Running From Fate (45 page)

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“Thanks for letting me stay her
e
tonight,” Mira said as she flopped down on
to
Amy’s sofa.

“Don’t worry about it,” Amy replied.
Just as full of energy at two
o’clock in the morning as she was during the day, she zipped around her apartment gathering blankets and pillows.
When her arms were full she deposited her collection on one end of the long, cream sofa and plopped down next to Mira.

“So.
”
S
he propped her feet on the coffee table and crossed her ankles.
“
Did you meet any hot cops?
I have to say, I do love a man in uniform
. 
Especially,” she added with a wink, “if he’s carrying a big gun.”

Mira laughed helplessly and felt some of her tension drain away.
Amy
’s bawdy sense of humor and
undaunted spirit were just what she needed to shake of
f
her bad mood.
It had been a very good idea to come here instead of staying at a hotel.

“You know,”
she
said.
“I wasn’t exactly checking them out.
The cops were there to investigate a crime
. 
Besides,” she continued.
“One of them was a woman and I got the impression that they were a couple.”

“Oh well,” Amy sighed.
“A girl can hope.”

She sounded so dejected that Mira laughed
helplessly
before
a yawn caught her.  She
stretch
ed
her arms above her head and arched her back
.
She was so tired that it was an effort just to keep her eyes open.
  Even moving seemed like too much.

“Didn’t the boss man offer to let you spend the night?”
Amy asked, breaking her light doze.
“He may be a little to
o
cool and controlled
toward me and all his other employees
me, but James Kelly doesn’t seem the type to ignore a damsel in distress, particularly when it’s you.
They way that man looks at you could melt amber.”

Mira
didn’t even bother to open her eyes.  “Frankly,” she muttered.  “
I might not have even tol
d him what happened if I he didn’t have a
detective
for a
friend
.  He would
have
lea
rn
ed
about it sooner or later
and then been mad at me for hiding it
.
”

“That friend of his sure
is
something else.”
Amy rolled her eyes in appreciation.
“Now that’s a man who woul
d look fabulous out of uniform.”  She
shook her head, apparently to dispel the image, and
returned to the subject.  “
Anyway,
I thought that you and James
were back together.
Why wouldn’t you want to tell him about the break in?”

“Do you know what he did when I told him?” Mira asked rhetorically.
“He didn’t
just
offer to let me stay at his house, he straight out demanded that I do so.
Apparently, he doesn’t think that I’m capable of taking care of myself
and thinks
it’s his duty to do it for me.”

“I have to admit that I find it kind of sweet, if a little strange
that
our ‘cold and unapproachable’ boss is so
overprotective.
Of course,” she amended when Mira
opened her eyes
and
shot her a glare
. 
“I can absolutely see why you turned him down.
Any self-
respecting woman would have done the same.
”

“I appreciate your support.
”

“Anytime.
You know, at least this incident will bring the viper down a peg or two.”
She rubbed her hand
s
together and chortled with glee.
“I wish I could see the look on Kim’s face
when the cops drag her downtown for questioning.”

Mira sighed. 
“The truth is I don’t think the police are going to do that.” 
She
stretched out her legs and stifled another yawn.
“They’ve promised to at least talk to her, but they didn’t seem to think that she had anything to do with it.
Come to think of it,” she frowned, “neither does James.
Do you think
we’re right to suspect her?”

“Of course we are,” Amy scoffed.
“
The woman is too tall, too rich, and too plastically gorgeous, and her boobs are much too big.  Although,” she lowered her voice and leaned in.  “I heard she’s had them enhanced
,
twice.”

Mira grinned and shook her head.

“Plus,” Amy continued.  “
The woman has repeatedly threatened you,
sent you a dead animal, and
to top it off she
appears to be stalking you.
Besides, didn’t you say that the writing on your mirror was done in lipstick?
Who else but a woman would do that?”

“I suppose
you
’
r
e
right
,” Mira mused.
“But somehow
I can’t see the cool and polished Kim sustaining, or even feeling, the rage that it must have taken to do that much damage.”

“Trust me.
If
that viper
thinks that you came between her and something that she really wanted
she wouldn’t hesitate.
And she wanted James Kelly.”

“
I’m still not sure I buy that.  I’m mean she’s not
exactly
lacking in male companionship and, despite how sickeningly sweet she acted when James was around,
I don’t even think
she had any deep feeling
s
from him.
It seems like she saw him more as a trophy.”

“Exactly, a prize that her daddy really wanted and he expected Kim to get for him.
I’ve heard rumors that his business isn’t exactly booming
right now.  I bet
he needed that connection to EcoSpace.
I doubt that daddy’s making Kim’s life easy right now.”

“
Yeah, but s
he’s already lost James.
What good does scaring me do?
Does she really think that she could get him back?”

“With you out of the picture?
Definitely.
That girl’s ego knows no bounds.”

“
You’re probably right
.
” 
Mira stretched and yawned.
“I guess that I’m ju
st tired and not thinking too
clearly.”

“
Where are my manners?”  Amy stood up and pulled Mira with her.  “
You have to be
absolutely
exhausted and here I am keeping you awake.
Why don’t you
stand right here
and I’ll get
the sofa
made up.
You know, you
can
have the bed.”

“
It’s fine. 
You’ve d
one enough already and
, truthfully,
I don’t think I co
uld make it to the bedroom.  T
hanks anyway.
”
             

“If you’re sure
.”

“Positive.”

Within ten minutes Mira was comfortably settled with the lights turned off.
With
everything
that had happened she was sure that her brain wouldn’t be able to shut off, but in a matter of minutes her eyes closed and she slept.

The meeting should have started
twenty minutes
ago but, as yet, the boss hadn’t shown up.
From the looks of things the department heads were getting restless.
The coffee pot was nearly empty, the donuts were gone, and instead of sitting
,
people were now standing around in small groups
gossiping
.
  If James didn’t show up soon, Mira
thought as she glanced at her watch,
she would seriously consider walking out
.
She shifted uncomfortably and wondered for the tenth time why she was even at this meeting
.  S
he was really just a lowly employee
,
not a manager. 
In fact
,
she really should leave
.
With another glance at her watch
,
she pushed back her chair and stood up.

“I still don’t understand why you refused my offer of a spare bedroom the other night,” a soft voice said from close behind her.

Startled, she jumped, knocking her head against James’ chin
.
She sat back down while he cursed softly and rubbed his jaw.  A brief scuffle occurred
as
the other occupants
noticed James’ presence and hurried to take their
own
seats.
Her boss, Barry, nodded to James and cleared his throat.

“You know perfectly well why I chose not to accept your kind ‘offer,’” Mira whispered in a furious undertone while
Barry
began his report.
“
Despite your deluded ideas on the matter I refuse to sleep with you after one date.”