“She was terrified. She thought I was a thief.”
“After that.”
“She liked my sexy walk.”
“It was more than that, Sammy.”
He looked at her closely. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” Savannah explained slowly, “that you’re very different from the men in her world. You exude a self-confidence that is truly powerful. That makes her nervous.”
“Why should it?”
“Because you can see through her. You did. You put her down easily with that snobbery business. That’s why she’s threatened. That’s why her defenses came up. That’s why she came across as being tough. She had to. For her own sake, if nothing else.”
Sam stood beside her, silently considering that for a moment. Finally he said, “So what can I expect? Will she be giving me the cold shoulder from here to eternity?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On how comfortable you can make her feel. If she’s threatened, she’ll lash out. If not…” Her voice trailed off and a small, suggestive smile curved her lips.
Sam studied that smile. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were giving me a push.”
“Me?” Savannah held up her hand. “I don’t push you anywhere. You do your own thing. Besides, God only knows I have enough else to worry about.”
It was an apt reminder for them both. Sobering, Sam said, “We’re ready for the lab. Want to call a courier?”
She nodded and started off, then stopped. When she looked back up at Sam, she was less sure than usual. “Susan is nervous about all this. She’s here because I asked her to come and because Megan’s a friend, but given her druthers, she’d leave in a minute. If she stays, she’ll be tense.” She paused. “Go easy on her, Sammy. And keep an eye on her for me when I’m not here. She’s not happy with her life right now. When I called her to come over, I was thinking that it would do her good to focus on someone else for a change. Will you let me know if you think I made a mistake?”
Sam gave her an understanding nod.
She smiled in gratitude before leaving to call the courier.
***
Soon after, Savannah returned to the office. She’d been able to reassign some of her work so that she could spend time at the Vandermeers, but there were some matters that couldn’t be delegated. She was scheduled to go to trial the following week on an arson conspiracy case. There were witnesses to prepare, one of whom, an expert on insurance fraud, had flown in from Omaha and was waiting in her office when she returned. She spent two and a half hours with him, then met with the two police detectives who had been working on the case. She needed more information, including corroboration from one of her own witnesses. After that, she attended the weekly meeting of the criminal division. Technically, she was second in command in the division, but the first in command had been out of work for a month recovering from open-heart surgery, and it looked like it would be a while longer before he returned. Savannah had emerged quite naturally over the last year as the one others went to for advice, and she had easily assumed the responsibility of conducting division meetings.
By nine o’clock that evening, she was headed back to the Vandermeers. She felt guilty for not waiting with Will and Susan, but she had to keep up with her work unless she wanted a complete nervous breakdown. She couldn’t spend the night at Will’s as she had asked Susan to do, and she felt even more guilty about that. But she just couldn’t. She knew herself. The tension was building inside. She needed a break.
Will was where she had left him, at his post by the kitchen phone. He had a blank piece of paper and a pencil within reach, ready to take down any information the kidnappers might transmit. He was alternately holding the pencil and setting it down, folding a corner of the paper and flattening it, turning to look at the clock and facing the paper again.
Wearing the same chic yellow jogging suit that she had arrived in, Susan was sitting in one of the eight captain’s chairs that encircled the large round kitchen table. She was methodically shifting the old-fashioned glass in her hand by quarter turns on the wood surface. She looked up once, when Savannah entered the room, then looked back at her glass. But that single brief glance had been defiant. Savannah knew not to mention the drink.
Sam and Hank were sitting at the table with drinks of their own. Rather than old-fashioned glasses filled with liquor, though, they held mugs of coffee. She guessed they were on their fourth or fifth cups. She was a coffee drinker herself, but not to excess. She recognized a caffeine shake when it was starting and knew when to stop. Sammy and Hank never stopped, but then, they never shook. They could drink coffee all night, while they took turns sleeping. And they would sleep soundly. The caffeine didn’t faze them. She assumed it had something to do with the sturdiness of the male physique; strength was one of the few concessions she was prepared to make to the male of the species. It could make them exciting, or terrifying.
“What are they doing with her?” Will cried, his eyes tired now but no less alert. “Why haven’t they called?”
Taking a seat between him and Hank, Savannah laced her hands tightly together. “They’re waiting for the right time.”
“Do you think she’s okay?”
“I have to think that.”
“Will they feed her? Make sure she’s warm enough?”
“She’ll eat when they eat and be as warm as they are. I’m sure they have no intention of either starving or freezing.” She paused. “What happened with the insurance company?”
