An old trick from her PI days. Unfair to use it now, but she was desperate.

Amber watched the storm of emotion cross his face. Annoyance, relief, confusion and back to anger.

oAnyone could have fabricated this,o he said finally. He turned back, finding her suddenly in his way. oAs I said, I have work to do.o Though he towered over her by at least a head, Amber held her ground. oWhy is it so hard,o she asked softly, oto believe me instead of John Barlow?o oBarlow is my partner.o oAnd I was your lover,o she snapped. Men misplaced their alliances, she reflected darkly.

His head came up. Suede-brown eyes beseeched her understanding, even as his face remained unyielding.

oWhy are you so intent on believing IAEm out to hurt you?o The question took him by surprise. Involuntarily, he stepped back. Amber gained another precious inch of territory. oI might ask you the same question,o Grayson said finally, deflecting the dangerous question back upon her.

Who is he? The whisper of his words flitted though her memory. Sudden understanding illuminated the problems between them.

oWho was she?o Her softly spoken words took him aback. She saw his spine straighten, his face harden for the battle he certainly expected to come. But then he sighed and looked tiredly back at her. Ruthlessly, Amber used that moment to move closer.

oLet me in, Grayson.o oAmber, this isnAEt a good time.o oThere isnAEt going to be a better one. Take advantage of my generosity, Counselor. ItAEs a rare thing.o That got a smile out of him. oAll right, Amber.o He stepped back from the door. Crossing to the couch, he swept the papers into a single pile and motioned for her to sit down. oBut just for a moment. IAEm going to be up most of the night, anyway. I donAEt want to go to court tomorrow without any sleep.o She took the offered seat and crouched there anxiously. oFirst, let me say that I am not nor have I ever been involved in any way with James Heck. Aside from the annual private investigatorAEs trade show, weAEve barely said more than a civil sentence to each other. Barlow should really watch who he hires. Heck was more than happy to sell me a copy of his invoice.o He was listening, eyes scanning her face intently, as if for rea.s.surance of the truth.

oI hope you appreciate this, Grayson,o Amber said with a sigh that seemed to suck what little energy remained from her body. oThat stupid invoice just cost me two hundred dollars.o Grayson glanced down at the price on the Xeroxed invoice. oHe only charged Barlow a hundred and fifty.o oYeah, well lifeAEs not fair.o The ghost of a smile crossed his face. oNo, itAEs not.o oTell me you didnAEt really think I was seeing that--that ... worm!o oWhen it comes to you, Amber, I really donAEt know what to think.o Grayson flung himself down on the couch opposite, sending the papers into a flurry. They settled, some back on the seat beside him, others on the coffee table and the floor.

oYou could give me a bit more credit than that. I do have standards, you know.o oHe didnAEt seem like your type.o Amber glanced at the flames crackling in the fireplace. oSo, who was she Grayson?o oAs I recall, I asked you the same question. You werenAEt so eager to answer.o No, she most definitely wasnAEt. She stood at the crossroads of an opportunity and a very dangerous risk. To tell him meant she risked GraysonAEs rejection. Much easier to continue this way with the walls up between them, keeping them both safe from the perils of love. But also keeping them both apart. Amber dragged in a shuddering breath. Could she really trust him with the ugly fears, the hurt inside?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as her Grandma would say. And her grandmother was a fountain of metaphors and parables. But Grandma had never told her honesty would hurt this much. Or be this scary.

