Free Always Look Twice by Geralyn Dawson Page A

situation here, so she simply said, ‘‘None of the others will be coming. I need to talk to all of you about that.’’
    ‘‘About what?’’
    ‘‘Not here.’’
    Mark shot her an inquisitive look, then said, ‘‘Tag suggested we get a drink at the bar around the corner when this is over.’’
    ‘‘Good.’’ She worked to keep her expression as blank as his. ‘‘Introduce me to Mrs. Russo.’’
    Annabelle spent the next half hour meeting Jeremy’s entire family. At some point, Noah and Tag joined her, and Mark slipped away. When Tag wanderedoff for a moment, Noah leaned toward her and asked, ‘‘What’s up, Anna-B? What’s bothering you?’’
    Noah always did have good instincts. She gave her head a little shake and said, ‘‘It’ll wait until later.’’
    Darkness had fallen by the time they exited the funeral home, but the surrounding area bustled with activity. When Tag suggested they walk to the bar, Annabelle didn’t protest. She honestly didn’t think anyone would be so bold as to gun them all down in the midst of so many potential witnesses. Nevertheless, she remained watchful during the brief walk and didn’t relax until they’d been seated at a quiet round table in the upstairs dining room.
    The air inside Murphy’s Pub was thick with the scent of fries and yeasty beer, but the place had the homey feel that made a neighborhood bar work. After draping her coat on a rack next to the window, she’d made certain to take a seat where she could keep an eye on both the staircase and the street below. It was well past the dinner hour, and at the only other occupied table upstairs, the couple had just received their check. Without consulting a menu, all three men ordered a hamburger. Annabelle would have choked on anything more substantial than the ale she requested.
    With her concentration focused on their situation and surroundings, she found herself caught off guard when Tag turned to her and asked, ‘‘So, Annabelle, what have you been up to since I last saw you? Do you have a husband and two-point-three kids?’’
    Viciously, she stifled the instinct to look at Mark and kept her gaze solidly on Tag as she replied, ‘‘I’m not married.’’
    ‘‘Dating anyone? You know, my brother still talks about you. You’ve been his fantasy woman ever since our paths crossed that time in DC. He’s single again. Maybe . . . ?’’
    ‘‘I don’t think so.’’ Then, because she was a woman who did have her pride, she smiled and added, ‘‘I’m seeing someone.’’
    It wasn’t exactly a lie. She recently had two dates with a friend of her brother’s, a lawyer who had come to the Islands on business. The fact that he had gone home to Kansas didn’t mean they would never have another date.
    She asked Tag about his love life, which led the conversation down a similar path with Noah. Through it all, Mark kept maddeningly silent. Had Annabelle been a weaker woman, she would have allowed the tension, stress, and sadness boiling inside her the outlet the emotions craved. However, she’d rather give up chocolate for the rest of her life than cry in front of Mark ‘‘Cold-Heart’’ Callahan.
    The next best thing to a good cry was a chat with her mother. She sipped her ale and wondered if it was too late to call home.
     
I’m seeing someone, Mark repeated in a silent sneer, his mind drifting away from the conversation taking place around him. Isn’t that special?
    He told himself to be glad that at least she didn’t bring the sonofabitch with her. This situation blew as it was. He sure as hell didn’t need to watch her cooing up to the man she’d replaced him with. He needed to keep his mind on the business at hand—discovering the truth about Jeremy Russo’s death.
    Kincannon and Harrington questioned the police findings, too. They’d each taken him aside during tonight’s viewing and expressed their disbelief at the idea that Russo had accidentally blown himself up.