An Unforgettable Lady

John seemed to be thinking deeply.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Marks says that Isadora admitted to having had an affair with the guy. Evidently, she was trying to break it off, which was why she came back to town. That's a very personal connection, unlike the business ones Margis had with the other women. Although I suppose it's possible he'd been having affairs with them, too."

"His name was on the list," Grace blurted. "Those lists from the buildings—I saw his name on them that day you were looking at them."

"Yeah. Marks's boys checked and the man had been in van der Lyden's and Lauer's buildings on the days of those murders."

"Well, I'm relieved," Grace said. As she measured John's expression, she felt almost defensive about her optimism. "What does Marks think?"

John shrugged. "He thinks the guy did it. Apparently they found a collection of weapons in Margis's house. He likes knives."

"So it's over," she murmured. "And I can get back to my life."

She stared at him and his eyes met hers intensely. For a moment, she held her breath in her chest as all of her painful, secret hopes came back.

Tell me you've changed your mind, she thought. Tell me that you love me and you're going to stay. Tell me that I was right and you were wrong and you can't imagine a life without me. Tell me that I'll be waking up next to you tomorrow.

Not wondering where you are.

But when he remained silent, she turned away and walked down the hall. There were no tears. They would come later, she was quite sure.

Kat looked up from her desk. "There's a man here to see you."

Grace glanced over her shoulder and saw the blond giant, Tiny, get to his feet. Her heart sank as he came forward, a duffel bag hanging off one heavy shoulder, a bright smile directed toward John. The man's expression became downright suspicious when he looked at her.

Smith clapped his partner on the back but Grace didn't hear what was said between them because of a loud ringing in her ears.

She walked into her office and sat at the desk. Moments later, the men came in, John with a serious expression on his face and Tiny looking like he'd been asked to take charge of a ticking bomb. The man's luggage hit the floor with a dull thud.

When the door was shut, she addressed them in her most commanding voice. "Although I appreciate you coming all this way, Mr...." She waited for the man to fill in the name.

"Just call me Vic," he said.

"Vic. But I don't believe I require the services of a bodyguard any longer." She started to shuffle papers around, trying to look busy.

"Yes, you do," John countered.

"No," she flashed him an angry look, "I don't."

"Grace—"

She ignored him. "So, Vic, you can pick up that duffel and haul out. No doubt you're relieved by the dismissal. You don't look happy to be here."

The guy flushed.

Smith came quickly across the room. "Tiny's staying and that's final."

"Why? They have the man behind bars so the danger is gone. I'm not a minor and I'm not a mental case so I don't need a guardian. I also didn't ask for your opinion."

Without looking away from her, he said, "Vic, give us a minute."

His partner disappeared without a word.

But left the damn duffel.

"I don't think we have anything else to say to each other." Grace was having trouble meeting his eyes so she picked up a piece of paper from the desk. It was a memo she'd written about the new expense account policy.

"Look at me." When she refused, Smith slammed his fist into the desk. She jumped and caught a pen before it rolled on the floor. Reluctantly, she shifted her eyes to his. "Dammit, it's not like Marks has a confession from the guy. He may not be the one. You've got to take care of yourself."

"I am. I'm dissolving my relationship with Black Watch. The exposure I've had to you boys so far has been as traumatic as anything else in my life lately." She let out a tense laugh. "You know, I always figured there'd be some dramatic moment when you'd come out of nowhere and save me. Somehow, I don't think the job you did on that porch door quite counts. But then real life doesn't have much in common with the movies, does it?"

Because in Hollywood, they would have ended up together, she thought.

She reached for her purse and pulled out the check she'd written before, the one he'd turned down. "Are you ready to accept this now?"

"I don't want your money."

"But you will take it, won't you? So there'll be no ties left between us, so the cut will be a clean one."

John took the check, looking grim.

"Now, take your buddy and get out of here," she told him.

"Tiny is staying." John's jaw was set but she refused to be intimidated by the force of his will. Or swayed by it.