She looked out the window at the passing landscape. “Nice work, if you can get it.”
“You might try your hand,” he commented after a minute.
“At merc work?” she laughed.
“You carry a piece.”
Her heart jumped. She’d forgotten that he knew that.
He noted her sudden start. “It’s in your purse, I assume.” His head turned, and his pale eyes glittered. “Make sure you put it out of JJ’s reach when we get to the house.”
“I have a gun case at home,” she said through her teeth. “I know not to be careless with it.”
“Wow. Common sense. I’d never have expected it.”
She turned her head. Her pale eyes glittered, too. “You are the rudest man I’ve ever known!”
“You don’t know me, lady,” he shot back. He smiled coldly. “And you never will.”
“Thank God for small blessings,” she said, and she smiled sweetly.
He turned his attention back to the road.
They were both silent as they went into the house. Heather Everett looked from one steely face to the other. She smiled.
“So,” she said, “did the two of you fight all the way here, or just part of it?”
It struck Josie’s funny bone and she started laughing. John glared at her.
“Welcome,” Heather said, and hugged her. “I’m so glad youcould come. I’m afraid it’s just us and Tanner and Stasia for Thanksgiving. Odalie’s having some... well, some difficulties, but she came home just for the day. She goes back tomorrow.”
“Garza’s giving her trouble,” John said under his breath.
Heather and Josie glared at him. “John!” they said in unison.
He managed to hide the grin as they went into the living room.
Stasia was very pregnant, and very pretty. Odalie was a knockout, and she and Stasia were so welcoming that it put Josie quickly at ease. To John’s surprise, their houseguest had excellent manners and knew how to behave at table.
“I told Josie that she looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her,” Heather laughed as they ate. “And she said maybe she had a doppelganger!”
Josie laughed, but it sounded hollow, even to herself. Worse, Tanner, who had a photographic memory, had suddenly placed her. She glanced at him and read that quickly concealed expression. She’d been briefly involved in a case that he was assigned to, a couple of years ago.
“I have that kind of face,” Josie said with a smile.
“We all have doubles,” Tanner said easily. He smiled at Josie and communicated that he wouldn’t unmask her.
“Yes, there was this girl at the gallery, Tony’s gallery, in New York, who was a dead ringer for a college friend of mine,” Stasia said. She smiled at John. “John dated her once.”
“A long time ago,” John said, and smiled at Stasia for just a few seconds too long. Josie saw that and understood it instantly. John glanced at her and his whole face went taut.
She averted her eyes. So much went on without words, she thought, as she dug into her perfectly cooked turkey and dressing. People all wore masks. Some were much more secure than others.
Odalie’s eyelids flickered when Tony’s name was mentioned. Her mother had asked about him, but Odalie had pretendedcomplete ignorance and gone back to talking clothes with Stasia and the other women.
JJ grinned at Josie across the table. “It’s so good to see you!” he said. “John was sure you wouldn’t come, but I knew you would!”
Josie smiled at him. “I wouldn’t miss a chance to see you, young man,” she said softly. “You look good.”