oHis name was Eric.o The words leapt from her lips before she could call them back. If she hesitated now, sheAEd never tell him. And if he was waiting for her to make the first move, well there it was. oHe was my fiancT. He decided he was in love with his secretary about a month before our wedding.o Whatever heAEd been expecting, this wasnAEt it. oAmber, IAEm sorry.o She waved his apology away. oItAEs okay, it was over a year ago. And a long time before him my father--o Courage deserted her suddenly. This older, deeper wound was infinitely more difficult to discuss. She dragged in a shaky breath. oSuffice to say he also found someone else heAEd rather have. Remarried, had a son. Suddenly, I wasnAEt so special. I never saw him again.o Grayson was beside her in an instant. More papers drifted to the floor, but he didnAEt seem to notice. She felt the sudden warmth of his arms around her, the brush of his lips against her temple. oHush, Amber, itAEs all right. I didnAEt realize.o And somehow, inexplicably, it was all right. The heat of him so near melted the ice around her heart. That ice had been melting since the day theyAEd met. Realization seeped slowly into her consciousness. Somehow sheAEd known it. And responded by building up that fortress of ice as quickly as he knocked it down. Still, she wouldnAEt let him in, not while he built a fence around his heart as impenetrable as her own.

Summoning the last of her false bravado she wiggled from his embrace and gazed up at him. oSo, Counselor, while weAEre baring our souls. ItAEs your turn.o She watched the color drain from his face, felt his hand clench on her arm. oI canAEt see what can be gained by dredging up old hurts.o oOf course you donAEt.o Betrayal soured her tone. oBut you didnAEt mind listening like a voyeur while I dredged up all of mine.o oThatAEs not fair--o oAllAEs fair,o she said.

oIn love and court,o he finished.

oDonAEt make me sue you for the answer.o oYou wouldnAEt have a case.o His words trailed off into a sigh. Before her eyes, she could see his defenses dropping. Muscles relaxed, he pulled her closer and rested his head against hers.

oYouAEd lose,o Amber said softly.

His deep chuckle rumbled through him, like a lion purring. oYouAEd have the answer out of me one way or another.o oWho is she, Grayson? Who hurt you so badly that you were willing to see betrayal in the guise of James Heck?o For a moment she thought he was about to divert her attention again with caresses or arguments, heAEd used both weapons on her.

But then he surprised her by saying suddenly, oHer name was Melanie. We met when I was in law school.o oAnother lawyer?o oOh no, not Melanie. But she was looking to marry one. Her father had already chosen his future son-in-lawAEs profession. Only the profession mattered to him, not the man that went with it.o oSounds like a real sweetheart.o oHe wasnAEt all bad. He was just misguided in his attempts to ensure his daughterAEs happiness.o oA frustrated lawyer,o she supplied. oNever had the money for law school. Married young, had kids, lost the dream. Am I right?o Of course she was right. Her uncanny ability to read the truth behind other peopleAEs motivations never failed her. Except where her heart was involved.

oSomething like that, IAEm sure. But he liked me well enough. And I loved Melanie. The perfect arrangement. I really thought we were going to spend our lives together.o oUntil?o she asked gently.

Grayson sighed. She felt the rise and fall of his chest against her. oUntil Dad died and I joined the firm.o oDadAEs shoes were harder to fill than I antic.i.p.ated. I was working nights, weekends, trying to keep up. Roger--o He paused at the mention of his brotherAEs name. oUntil then, Roger and I had done everything together. But he couldnAEt help me with this one. I was on my own. Even Melanie didnAEt understand.o oThat you were doing it all for her.o oI was doing it for her.o That revelation seemed to surprise him, and he turned an appraising look upon her. oFor Melanie and for my Mom whose retirement depended on the firm continuing. So DadAEs dream wouldnAEt die with him.o oMelanie couldnAEt see the wisdom behind short term pain for long term gain.o Grayson nodded. His hand moved in calming strokes across her back and she wondered which of them he was really trying to comfort. oI kept telling her to hang on, that soon IAEd be making real money. Soon we could get married, buy a house.o oShe saw only what she didnAEt have at the moment.o oMelanie wasnAEt willing to wait. She found someone more suited to her, someone who could give her what she wanted.o oWhich was?o oA good time.o oHe was a lawyer, I take it.o Grayson laughed, deep rich laughter. oWrong again, Ms Shaw, Investigator Extraordinaire. An auto mechanic.o oNo! Daddy mustnAEt have liked that.o oI donAEt suppose he did, but by then I was long gone.o oSuch a shame.o The wounded hearts, time and innocence lost. It was a story as old as time, and still there was no solution. Unlike fairy tales, there were few happy endings when it came to love. Perhaps that explained the attraction of fairy tales.

