“I don’t have any information for you,” he said.
“Was it a serial killer?” I pressed harder. “I mean ... it seems weird that there would be some freaky guy out there with a fetish for Santas, but I’ve heard of weirder. Some people like clowns, for example. Other people like dolls. I think the world would be happier if both were eradicated, but it’s not really up to me.”
“I’m with you on the clowns,” Jake agreed. “They’re unnatural.”
“You’re okay with the dolls?”
He shot me a look. “Do you have to go to a weird place tonight? I’m not in the mood. It’s been a long day.”
I recognized what he wasn’t saying. Once word got out about the body dump, it would turn into a long week, maybe even a long month. This was his last moment of quiet before the media firestorm.
Well, boo-hoo for him. “Just give me something,” I wheedled. “I’ve had a trying day. There’s a new intern at the newspaper. You know how I feel about change.”
Jake remained impassive. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Let’s not.”
He pretended I hadn’t spoken. “Tell me how things are at The Monitor now that Ludington is back on the job.”
“He’s back on the job?” I straightened. “I heard he was just participating in some teleconferences and a few video chats. He’s not even technically in office until the first of the year.”
Jake’s eyes lit with amusement. “You’re slacking. That’s not like you. Have you decided to go easy on him after the shooting?”
“Don’t be an idiot.” I was not a soft-hearted fool. Yes, Tad almost dying had filled me with an emotion I couldn’t quite identify — I was leaning toward guilt but didn’t want to admit it — but that didn’t mean I had any intention of letting up. “We both know he’ll try to sneak some ridiculous legislation past that board the first week he returns because he thinks it will be his best shot to snow them.”
“We definitely agree on that.” Jake sipped again, speculative. “I’ve heard talk regarding his plans … if you’re interested.”
It was a distraction I really shouldn’t have gone for, but I couldn’t stop myself. “What?”
“Here we go.” Eliot smirked as he got comfortable next to me, his hand moving to my neck to rub at the tension there. He seemed perplexed at how tight I was. “You’re stressed, baby. Maybe you should start seeing a therapist or something.”
I shot him a dirty look. “I’m not lying on some couch and spilling my guts.” Did he just meet me? “Who do you think you’re dealing with?”
His eyebrows hiked but he didn’t react out of anger. “I meant a massage therapist.”
“Oh.” Mollified, I could feel my cheeks burning. “I’m only dealing with a massage therapist who’s young, male and hot. Still want me to go?”
“If it means you’ll chill out, yes. I’m not particularly worried about you cheating on me. That’s not who you are.”
He was right on that one. Besides, he was more than I could handle ... especially during the past few weeks. Adding another man to the mix, even if he had magic fingers, seemed an insurmountable hurdle. “What were we talking about again?”
“Ludington’s new plan,” Lauren offered helpfully. She’d been mostly silent since I sat, but she was used to my rhythm and knew enough to let Jake and I bounce insults and questions off each other for a full ten minutes before interjecting herself into the conversation. “I’m curious about what he has planned myself.”
“Right.” I pinned Jake with an expectant look. “What’s Tad up to?”
Jake offered me a sly smile. “Okay, but you can’t tell anyone you heard it from me. He’s going to be gunning to make trouble for anybody he believes is standing in his way on this stuff and I don’t want to deal with him unless absolutely necessary.”
I mimed crossing my heart.
“He wants to start a crime task force.”
I waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, I wrinkled my nose. “He’s made suggestions like that before.”
“Ah, yes, but now he’s a crime victim,” Jake noted. “He almost died. He’s going to use that to his advantage.”
“What sort of crime task force?” Eliot asked, his hand still working at the base of my neck. His ministrations felt so good I had to stop myself from purring.
“Well, I’ve heard different things.” Jake hesitated and then barreled forward. “He knows better than to try to limit gun sales or anything. I believe he’s going to try to wedge an elite law enforcement team into the mix, one that answers directly to him.”
I pursed my lips, considering. “That sounds just like him. He kind of tried that before.”
“It fell apart, though, and that team had no real power. The thing is, he hates me almost as much as he hates you, Avery. He’s probably feeling pretty bitter about what happened. You know what that means.”
I knew better than most what it meant. “He’s going to try to make life difficult for us.”
“He is,” Jake agreed. “I don’t think he’ll have much luck with me. Even if he manages to push this crime task force through, my duties are spelled out. He can’t create an entity out of thin air and diminish my power, no matter how hard he tries.”
His words hit home. “Which means he’ll be especially focused on me.”
“I think so.” Jake’s eyes flashed with sympathy. “I’ve heard a few things. I don’t want you getting worked up, but I think you should be prepared. Rumor is, he blames you for what happened to him.”
I could see that. “Because Fawn only went to work for him after Eliot fired her.”
Jake nodded. “Apparently Ludington believes you’re the reason Eliot ousted Fawn.”
“I am the reason.”
Eliot immediately started shaking his head. “Don’t put this on her. She’s dealing with enough stuff right now. I fired Fawn because she refused to do her job. Avery isn’t to blame for that.”
“Besides,” Lauren added, “Ludington only hired her to annoy Avery
