Page 29 of Cold Threat

This wasn’t a conversation he looked forward to having.

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

Ireached under the table and touched my backpack. I’d checked and rechecked it before I left my apartment. I was ready. I turned my head to watch the snow falling past the window. It called to me, like an old friend, urging me to fulfill the thing I’d been called to do. The thing that had to be done. I put my hand in my pocket, and my fingers closed around the ornament.

“Relax. You’re prepared.”

I nodded at her. “I know. Sometimes I feel a little nervous, though. Everything’s got to go just right.”

“It will. It always has.”

“Except for the first time.”

“Let’s not talk about that,” she said, her voice barely audible above the Christmas music playing in the background.

“Can I get you anything else, sir?”

The waitress’s voice startled me. I glanced at the clock. There was still plenty of time.

“How about a piece of apple pie with some ice cream?” I asked.

“Absolutely. Let me get that plate out of your way. I’ll be right back.”

As she reached for my dish, I noticed her brightly painted fingers. Red. The color of sin. I almost grabbed the plate out of herhand, but I stopped myself. The waitress wasn’t my responsibility. If she needed judgment, it wouldn’t come from me.

I held my breath as she walked away. For the first time, I noticed her perfume. Cloying. Like rotting flowers. It made me want to gag. My father would have called her a name I don’t like. One he’d called my mother many times.

“How could you let her get near you?”

I shook my head. “Not our problem. I’ve got to concentrate on tonight. Please don’t say anything that might sidetrack me.”

“Don’t get testy,” she said. “You know what happens when you get angry. You make mistakes.”

“Then don’t make me angry.”

Her sudden silence made me feel guilty. She was my responsibility. I had to take care of her. The truth was, this was all for her.

“I’m sorry,” I said softly, looking around at the other people in the diner. I didn’t want to attract attention.

“It’s okay. Maybe I should leave.”

“Not yet. You inspire me. I don’t know if I could do this without you.”

She was quiet for a moment, but then she offered me a small smile. “All right. I’ll stay.”

I sipped my coffee and a few minutes later the waitress brought my pie. I ignored her gaudy, sinful hands and dove into my dessert with gusto. Tonight would bring judgment. And after this punishment, I would finally carry out my most important assignment. Two birds with one stone.

And it would be glorious.

RAY READTHE CARDhis son had given him and frowned. “You shouldn’t have handled this,” he said. “There might be fingerprints.”

“Sorry,” Tony said. “You’re right. I know better. I wasn’t thinking.”

Ray reached over and took a napkin from his desk. Then he used it to look over the card carefully. “I’ll get an evidence bag. Then we’ll have our evidence technician, Lyndon Perry, take a look at it.”

“You can do that,” River said, “but he won’t find anything. This guy would never slip up that way.”