'Then I'll sit in the corner and read.'
'Really, Connie, you'd be bored. You go home and relax. I'll show up
sometime around one or two in the morning.'
'Nothing doing. I won't get in your way, and I'll be perfectly
comfortable reading in an office chair. Nora needs her Nick tonight.
I'll bring supper.'
'Well ... okay. Who am I kidding? I knew you'd come.'
'A large pizza and a bottle of wine. How's that?'
'Sounds good.'
'When?' she asked.
'I've been dozing over my typewriter. If I'm to get this work done
tonight, I'd better take a nap. As soon as the staff clears out for the
day, I'll lie down. Why don't you bring the pizza at seven-thirty?'
'Count on it.'
'We'll have company at eight-thirty.'
'Who?'
'A police detective. He wants to discuss some new evidence in the
Butcher case.'
'Preduski?' she asked.
'No. One of Preduski's lieutenants. A guy named Bollinger. He called
a few minutes ago and wanted to come to the house this evening.
I told him that you and I would be working here until late.'
'Well, at least he's coming after we eat,' she said. 'Talking about the
Butcher before dinner would spoil my appetite.'
'See you at seven-thirty.'
'Sleep tight, Nicky.'
When the percolator shut off, she poured steaming coffee into a mug,
added cream, went to the front of the store and sat in a chair near one
of the mullioned show windows. She could look-over and between the
antiques for a many-paned view of a windswept section of Tenth Street.
A few people hurried past, dressed in heavy coats, their hands in their
pockets, heads tucked down.
Scattered snowflakes followed the air currents down between the
buildings and ricocheted along the pavement.
She sipped her coffee and almost purred as the warmth spread through
her.
She thought about Graham and felt warmer still. Nothing could chill her
when Graham was on her mind. Not wind.
Not snow. Not the Butcher. She felt safe with Graham-even with just
the thought of him. Safe and protected. She knew that, in spite of the
fear that had grown in him since his fall, he would lay down his life
for her if that was ever required of him. Just as she would give her
life to save his. It wasn't likely that either of them would be
presented with such a dramatic choice; but she was convinced that Graham
would find his courage gradually in the weeks and months ahead, would
find it without the help of a crisis.
Suddenly the wind exploded against the window, howled and moaned and
pasted snow, like specks of froth and spittle, to the cold glass.
The room was long and narrow with a brown tile floor, beige walls, a
high ceiling and fluorescent lights. Two metal desks stood just inside
