Лиза Джонс - Dangerous Secrets

How hard was it, she wondered? “I assume there are no documents or will that I need to know about other than what I’m aware of?”

“She had life insurance,” he said. “I have no idea if it was left to me or her sister at this juncture of our relationship.”

“Sister?” Julie asked in a voice that was a bit too high.

“Her twin. Never did like me. She was always trying to get Elizabeth to leave me.”

“Considering that’s what you wanted, I would think you would like her.”

He shrugged. “I preferred to do the leaving on my terms.”

As do most rich men who want to shuffle their assets, but Julie didn’t say that.

He made a disgusted sound. “Believe me, Diana – that’s Elizabeth’s sister – is trouble. She only wanted her to leave me to take my money. If she can get an attorney to take the case, she’ll fight for some of it now. The life insurance won’t be enough for her. She’s a greedy little bitch.” He waved a dismissive hand. “There’s another reason I came by. You’ve handled a number of children’s charity functions and I know they’re dear to your heart. Elizabeth was in charge of a Children’s Cancer Association function tomorrow night and my artwork will be on display. I must admit I wish it wasn’t this week, but it was impossible to cancel with such advanced planning. I’d appreciate it if you would consider playing hostess in her absence.”

She hesitated. Because of the judge’s involvement, she was almost certain she could hear Luke warning her away from the man. But she couldn’t. Not when it came to this. “Of course,” Julie said. “It is, as always, kind of you to show your art for such good causes. Can you send me the details so I know what I need to do?”

“My secretary will email them within the hour,” he said and stood. They said their goodbyes and Julie watched him leave. Why did she feel so out of sorts, like she’d been set up?

She tried to dial Luke, but he didn’t answer. She felt uncomfortable leaving the building today. She didn’t want to cancel lunch with Gina, but maybe they could order in and talk. She headed to the lobby to find out.

“How would you feel about Chinese?” Julie asked Gina as she came up behind her.

Gina jumped. “Oh, you scared me.” She shuffled a few papers and quickly shut a file as she swiveled her chair around to face her boss. “I guess I’m wrapped a little tightly today.”

Julie smiled. “Sorry about that. I don’t blame you for being jumpy. It’s not every day a woman walks into our offices and then dies days later.”

Gina shoved her hair out of her eyes. “I must admit it’s a bit creepy. If I were one of the family members I’d be asking questions about her death.”

“Did you know she had a twin sister?” Julie asked, leaning a hip on the desk, and wondering just what Elizabeth might have chatted about in the lobby the day of her visit.

“Really? I had no idea.”

“Neither did I until she walked up to me at the the funeral,” Julie said. “Talk about making someone jump. It was like seeing a ghost.”

The buzzer on Gina’s desk went off, ringing from the main reception area on the floor above theirs that handled ten attorneys. “There is a man here to see Julie, a Luke Walker. I sent him to your floor a few minutes ago. Sorry. Would have called sooner but I got busy.”

The elevator dinged just beyond the lobby and Julie stood up and smoothed a hand over her dress, willing the butterflies in her stomach that no man had ever given her before, to calm down.

Gina arched a brow. “Someone good, I hope?”

Luke ambled into the room, tall and lean in a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt and a leather jacket, looking as predatory as a panther on the prowl. The instant his eyes touched Julie, sweeping her from head to toe, it was clear she was that prey.

“Yes,” Gina whispered. “Someone good for sure.”

Yes indeed, Julie thought. She never got over the impact he made on her when he entered a room. “I hope this is a good news visit.” Like Elizabeth wasn’t murdered and all her paranoia wasn’t merited.

“It is if you’re hungry,” he said, giving Gina a polite nod and then fixing Julie with a hot stare from which it was impossible to misread the personal nature of their relationship. “I was hoping to steal you away for lunch.”

Oh how she wanted to have lunch with Luke, or better yet, have Luke for lunch, but she wasn’t going to forget Gina. Not this time. Not again.

“Actually,” she said, hating how hoarse her voice sounded, how easily he affected her, and how good he smelled, ”My assistant, Gina, and I planned to have lunch today.”

“I need to cancel anyway,” Gina said quickly, but she didn’t look at Julie. “I forgot I have to run an errand at lunch.”

“Luke could join us for lunch and then you could run your errand on the way back,” she offered.

Gina gave Julie a smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes. “This is going to take a while,” she said. “It just came up and it’s pretty important. Would you mind if I was a little late returning?”

“No, of course not, there isn’t anything pressing going on today. Maybe tomorrow we could try again. You know, for lunch?”

“Sure,” Gina said and turned back to her desk.

Julie frowned, feeling oddly uneasy with what had just transpired for no identifiable reason other than a shade of guilt because she really wanted to be alone with Luke.

Luke settled his hand on her back. “Can you leave now?”

Julie looked up into his warm brown eyes and almost sighed. Looking into his eyes was like flipping some switch inside her to the on position.

“Yes. Be right back.” She turned, a niggling feeling of unease in her gut she couldn’t put aside, even for the hot man in the lobby. She returned quickly with her coat on and her purse over her shoulder but paused at the door when she found Luke leaning against the wall by Gina’s desk, making small talk. Julie could just see Gina, and she wasn’t making direct eye contact with Luke any more than she had Julie. She seemed nervous, even uncomfortable, under his inspection.

“I’m ready,” Julie said, stepping to his side and then telling Gina, “Just forward the phones upstairs and lock up.” She’d eagerly volunteered to move to a separate floor, leaving some of the firm’s politics behind when space had become an issue for the firm.

The instant Julie and Luke stepped onto the otherwise empty elevator he pulled her close and kissed her, but any thrill she got from it, which was plenty, faded as he warned, “Be careful what you say around her.”

“Why?”

“She hates you and I don’t trust her.”

Julie drew back in shock. “What?”

“It’s in her eyes when she looks at you, and she wouldn’t look me in the eye. I never like that.”

Julie hugged herself, feeling his words like a blade. The elevator dinged and people got in. She stepped away from Luke, to remain professional, and to get some much needed space. She didn’t look at him but she could feel him watching her, willing her to.

“How about the Mexican joint on the corner?” he asked when they stepped into the main lobby.

“Yes, sure,” she said, tying her coat closed.

The wind gusted around them as they headed down the steps, chilly but not freezing, though she was feeling pretty darn cold.

“I upset you,” Luke said as they turned right on the sidewalk.

She cast him a sideways look. “You were just being honest and I prefer honesty, even when it’s hard to swallow.”

They passed a vacant shop, and Luke pulled her into the nook, out of sight, and wrapped her in his powerful arms, the heat of his body seeping into hers.