have any control over it. Every time he decided to quit seeing her,
something happened. Between the killer’s phone calls and her father, she showed
a vulnerability she had managed to hide from the outside world.
He reminded himself again that she
was a witness. He shouldn’t be here, but he couldn’t bring himself to stay
away. As long as they maintained a friendly relationship, and it didn’t go any
farther. He smoothed her hair and looked down at her.
She looked so sweet and innocent.
Hell, who was he trying to kid, no
way could this relationship remain friendly, let alone innocent. He wanted her
like he hadn’t wanted a woman in... damn, he couldn’t remember how long.
Sure, he dated. He wasn’t a saint-
even slept with his fair share. But they didn’t mean anything to him. He never
had a relationship. He always made it clear to his dates that he wasn’t looking
for marriage - didn’t believe in it. Nope, he and marriage weren’t compatible.
So what the hell was he doing
here? Why was he thinking of a relationship with Susan? He eased her off his
shoulder, laid her down, and covered her with an afghan. He needed to put some
distance between them. He was becoming
too involved, and nothing good could come of it. He kissed her cheek and left.
* * *
The ringing phone jarred Susan out
of a sound sleep. She held her breath, waiting for someone to speak. “Susan, it’s me, Dan. Do you have a minute? I
need to interview you.”
Susan grabbed the phone. “What do
you want?” She didn’t care that she sounded angry. Damn it, she was angry. Why
hold it in? Dan stole her story, and now he wanted an interview.
“I need some info on those phone
calls.”
Susan shook her head. Dan seemed
oblivious to her anger. She tapped her fingers on the counter. “Those phone
calls are personal,” she finally said.
“Those phone calls are news.” Dan
raised his voice.
“Yeah, and they’re my news.”
“Do I have to remind you Ernie
assigned me this story?”
“Assigned it or you begged for it?
Couldn’t have a woman upstage you, could you?” Susan couldn’t keep the sarcasm
out of her voice.
“What difference does it make?
It’s my story now.”
“Go to hell!” Susan slammed the
phone down.
If that stupid, arrogant bastard thought he
could steal her story and get away with it, he had another thought coming. Not
going to happen. No way. Not in this lifetime.
Not two minutes later, the phone
rang again. Susan stared at it, waiting for the raspy voice.
“Susan, are you there? It’s me,
Ernie.”
Sure didn’t take long for cry baby, Hill, to
tattle on her. She lifted the receiver. “Hello.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
Ernie yelled. “I assigned this story to Hill. I expect you to cooperate with
him.”
Susan took a deep breath. Who did
he think he was talking to? She didn’t need this. Not from him, not from
anyone. No one talked to her like that.
“It’s my story, Ernie. It has been
since the beginning.” She tried to keep the anger out of her voice, but knew
some of it filtered through. Darn that temper of hers. Still, Ernie had no
right taking her story in the first place, and he sure as heck had no right to
scream at her like that. Maybe she shouldn’t have told Hill to go to hell, but
she was tired of this. Tired of the whole sick mess. Those were her friends
lying there, and Hill got her byline. It wasn’t fair.
“So are you going to cooperate?”
Ernie softened his tone, but his voice still held a hard edge.
“No.”
“You’re refusing a direct order?”
Susan hesitated. She didn’t like
this. But still – it was the principal of the thing. “Yes.”
“Then you’re fired!” Ernie hung
up. Just like that.
She stared at the phone. “Figures.
Hill’s his favorite.” Just what she needed. Tears welled in her eyes. This was
too much. Everything was happening too fast. The murders, Dave, now her job. To
make matters worse, she had to get
something happened. Between the killer’s phone calls and her father, she showed
a vulnerability she had managed to hide from the outside world.
He reminded himself again that she
was a witness. He shouldn’t be here, but he couldn’t bring himself to stay
away. As long as they maintained a friendly relationship, and it didn’t go any
farther. He smoothed her hair and looked down at her.
She looked so sweet and innocent.
Hell, who was he trying to kid, no
way could this relationship remain friendly, let alone innocent. He wanted her
like he hadn’t wanted a woman in... damn, he couldn’t remember how long.
Sure, he dated. He wasn’t a saint-
even slept with his fair share. But they didn’t mean anything to him. He never
had a relationship. He always made it clear to his dates that he wasn’t looking
for marriage - didn’t believe in it. Nope, he and marriage weren’t compatible.
So what the hell was he doing
here? Why was he thinking of a relationship with Susan? He eased her off his
shoulder, laid her down, and covered her with an afghan. He needed to put some
distance between them. He was becoming
too involved, and nothing good could come of it. He kissed her cheek and left.
* * *
The ringing phone jarred Susan out
of a sound sleep. She held her breath, waiting for someone to speak. “Susan, it’s me, Dan. Do you have a minute? I
need to interview you.”
Susan grabbed the phone. “What do
you want?” She didn’t care that she sounded angry. Damn it, she was angry. Why
hold it in? Dan stole her story, and now he wanted an interview.
“I need some info on those phone
calls.”
Susan shook her head. Dan seemed
oblivious to her anger. She tapped her fingers on the counter. “Those phone
calls are personal,” she finally said.
“Those phone calls are news.” Dan
raised his voice.
“Yeah, and they’re my news.”
“Do I have to remind you Ernie
assigned me this story?”
“Assigned it or you begged for it?
Couldn’t have a woman upstage you, could you?” Susan couldn’t keep the sarcasm
out of her voice.
“What difference does it make?
It’s my story now.”
“Go to hell!” Susan slammed the
phone down.
If that stupid, arrogant bastard thought he
could steal her story and get away with it, he had another thought coming. Not
going to happen. No way. Not in this lifetime.
Not two minutes later, the phone
rang again. Susan stared at it, waiting for the raspy voice.
“Susan, are you there? It’s me,
Ernie.”
Sure didn’t take long for cry baby, Hill, to
tattle on her. She lifted the receiver. “Hello.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
Ernie yelled. “I assigned this story to Hill. I expect you to cooperate with
him.”
Susan took a deep breath. Who did
he think he was talking to? She didn’t need this. Not from him, not from
anyone. No one talked to her like that.
“It’s my story, Ernie. It has been
since the beginning.” She tried to keep the anger out of her voice, but knew
some of it filtered through. Darn that temper of hers. Still, Ernie had no
right taking her story in the first place, and he sure as heck had no right to
scream at her like that. Maybe she shouldn’t have told Hill to go to hell, but
she was tired of this. Tired of the whole sick mess. Those were her friends
lying there, and Hill got her byline. It wasn’t fair.
“So are you going to cooperate?”
Ernie softened his tone, but his voice still held a hard edge.
“No.”
“You’re refusing a direct order?”
Susan hesitated. She didn’t like
this. But still – it was the principal of the thing. “Yes.”
“Then you’re fired!” Ernie hung
up. Just like that.
She stared at the phone. “Figures.
Hill’s his favorite.” Just what she needed. Tears welled in her eyes. This was
too much. Everything was happening too fast. The murders, Dave, now her job. To
make matters worse, she had to get
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