Free Capitol Offense (Texas Heroines in Peril) by Cheryl Bolen

warn Lacy to prepare for disaster when Jim's at the helm."
She glanced at Jim. "I do hope your new boat came with operating
instructions."
    "Yes, Vivian." Jim was visibly annoyed.
    Vivian McNally's remarks had cast a cloud
over the excursion. McNally and Jim remained silent, Jim never
leaving the helm.
    Lacy bathed herself in speculations. Had Jim
tried to kill his wife? Lacy could not ignore the possibility.
Funny how she could be so detached now toward the man she had
worshipped only a week before.
    It was a shame Jim destroyed his wife's
things. Knowing Ruth Chambers' attraction to writing poetry, Lacy
knew she must have recorded her fears in verse. But no one would
ever know now.
    The Central Texas skies seemed to take their
cue from the gloomy foursome. Charcoal clouds blanketed the sky as
gusty winds slapped the now-choppy lake.
    "It's a good thing we're close to the dock.
If we were out in the middle now we'd be in a pretty dangerous
fix," Jim said. "I should be able to dock before rain falls."
    Lacy's eyelet cover-up offered no protection
against the chilly winds. She hugged herself to keep warm. Jim
glanced at her and started to shed his windbreaker. "Here, take
this before you freeze."
    "I most certainly will not. Then you'd
freeze." She paused. "Hey, why don't I get in there with you?"
    His eyes danced with delight.
    Lacy edged her back into his chest as he
pulled one side of the windbreaker around both of them. His right
arm encircled the top of her body.
    Lacy smiled as she looked up at him. "The
body heat really helps."
    In spite of the cumbersomeness of Lacy's
bulk wedged against him, Jim maneuvered the boat with the skill of
a superior boatman. Lacy knew last summer's boating incident was no
accident.
     

Chapter 10
     
    Monday proved to be the longest work day
Lacy could ever remember. She could not wait to tell Bryson the
skimpy details of the overheard conversation between Jim and
McNally. The agent might also be interested in last summer's
boating mishap.
    As she drove around the Capitol after work,
she noticed a blue car with two men in it behind her. The car still
followed a half mile later. Perhaps she was being overly cautious,
she told herself. But Bryson had cautioned her to be certain no one
followed before she called him.
    So, certain she would be.
    Since she was close to a small,
out-of the-way book shop she frequented, she decided to stop
there. Then she could determine if she were being followed. She
turned left. The blue car, which lagged three of four cars behind
her, slowly rounded the corner after her. Two blocks down, she
turned right. Driving very slowly, she kept checking the
rear view mirror. The blue car also turned right. She inched
her car up to a parallel parking spot in front of the book shop.
She was trembling now.
    As she turned off the engine, she searched
her mirror, trying to identify the men. The driver wore a white
shirt, dark suit and tie. His hair was grey. The other man would be
easy to spot again. He was redheaded, young and wore shirt sleeves
with no tie.
    As she entered the shop,
she saw the blue car drive by slowly. She felt as if she were in a
fishbowl. She was the only customer in the shop. She darted for the
bookcases which displayed works of English fiction when the poetry
section caught her eye. She stopped in front of it. Her eyes
quickly scanned the familiar titles, then stopped on one slim
volume. Its title was Tarnished. The poetess was Laura Windsong. Her heart
pounding with excitement, Lacy snatched it away. She looked at the
flyleaf, hoping to find an inscription. There was none.
    Her concentration on the book broke when the
door opened. She looked over the shelves. It was the redhead.
Fright rushed over her, leaving her quivering. She followed him
with her eyes without moving her head. He was careful not to look
her in the face. Going directly to the rear of the shop, he
selected a spot from which he could watch her every movement.
    She seized this