“A friend,” Jared said.
“Of hers,” he cocked his head toward Savannah, “or the state?”
“Is there a difference?”
“My God,” Savannah muttered, “you make this sound like a dictatorship. Don’t worry about my being distracted, Anthony. I’ve worked hard enough long enough to prove my dedication. Paul gets his money’s worth out of me.”
Anthony looked her up and down. “Ah, an admission, at last. I’ve always had my suspicions.”
The insult was too blatant to miss, too absurd to acknowledge. So Savannah smiled. “You’re a sweetheart to come down and tell me about the press reports.” She went to the door and opened it. “I’ll be working on Sunday. If you hear anything else, give me a call.”
Anthony apparently decided to quit while he was ahead. Without so much as a backward glance at Jared, he gave Savannah a salute and left the office. No sooner had she closed the door when Jared said, “You shouldn’t let him get away with comments like that.”
“It’s okay. I zinged him one earlier, so we’re even.”
“He’s a creep.”
“I won’t argue with you there.” She watched his face, could almost see him debating whether there was, or ever had been, something between Paul and her. To his credit, he didn’t ask.
“Is he uptight about all your work, or only the big stuff?”
“He’s uptight, period. Never stands still. But he’s worse when I’m around. We get on each other’s nerves. Not that this case helps.” She grew thoughtful for a minute and whispered a laugh. “It makes the Cat seem like child’s play. I mean, Stavanovich is takingthings,not people. And no one is harmed. Aside from a few hefty insurance claims, life goes on.”
“Still, the law is being broken,” Jared maintained in an attempt to justify her investment in seeing the Cat caught.
“True. More, though, Matty Stavanovich is an embarrassment. Talk about political liabilities, he’s a prime one. Elected officials around here rely on a relatively small, but wealthy group of contributors. Those are precisely the people who wonder if they’re slated to be the Cat’s next target. The longer they wonder, the more nervous they get, and the more angry. And when they’re angry, they don’t open their wallets as freely.
“At least,” she qualified herself, “that’s Paul’s dilemma. Mine is a little more mundane. I just want Stavanovich caught. He’s become an obsession among law enforcement officials and a cult figure among their secretaries. The guy is brilliant. He hits where and when we least expect it. There are a number of us who would love to trip him up, if only to prove to ourselves that we’re smarter than he is.”
“He keeps you on your toes.”
“I’ll say. Not that I need it right now. I’ve got plenty else to keep me on my toes.”
Jared straightened. “That’s why I’m here. I want you to have dinner with me.”
Her heart beat faster. She wasn’t sure whether it was because he suddenly stood taller or because he had invited her to dinner. Either way she was impressed. And excited. And frightened.
“Uh…” She sent a glance toward the pink slips on her desk, then the papers beyond. “I don’t know, Jared. I didn’t get in until noon. I’ve got a bundle of work to do.”
“You have to eat sometime.”
“I was planning to grab something on the run later.”
“That’s not real healthy.”
She shrugged. “It’s better than nothing.”
“I’m offering you an alternative that’s better than both. One hour. A decent meal. A little relaxation.”
A little relaxation was precisely what he had already brought her. His presence in her office took the edge off her anxiety. The thought of having dinner with him was tempting.
But she had so much to do. “I have phone calls to answer.”
“Go ahead. I’ll be back whenever you say to pick you up.”
“I wanted to stop in and see how Megan’s doing.”
“I’ll take you to the hospital before or after.”