oShe only had to wait a few more months. Things took a turn for the better shortly after. I bought the house....o oMelanie never knew?o Grayson shook his head. oShe would have hated it here so far from the city and all the excitement. MelanieAEs idea of relaxation was a party a night. Roger would have suited her far better than me.o oExcept that would have made you feel far worse.o oNo fear. Melanie and Roger didnAEt get along at all. They were too much alike.o The look on AmberAEs face spoke her opinion of Roger better than an impa.s.sioned speech. GraysonAEs mouth twitched with the beginnings of a smile.

oYou shouldnAEt be so hard on him,o he said tracing the line of her lips with one finger. oDid I tell you he and Sandy are getting back together?o She sat up quickly. oWhat about Cindy?o oCindy called it quits.o oAnd Sandy took him back?o oApparently.o He settled a weightless kiss on her mouth.

oHeAEs a better actor than I thought.o oOh, I donAEt think he was acting. You should have seen him. He was quite upset.o The justice of it all was beautiful to behold. Even she couldnAEt have devised so appropriate a revenge. oGot himself a taste of his own medicine.o oIt seems to have cured him.o oIAEll believe that when I see it.o She felt the curve of his smile against her own lips. oAlways the skeptic, Ms. Shaw.o The movement of his lips tickled hers and she couldnAEt help laughing. oForce of habit.o oIAEm happy my prodigal twin has finally found love. It gives me one less thing to worry about. And these days,o he said gravely, oone less is definitely an improvement.o oGrayson--o oOh no, Amber. Not a word more about Roger. And letAEs leave John Barlow out of this conversation as well.o Amber opened her mouth to protest. But her objections were m.u.f.fled by the pressure of his mouth. His kiss grew more demanding. oAnd now that my twin is once again happily in love, I think I should be as well. WeAEre in compet.i.tion with each other after all.o oWouldnAEt want him to have something that you didnAEt,o she said, a little miffed. Was that all she meant to Grayson? A trophy with which to impress his brother? Old familiar doubts crowded her thoughts.

oCertainly not.o The laughter in his words told her heAEd been kidding. But there was no mistaking the seriousness in his touch.

oWhat about your court case?o Grayson let go a very long sigh. oI gave up on sleep the moment I saw your car.o She was sorely tempted, but careless abandon, even for love, ran against all she believed in. oI think I should go.o His arms tightened around her when she would have broken out of his embrace. oDonAEt go, Amber. ItAEs only ten oAEclock. If you stay, I can do my preparation work and have a bit of relaxation as well. Given a choice IAEd rather have it all.o oThat sounds an awful lot like Roger.o He drew back, a.s.sessing whether she meant it as an insult or a compliment. Deciding it was neither he smiled.

oAfter some careful deliberation, I've decided that Roger and I could learn a lot from each other.o He returned to his careful exploration of her kiss. oJust as you and I do.o A strange thing to say, Amber thought, and wondered briefly what he meant by it. But soon his caress demanded the sum of her attention.

Somewhere between the door and the couch sheAEd lost her coat. Before she knew it her suede pumps lay abandoned on the rug before the fireplace. Her silk blouse ended up draped across the back of the couch and her tailored wool pants on the bottom rung of the ladder that led to the loft.

No fair, she thought. Having made himself comfortable at home in navy sweats, Grayson had a lot less to take off. She made a game of it anyway, teasing him in the candlelight that cast long shadows on the walls behind them. Grayson, herself, ten feet tall, curving against the slanted roof of the loft. Shortly, it ceased to matter what they had been wearing.

