LITMIR.BIZ

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beneath him and Sadie had thought Meredith married a stuffed shirt. The only thing the two older women had in common was their love for their one and only grandchild.

      Sadie took Kris’s arm and let Kris guide her to the oak rocker beside the window overlooking the lavish gardens, now dusted with a fresh coat of December snow, and spread across the back ten acres of the facility grounds. Trees lined the property, separating the retirement center from the Boston skyline. The township of Miller was a twenty-minute ride from Kris’s downtown loft and another ten from her parents’ Beacon Hill residence.

      Charles and Meredith Worthington rarely visited, preferring that Kris bring Sadie to their home for occasional family dinners. Which, thankfully, were few and far between. Dinners with the Worthingtons were a case study in upper-crust dysfunction. Dress for dinner, no elbows on the table and certainly no talking about anything that even remotely resembled emotions. Something Kris had rebelled against most of her life.

      After settling Sadie in the rocker, Kris resumed her spot on the bed, tucking her feet beneath her and gathering her long blond hair into one hand to lift the heavy mass off her neck. “What did Ms. Faust say about Carl and Lena disappearing?”

      “Hmm?”

      “You did ask Ms. Faust about them, didn’t you?”

      For a moment Sadie looked confused. “Them?”

      Kris frowned. “Carl and Lena?”

      Sadie’s expression cleared and she scoffed with a gentle shake of her head. “That woman doesn’t know her knee from her elbow.”

      “Grams,” she admonished lightly. Admittedly, Ms. Faust, the center director, wasn’t the warm and fuzzy type. But she seemed well organized and competent.

      Sadie rocked. “Carl would not go on vacation with his rheumatoid arthritis acting up the way it has been or without his wallet, and Lena hates going outside for anything, let alone a cruise. And for them both to go on vacation at the same time without saying a word to anyone is ludicrous.”

      The social butterfly of Miller’s Rest, Sadie made knowing everyone’s business her business. Kris didn’t want to point out that neither Carl nor Lena needed Sadie’s permission to leave the center, so instead she said, “I’m sure they’ll return soon with plenty of stories to tell and Christmas gifts for everyone. And maybe Carl just lost his wallet.”

      Sadie’s sparkling, dark blue eyes regarded Kris intently. “Is that what you’ll be saying after I disappear?”

      Kris blinked. Way, way too many mystery novels. “Grams, you are not going to disappear.”

      Shaking a finger at her, Sadie remarked, “Well if I do, don’t be believing I went on vacation.”

      “Of course not, Grams. You wouldn’t go on vacation without me,” Kris quipped.

      “Too true,” Sadie replied. Then her brow furrowed. “I just think something has happened to Carl and Lena. Something bad.”

      “What can I do to ease your mind about them?” Seeing her grandmother so upset burned Kris’s chest.

      Sadie slapped her palm on the rocker’s arm. “Call the police! Call the FBI! Find my friends!”

      Kris could only think of one person who might be willing to humor her by looking into the matter on the strength of Sadie’s suspicions.

      Gabriel Burke.

      The man who’d broken her heart.

      

      Homicide detective Gabe Burke hated the paperwork associated with closing a case. He wished the department would spring for a secretary to fill out the required stack of forms. And he made the suggestion every time he got a complaint about his illegible handwriting.

      This particular pile of papers related to the murder of a prostitute by a john, who happened to be a married grade school teacher. Man, he hated cases like this. Just proved every human was capable of evil. With a grunt of disgust, Gabe gathered the forms and jammed them into the file folder.

      His partner, Detective Angie Carlucci, stopped by his desk and regarded him with concern-filled dark eyes. “You okay?”

      “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be? It’s Christmastime,” he shot back, immediately regretting his harsh tone.

      It wasn’t Angie’s fault he was on the brink of burnout. She was a good partner and friend. Though in those almond-shaped eyes he could see evidence of the signals she’d been giving off lately that she’d be open to taking their “partnership” to a new level.

      No way. He didn’t date fellow cops. He only dated uncomplicated women who didn’t need anything but a good time. It was less emotionally taxing.

      She shrugged and held up her strong, capable hands. “Just asking, Grinch.”

      “Sorry.” He sighed. “This last case left a bitter taste.”

      “Yeah, I hear that.” She took a seat at her desk across from him.

      “Hey, Burke! Lady here to see you.”

      He turned his attention to the front of the station where Sergeant Sean O’Grady had called from, but was instantly distracted by an attractive blonde gliding toward him. His senses went on alert. She was stunning. Her long flowered skirt flirting around her knee-high leather boots and a ruffled blouse were more appropriate for an outdoor party than a police station in the dead of winter. A more suitable, cold-weather wool coat and colorful handbag hung over her arm.

      Kristina Worthington.

      What was she doing here? They hadn’t talked in over eight years. He’d caught a glimpse of her at a friend’s wedding a while ago, but he’d done a good job of avoiding her. Now she was in his place of work.

      Not the typical Monday morning.

      Gabe automatically rose as she stopped in front of him. Kristina regarded him with a mixture of wariness and hope in her baby blues. The top of her head reached his chin. He’d always been partial to petite women. This woman in particular.

      Keep it professional, Burke.

      “Kristina, long time no see. Can I help you?” he asked as he studied her beautiful oval face.

      “I hope so.” She glanced at Angie, who watched them with raised eyebrows. “Do you have a moment to talk?”

      “Is this a police matter?” he questioned, ignoring the battering of his heart.

      “Uh, well. Yes,” she replied as a blush brightened her cheeks.

      Now why did disappointment nip at him so viciously? He fought to keep his expression neutral. “Then we can talk here. This is my partner, Angie Carlucci.”

      Angie bolted up and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Mrs…?”

      His unexpected visitor swallowed before reaching out. “Just Miss, Kris…tina Worthington.”

      Using her interrogation face, Angie hiked a hip on Gabe’s desk and flipped her black ponytail over her shoulder. He smothered a grin at the display of female rivalry.

      Kristina’s gaze returned to him expectantly, probably anticipating he would fawn all over her as he’d done so long ago when he’d foolishly tried to believe in love and all the trappings that accompanied the sentiment. He’d made that mistake once. Once was enough.

      Feeling the need to expedite things, he prompted, “What can I do for you?”

      She twirled one long strand of silky hair around a slender finger of her ringless left hand. A monster-size emerald pendant hanging from her slender neck twinkled in the fluorescent overhead light. A blatant reminder they came from different worlds. “I know it’s going to sound bizarre. I mean it’s a strange tale and you probably won’t believe me—”

      He held up a hand, halting her as he pulled out a chair.

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