Regan Black - Safe In His Sight

She waved it off. “I’m over it. Do you have a lead?”

His explanation was delayed by the food pickup and their brief search for a spot to eat. He could tell she felt exposed, but he figured his presence as an unexpected boyfriend would be enough to have her stalker reassessing the situation if he was out there watching.

When they were settled on a bench under a tree, he waited until she’d eaten some of her sandwich before he began. “Falk’s gang or followers or whatever you’d call them are suspected of a few arsons around the city in recent years.”

She nodded, her gaze sweeping across the people moving around them.

“None of those left enough evidence to prosecute a particular individual.”

“Which is related to my stalker how?”

“I’m a curious guy,” he replied. “After the momentary dead end in the mail room, I went looking for a better lead.” He decided not to mention his trek home for his clothes and his computer.

She blotted the sauce from her lips with a napkin, bringing his attention to her very kissable mouth. “Start making the connections. Please.”

Stay on point. It was his turn to scan the park. He didn’t spot anyone with an orange cap, but he felt as if they were being watched. A small measure of paranoia was to be expected, he supposed. “People take pictures at fires. Arson investigators gather them up when they can, hoping to find the firebug. That was my approach, comparing the media shots of fires suspected of being connected to Falk’s organization with the picture you caught yesterday, but it didn’t pan out.”

“I know it’s a lousy picture.” She shifted on the bench, crossed her ankles and tugged the rising hem of her skirt over her knees. “None of this explains why you barged into the office.”

Her unrelenting green gaze made him sympathize with any witness or client who landed on her bad side. She must be hell in a courtroom. Mitch swallowed, bracing for the worst. “Who did you share the news with when you were added to the case?”

She froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. Slowly she lowered the food to her lap and pulled the wrapper around what was left. “N-no one.”

“Come on, being assigned to the Falk case is a big deal. Your mom?”

Her teeth sank into that rosy lower lip for a split second. “No. We’re not close.”

“What about your friend Aubrey?”

She shook her head. “It’s not the kind of thing you share,” she said.

That startled him. Clearly he didn’t understand lawyers at all. She’d said it was a career-making assignment—wouldn’t she celebrate it? “Why not? Some confidentiality thing?”

“Sometimes,” she allowed. “In this situation, I was thrilled, but it’s a very public case and most people don’t want to see Falk get acquitted. Plenty of my peers in the office would rather take my place than pat me on the back.”

“Okay.” He obviously didn’t know how to think like a defense attorney. “Does it bug you that your stalker knew you had the assignment even though it’s not public knowledge?”

“Of course.”

“Me too. I think it’s an important clue.”

“You think the stalker works at Marburg?” She pressed her fingers to her lips. “Am I safe at the office?” she asked behind her hand.

Hearing her voice, thin and frightened, pissed him off and his self-control started to unravel. When he found her stalker, he’d wring the bastard’s neck. His free hand flexed and fisted. Bullying a woman was a coward’s game. Mitch put his arm around her shoulder, wishing he could make this go away with a snap of his fingers. “That very concern is what had me barging in and scaring you. Let’s do hourly check-in texts. I want you to let me know the minute anything makes you nervous.”

“All right. Though now I’ll probably be jumping at every shadow.”

“No problem since I’ll be close by. My earlier overreaction aside, I think you are safe there,” he said. Unwrapping the cookie that came with his meal, he offered half to her. “None of the pictures were from inside. I think if he had that card to play, he would have done it.”

“That’s something, I guess.”

“Eat up and I’ll walk you back.”

He downed his half of the cookie while she nibbled around the edges, watching people go by. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head. “Do you think your stalker holds the kind of clout to pull strings and get you specifically assigned to the case?” He felt terrible that the question made her tremble just as she’d started to relax.

“Choosing me makes no sense.” She jerked back, putting a little more distance between them. “Anyone with real clout would ask for someone more important or more informed. All I know about Falk came from media reports and the case files I’ve been allowed to see.”

“Anything sensitive?”

She glared at him, refusing to answer. “Why would anyone believe I’d cave to this kind of intimidation?”

He preferred the defiance in her eyes. “Every contact so far implies the stalker intends to use you as an inside source.”

“Yeah, I got that loud and clear.” She pursed her lips. “We both know I can’t do what he wants. What happens then?”

“We’ll burn that bridge if we get there.” Somehow he’d make sure the stalker didn’t push things that far. “You won’t have to face that dilemma.”

“Hmm. Your confidence is impressive, Mr. Galway.”

He shot her a grin. “Hopefully it’s contagious, too, Miss Cooper. Take all you want.”

She smiled, genuinely amused despite the lingering worry shadowing her green eyes. “Thanks.”

As they walked back, she slid her hand into his. That expression of budding trust slipped over him, made him feel ten feet tall and invincible. This wasn’t the first time he’d made a promise with no foolproof plan for how to back it up.

He wouldn’t let this be the first time he let someone down.

* * *

With his hockey team ball cap turned backward today, Leo Falk watched Miss Cooper exit the Marburg offices with a man he didn’t recognize. They looked cozy heading down the same route she’d used on every clear day for her lunch break. In another deviation from her regimented schedule, today they stopped at a food truck. Watching the new guy pay the bill, he gave her credit for finding someone to ease the bite of the cash flow crisis he’d created.

He’d followed her for two weeks straight before deciding the young associate could expedite his plans and assist in his brother’s acquittal. She’d proved to be more work than play, keeping her nose to the grindstone at Marburg except for short jaunts to the park for lunch and three visits each week to her health club. She lived alone, didn’t have regular contact with family by mail, phone or email, and, until now, her social life had been limited to only two obvious friends, both from the law office.

He’d assumed the trek to the nightclub last night had been an effort to blow off steam after he’d seized control of her finances and convinced her to cooperate. The idea that his careful investigation of her life had missed a detail as big as a boyfriend troubled him. He preferred to view this as some demonstration of her resourcefulness.

How unfortunate for her if this new man turned out to be someone significant, someone she cared for. He’d chosen Julia because her loner tendencies and lack of a support network worked to his advantage. His plans to help his brother beat the multitude of criminal charges could work regardless, but her isolation had been a distinct benefit to their unified cause.

Now, when he was ready to advance, he had to pause and reassess the angles and potential pitfalls of his plan.

He used his phone to snap a few pictures of them in the park before moving along to find a better vantage point for their return to Marburg. When they walked into his view, he used his camera and telephoto lens to get better close-ups for his investigator’s benefit. They needed to know everything about this man as soon as possible.