The goose down duvet was soft beneath her as his weight pressed her gently against the mattress. Kissing her, one arm hooked under her neck, he rummaged with the other hand in the top drawer of his bedside table. She sensed his lapse in concentration and yanked him closer.

He pulled away from her briefly, casting one furtive glance in the drawer heAEd been blindly searching and coming up with a small foil packet which he left within easy reach. Amber craned her neck, catching a glimpse of pinky-orange.

oPa.s.sion Punch?o oHope you like tropical fruit.o Her laugh turned to a gasp as his lips dipped lower, brushing her collar bone, slipping lower still. She moaned as the heat of his mouth enclosed the peak of one breast.

oThe ... other oneAEs ... getting jealous,o she got out in rasping breaths. And chuckling, he made peace between them.

With hands and lips, she explored the smooth terrain of his chest, the dark tangle of hair at its center. Her hands traveled lower, past his slim hips to explore the impressive length of him, until he lured her attention away when his lips broached the secret place between her thighs. Gripping the duvet beneath her, Amber abandoned herself to the marvelous sensations he created within her, forgetting everything sheAEd come to warn him about.

It was only long after, when they lay together, beneath the duvet this time instead of on top of it, that the doubts crept back in one by one. Amber wiggled out from under the weight of his arm. oGrayson, I know this is a heck of a time to mention thisa.o oYouAEre right,o he said sleepily. oThis is a heck of a time. And I still have work to do.o oYou should have saved me as a reward for a job well done.o oNext time,o he said wistfully.

oAbout Barlowa.o oOh no, Amber, not now.o There was a desperate plea in his words.

oHe wouldnAEt leave until I did,o Amber said resolutely. Grayson was going to listen to her this time. A captive audience, she had him at a disadvantage. oHeAEs hiding something. Something he most definitely doesnAEt want me to see.o oGo to sleep, Amber,o Grayson said pulling her back under the covers with him. oAt least one of us should get some rest tonight.o Warm and cozy in the attic loft, it was desperately hard not to comply. In spite of her convictions, Amber felt her eyelids drifting closed.

Thinking her asleep, Grayson went back downstairs to work on his case by the flickering candlelight that would have driven her crazy.

Her eyes flew open. Once it fastened on a clue, her private investigatorAEs brain would not let her sleep.

That troublesome problem was John Barlow. Suddenly, she realized that, though Grayson had opened up to her more than ever before, heAEd skillfully maneuvered her away from the topic of his unreliable partner.

Did he seduce her just to avoid a topic of conversation even more painful than the one theyAEd had? Or did he plan to deal with John Barlow by himself? Time was running out. Grayson didnAEt even know it.

All was not well at Barlow & Charles. The answer to the mystery lay in John BarlowAEs files. Tomorrow was her last day at the firm. AmberAEs eyes narrowed.

No matter what else happened, tomorrow she had to get into that filing cabinet.

Chapter ELEVEN.

Something was terribly wrong. Amber placed the phone back in its cradle and stared at it.

She awoke alone in GraysonAEs house, much later than she preferred to rise in the morning. Next time she visited, sheAEd pack an alarm clock. This sleeping in was getting to be a bad habit. Arriving late at Fair Game, she called Barlow & Charles and got the firmAEs answering machine. Grayson had said heAEd be in court for most of the morning, so she left a message asking him to call her back. When the afternoon became evening, she began to worry.

Another call to the law firm netted her only a harried voice-mail message from Grayson saying he hoped to be in the office later. Not so much anything he said that gave her the feeling of impending doom, but something in the tone of his voice worried her. Maybe things hadnAEt gone well in court in spite of GraysonAEs careful preparation. Guilt nagged at her for keeping him up late last night. They were going to have to set some ground rules regarding these late-night rendezvous. The future of two businesses lay at stake.

