Mariah Stewart - Cold Truth

“Maybe Kroll was someone your dad was investigating.”

“Maybe.” She picked up one of the report cards and read a written comment aloud. “’Eddie is an asset to the class. He has an aptitude for math, is inquisitive, and is an excellent reader.’ Signed by Sister Mary Matthew.” She flipped the card over. “Second grade.”

“Well, his name is sure to turn up again, if your father was interested in him enough to keep his report cards from grade school.”

“That’s what I thought, too. I’m sure there must be other files. But…” She dropped the report card on the desk.

“Right. With your dad’s filing system, who knows where they might be.”

“Same old story.” She laughed. “It certainly makes going through his papers an adventure. I never know what I’m going to find. Sometimes I wonder if he didn’t plan it that way, just to keep me intrigued.”

“I guess I’ll get this to my car.” Mitch patted the envelope and headed for the door. “Thanks again, Regan. I appreciate it. I don’t think my boss would be too happy if he knew I’d left some of my investigative reports here.”

She walked him to the door, and watched him open the trunk of his car. He dropped the envelope in, then walked to the driver’s side.

Closing the front door, Regan wished she could think of something to say that would bring him back inside, if only for a while. She’d been thinking a lot lately that the house seemed so quiet, so empty, since the Strangler case had been wrapped up and Mitch had returned to Maryland, and she was once again alone.

The doorbell rang.

Wondering what Mitch could have forgotten, Regan opened the door.

He stood there, a dark blue blazer slung over his shoulder.

“I was just wondering-now that we have work completely out of the way-if you’d like to go out to dinner with me. If you don’t have other plans for tonight, that is.”

“You mean, like a date?”

“Yes.” He grinned. “Like a date.”

“Oh.” She smiled, waved him inside, and closed the door behind him. “Give me a minute to change.”

“You don’t have to change. You look perfect.”

“Well, I’ll need my keys…” She disappeared into her office and returned with her handbag.

“So,” she said as they walked to the door, “what did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking about this Mexican place outside of Princeton. I had dinner there one night and thought maybe you’d like it. They have one of those sort of traveling trios that roam around the restaurant, singing to the customers.”

“I know the place. It’s one of my favorites, actually.” She locked the door after they both stepped outside.

“Mitch.” She grabbed his arm when they were halfway to the car. “Did you really forget to take those files?”

“Of course not.” He grinned. “I made copies of a few reports and left them on the desk. You don’t really think I’d leave my files someplace, do you?”

“I thought it would be out of character.”

“I just wanted an excuse to come see you.”

“I’m glad you did. I’ve been dying to tell you about this old case I found in the bottom desk drawer last week…”

Mariah Stewart is the bestselling author of ten novels and three novellas. A RITA finalist for romantic suspense, she is the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO (Reviewers International) Award honoring excellence in women's fiction, a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times magazine, and a two-time recipient of the Golden Leaf Award for contemporary romance. A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives in a Philadelphia suburb with her husband, two teenage daughters, and two rambunctious golden retrievers in a century old Victorian country home where she's neglecting her garden and working on her next book.