Murder Can Cool Off Your Affair Read Online Free Page A

resurrect my all-but-rejected coincidence theory, it was then. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this was one of those drive-bys, though. And if so, what’s the likelihood of its happening again?”
    “But suppose it wasn’t a drive-by? Don’t you see that you c-could be in danger, too? If the k-killer makes a second attempt, he c-could wind up hitting you b-by mistake.”
    It is only in moments of extreme stress that my niece stutters—I don’t think I’d heard her do it in years. So I tried that much harder to minimize her fears.
    “Don’t be silly, Ellen. After all, it’s not as if I’macting as the man’s bodyguard. My only job is to check into the attack on him. Besides, if he was actually targeted—although, as I told you, that probably isn’t the case—the perpetrator is almost certainly the same person who killed his cousin. For that reason, I’ll be spending the majority of my time investigating the cousin’s death. Most of my contact with John Lander will be relegated to the phone, the way it normally is with my clients. Honestly, it’s doubtful that I’ll have more than one or two additional meetings with him. And you can be sure those won’t take place on some deserted street at midnight, either.”
    “Still, swear to me you’ll be extra careful. Okay?”
    “Okay.”
    “You didn’t swear.”
    “I swear,” I said, irritated by then and trying very hard not to let it show. I mean, Ellen is one of my favorite people in the world. And I really am grateful for her concern. Nevertheless, sweet as she is and much as I love her, there’s no getting around it: Ellen Kravitz can be a terrible nudge.
     
    We hung up after I’d assured her—twice—that I’d do my best to leave Wednesday open for shopping. Then I got back to what I’d been working on prior to Ellen’s call: making myself presentable for the first of my suspects.
    Jaw set determinedly, I marched into the bathroom and picked up my hairbrush again. Today was humid, with rain predicted, and as is typical during weather like this, my glorious hennaed hair had been insisting on going its own way—which is every which way. However, almost immediately after resuming my battle with all of those nasty little clumps, I raised the white flag. I really wasn’t equal to the challenge right now.
    Hurrying to the bedroom closet, I got out my wig, an exact replica of my own hair but with a much moreaccommodating nature. I gazed down at the ratty-looking thing with genuine affection. You can’t imagine how comforting it is to know that it’s there for a rainy day—along with all of those other days when I just plain run out of patience.
    In a matter of minutes I had the wig whipped into shape. And, for a change, it wasn’t long afterward that the rest of me was clothed and shod. Then I went into the living room and deposited myself on the sofa, where for the next half hour I would wait impatiently for the downstairs buzzer to signal the arrival of David Hearn.

Chapter 5
    If there was ever anyone who didn’t fit his voice, I was looking at him.
    I mean, from what I’d heard on the telephone I had expected a skinny little seventeen-year-old with a liberal sprinkling of acne. I’d even thrown in bad teeth when I conjured up David Hearn in my head.
    The real thing, however, was well into his twenties and large. Over six feet, I guessed, and at least 180 pounds. He was also dark and muscular and good-looking. Very good-looking. His bright blue tee shirt had nothing on his eyes, which were an even more vibrant, deeper blue. And if you could attribute those sparkling teeth to today’s dental visit, well, all I can say is that I’d trade Dr. Louis H. Lutz for David’s guy in a millisecond. And, oh yes, my visitor’s face was totally zitless.
    Standing on the threshold, he asked hesitantly, “Ms. Steinberg?” Although the girlish tone seemed less pronounced than it had on the phone, it was jarring enough so that his hunky image took