Amber glanced down at the file folder on her desk. Behind her the cursor on her monitor blinked off and on, reminding her she should be working on the Marchand case. But her mind slid annoyingly away from productive thought and fastened resolutely on the topic of Grayson Charles. Another of the dangers of being in love. Love? She turned the word over in her mind and hesitantly decided it fit. She did love Grayson, had definitely fallen in l.u.s.t the moment they met and later, at The Terrace Restaurant, l.u.s.t had lured her into territory sheAEd sworn never to stray again. Slowly, between long glances and languid caresses, Grayson Charles had stolen her very soul.

A grown woman, she knew the risks. She could get badly hurt. At the very least she could find more of her attention wandering into thoughts of him.

Tomorrow was her last day at Barlow & Charles. After the scene with James Heck, neither of them had mentioned Amber doing further contract work at the firm. Maybe that was for the best. She had another client. The lull in business seemed to be over for the moment. Better to keep their business dealings on a professional level. And try her best to keep her mind on work. Amber dragged her thoughts back to the Marchand case.

To no avail.

Something was wrong at Barlow & Charles. Or something had gone amiss with Grayson. Private investigator instincts shouted for her attention. She glanced at the clock on her desk. Five-thirty. Time enough to be getting over to the law firm. SheAEd put her doubts to rest and make a fresh start in the morning.

Grayson rushed by her in the hallway, wool overcoat trailing behind him like dark wings, and nearly running her down as she came around the corner from the elevator.

oSorry.o Not even recognizing her he rushed to catch the elevator still lingering at the floor.

oGrayson!o He stopped, one hand on the elevator door, one inside already reaching for the b.u.t.ton. oOh, Amber.o oWhatAEs wrong?o His shoulders drooped. He set his briefcase on the floor.

oBad day in court?o she guessed.

oThe worst.o oMy fault?o Instantly she wished she hadnAEt asked. If sheAEd ruined his case, she didnAEt think her conscience could help it.

oNo, not your fault.o He offered her a bawdy grin in memory of the night theyAEd shared. oBut IAEve got to go. Be back in awhile.o oShould I wait for you here?o oDonAEt know how long IAEll be,o he said, letting the elevator doors slide closed. oIAEll call you later.o oWhatever that means,o she grumbled as the doors shut, separating them. That uneasy feeling simply wasnAEt going to go away, Amber thought, walking alone down the hall to Barlow & Charles.

Inside the office felt all the more lonely for his absence. No to-do file lay waiting on her desk. Amber checked GraysonAEs desk, but in his haste, heAEd neglected to leave instructions for her final night at Barlow & Charles. Evidence of his bad day lay all over the office. Papers were scattered over the two leather chairs, in haphazard piles on the floor and littered over the entire surface of his desk. One filing cabinet stood half open. Another flurry of papers bursting from its interior, as if the files inside had conspired to escape as soon as the drawer was opened.

Shaking her head, Amber bent to retrieve the scattered files, attempting to put them into some sort of logical order. Tomorrow Grayson would insist he couldnAEt find a thing. How he could find anything in the mess on the floor was beyond her. Her ordered brain wouldnAEt tolerate such chaos.

Might as well make myself useful. The altruistic action wasnAEt nearly as n.o.ble as she pretended. It had been weeks since sheAEd had that first glimpse into GraysonAEs files. To find out what lay behind the mystery of John Barlow, she needed another look.

But GraysonAEs files yielded no clues. They contained only the details of the firmAEs cases. The financial records, the corporate tax returns, all the information on the health of the company lay in BarlowAEs files. The ones with the red and black labels. The one in which sheAEd found a letter detailing how he planned to sell out the firm.

Without proof, Grayson would never believe her. Her last night. Never again would she have an excuse to be rifling the files of Barlow & Charles. Stuffing the last of GraysonAEs files back into the cabinet, Amber closed the door to this office quietly behind her and continued down the hall to John BarlowAEs office.

