Stealing Shadows

an important man in town, a man people looked up to. And he was an elected official, which meant his life was open to public scrutiny.

Something she doubted he had considered.

No, it just didn't make sense. There were myriad reasons that she would be attracted to him, but not a single one to explain his interest in her.

Except maybe as a novelty.

Cassie considered that with all the detachment she could muster. A novelty? Something entirely different from what he was accustomed to and, therefore, of interest? A woman who found his walls a relief when they might well have presented a problem for him in other relationships? She supposed it was possible, but if his attraction sprang from something so insignificant, he surely would have decided to wait until the threat to his town was past.

He must have known she wasn't going to be running off with somebody else in the interim.

Cassie stood at her kitchen window with her coffee and stared out at the pretty, peaceful scene, all too aware that once again her sense of expectancy had vanished.

To Max, who was sticking close, she said, 'I can talk myself out of a good mood faster than anyone else I know.'

Max thumped his tail against the floor and gazed up at her intently.

'He just feels sorry for me, that's what it is. Or maybe he's just one of those men who gets a charge out of thin, pale women always falling unconscious practically at their feet. Makes them feel extra macho or something. Although I wouldn't have said he needed that.'

Max whined, and Cassie reached down to scratch him between the ears.

'I've got to stop being unconscious around him. That's the second time he's carried me, and I missed it again. A woman dreams all her life of being swept up into a man's arms, and when it happens – twice – she's unconscious.'

Max licked her hand.

'Thank you,' she said dryly. 'I appreciate the sympathy. But the truth is… I don't know what the truth is. All I know is that I'm about a breath away from making a fool of myself over him. And that scares me to death.'

Max nudged her hand firmly, obviously asking for more of the pleasant scratching between his ears. Cassie obliged.

'But you want to know what the really sad thing is? The sad thing is that I don't think being scared is going to stop me. I don't think anything is going to stop me. I think I'm going to make a fool of myself over him.'

Whatever Max might have responded, the ringing phone startled them both and cut off Cassie's confidences. She picked up the extension in the kitchen, said hello, and heard the unmistakable gruff voice of her aunt's elderly lawyer.

'Miss Neill?'

'Hello, Mr. McDaniel. More papers to sign?'

'Er – no, Miss Neill. No, probate was wound up quite satisfactorily.' Phillip McDaniel cleared his throat. 'Miss Neill, would it be convenient for me to come and see you after lunch? It won't take long, but if you could spare me a few minutes, I would greatly appreciate it.'

Cassie frowned slightly, although she couldn't have said why. 'I could come into town to your office, Mr. McDaniel, if it's important. For you to come all the way out here – '

'I assure you, Miss Neill, I would prefer to come to you. If it's convenient, that is.'

' Of course. But what is this about?'

He made several vague noises, then said, 'Merely a small matter which – well, I would prefer to discuss it in person, Miss Neill. Shall we say around two-thirty?'

'All right, fine. I'll see you then.'

Cassie hung up the phone and looked at Max. 'Well, what do you think about that?'

Max moved closer and nudged her hand, asking for more scratching.

Deanna Ramsay hated living in a small town. She hated living so near the mountains. She hated living in the South. In fact, she pretty much hated her life. Especially now that some maniac was out there stalking women and scaring everybody so much that they'd gone paranoid. Her parents wouldn't let her leave the house without an escort; the principal wouldn't let any of the girls leave school grounds without an escort; deputies were everywhere in town and pounced the instant a body ventured a step or two away from the escort…

'I hate my life,' she announced in disgust.

Her best friend, Sue Adams, giggled. 'Just because Deputy Sanford scolded you and ordered us to wait in the drugstore for Larry!'

Deanna heaved an impatient sigh. 'No, not because of him. He's a dork. I hate my life because my life is entirely hateful. T.ook, if we have to wait in here for my brother to get back, let's at least have a Coke.'

They ordered two Cokes from Mike and retired with them to the booth at the back, which was their spot.

'I don't know why you're so upset,' Sue said. 'At least you have a brother to take you places – and at least he will. Both my sisters are still children, I won't have my license for more than another year, and Mama gets hysterical if I even mention the possibility of going on a date.'

'So does my mom. You'd think we were prisoners!'

'Well,' Sue said reasonably, 'we are prisoners. More or less. Neither one of us is sixteen yet, we don't have cars, or jobs or boyfriends – '

Deanna glared at her and said in a lofty tone, 'Speak for yourself.'

'On which point?' Sue demanded.

'Never you mind. Let's just say that if you were half the friend you claim to be, you'd talk my brother into taking us to the mall when he gets here, and then keep him occupied while I… run a little errand.'

'But we're supposed to go straight back home!'

'And back into prison for the entire weekend, because Larry has to work and you know nobody else will take us anywhere.'

'Well, but – '

'Well, but nothing. I'm sick and tired of the whole thing. This has been the most boring week on record. I want to do something. What's the use of a day off from school if we have to sit at home all morning and then spend half the afternoon waiting for Larry in the drugstore?'

Sue stared at her. 'What are you up to, Dee?'

Deanna shook her head but smiled portentously. 'Like I said, I just want to stretch my legs at the mall. But Lar-ry'll never take us if I ask, so you do it.'

Sue began to feel apprehensive. ' Dee, there's a real killer out there. And nobody knows who he'll go after next.'

'Oh, for God's sake, Sue, I'm not going to wander down any dark alleys, or even leave the mall. I'll be right there, practically in your sight, safely inside and surrounded by other people. I just don't want my big brother looking over my shoulder, that's all.'

'Who're you meeting?' Sue demanded.

Deanna conjured an innocent face. She'd practiced the expression for a good hour that morning while putting on her makeup. 'I'm not meeting anybody.'

'I don't believe you.'

'Well, pardon me if I don't care.' Seeing that she was about to seriously offend her henchwoman, Deanna relented. 'Spend the night with me tonight and I'll tell you everything, okay? Just ask Larry to take us to the mall before we go home. Please?'

'Why won't you tell me now?'

'Because. Come on, Sue, you owe me a favor. Didn't I do your history homework last week?'

Sue had an uneasy feeling the two 'favors' hardly balanced out but found herself giving in the way she always did with Deanna. 'You'll tell me the truth tonight? Swear?'

'I swear.'

After a moment Sue gave in. 'All right. I just know I'm going to be sorry – but all right.'