She froze, her hand on the bra.s.s doork.n.o.b. Inside came the low murmur of a phone conversation in progress, spoken in the soft, yet menacing tones of John Barlow. Amber could have sworn his office was empty when she arrived. But she hadnAEt checked. Her disappointment at not spending the evening with Grayson made her remiss. She desperately needed into those files, and she could hardly break into BarlowAEs filing cabinet with him sitting right there on the phone.

Pressing her ear against the door, she strained to hear details of the conversation, but Barlow talked in a voice that was barely above a whisper. The jerk probably enjoys everyone straining to hear him. A subtle power trip, she realized. It made everyone else lower their voice and pay attention. Gotta try that one some time.

Frustrated, she returned to her desk. When had she started thinking of it as her own instead of the departed NicoleAEs?

Was that why Barlow insisted they didnAEt have the funds to hire a secretary? Because he was planning to sell off the firm to a larger one, where theyAEd be sucked into the machinery of a large company that already a staff of secretaries and dicta-typists?

BarlowAEs plan started to make a whole lot of sense. Why hadnAEt she seen it before? Because sheAEd spent all her energy on surveillance of BarlowAEs dangerously handsome partner, instead of Barlow, her conscience answered.

Whatever was going down in that office had to do with the sale of the firm. The sale Grayson was still ignorant of. The sale Grayson refused to believe was taking place. Barlow had kept him busy so he wouldnAEt find out. Not until it was too late. She knew it. The hairs on the back of her neck p.r.i.c.kled with the rightness of her speculation.

And then a thought occurred to her. If she hadnAEt known Barlow was there, perhaps he didnAEt know she was there also. At some time in the evening he was bound to leave, either for dinner, or to lay the groundwork for the firmAEs downfall. Amber picked up her purse. Taking her coat from its hook, she tip-toed back down the hall and closed the door to GraysonAEs office behind her.

By touch alone she felt her way through the dark office, until she found the cupboard where Grayson kept several dry cleaned shirts and an emergency suit. Slowly, afraid of making even the tiniest noise, she pried the door open. It was barely big enough for her, even more cramped with the purse and her winter coat, but she squeezed inside. If Barlow caught her here, all would be lost. She counted on the fact that heAEd been so immersed in his conversation, he hadnAEt been paying attention to what was going on in the outer office.

Please, she willed the universe. Get off the phone and leave. But Barlow seemed content to continue his conversation while she crouched in GraysonAEs closet and tried not to panic. Minutes dragged by, agonizingly slow.

Finally, far down the hall, she heard the click of a door opening and soft footsteps padded her way. Amber shrank back against the far fall of the closet, flattening GraysonAEs starched shirts behind her. SheAEd get them re!pressed for him later. If Barlow caught her there, it wouldnAEt matter.

The door to GraysonAEs office swung open. Light spilled across the floor. Amber held her breath, in case even the tiny sound of her shallow breaths might give her away. Through the narrow band of light where the closet door didnAEt quite meet the carpet, she saw the shadow of a pair of black menAEs shoes tread past. Older menAEs shoes, the kind you could wear to work or to a wedding or even a funeral, polished to a dull gleam. Not the kind of shoes Grayson had in his wardrobe.

Barlow.

GraysonAEs desk drawer whooshed open. Metal tinkled as paper clips and pens were jostled together, then came a rustle of papers. For a moment Amber wondered if sheAEd made a mistake, that Grayson had come back and was wondering where she was. For one terrible moment she debated risking opening the closet door to check, but that p.r.i.c.kling at the nape of her neck, the sickening weight of dread in her stomach kept her hiding.

She heard more drawers being opened, more papers being examined, the clunk of the filing cabinet sliding shut. Footsteps moved in her direction. Amber uttered a silent prayer.

Then, mercifully, the office door closed, she heard a series of pops and clicks as the lights in the hall were turned off, then the tape shuttling back and forth as the answering machine cued up.