Free US Marshall 01 - Cold Ridge by Carla Neggers

galleries." He started across Commonwealth, pausing halfway into the lane of oncoming traffic and shaking his head at her. "You might want to hold off on the dessert. You're looking a little green."
    She managed a smile. "It wouldn't be a good idea to get sick on Newbury Street, would it?"
    He chuckled. "You'd be banned for life."
     
    ***
     
    Sterling Rancourt stared into the library, its wood floor still marred by crime-scene chalk and dried blood. The police forensics team had done its work, and a cleaning crew that specialized in ridding all trace of this sort of mess was due in that afternoon. Gary Turner had arranged for it. He'd been incredibly helpful- steady, knowledgeable, even kind.
    Gary was in his office in the Rancourt building in Copley Square at the time of the shooting, while Sterling was enduring an interminable business lunch a few blocks over at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Afterward, he'd planned to meet his wife at a designer showroom on Newbury Street, so she could model an evening gown she wanted to wear to a charity ball over the holidays. She liked having his approval. Ten years ago, she'd bought a dress he didn't like, and he'd been stupid enough to say so-now she insisted on these modeling sessions for anything that cost more than a thousand dollars.
    But he'd received the news about Louis at lunch and excused himself, heading straight over to Commonwealth Avenue, calling first Jodie, who was on Newbury Street, then Turner. They all met at the house, where police and reporters were already swarming. Detectives quickly pulled aside Carine Winter, white-faced but functioning, and Manny Carrera, as stalwart as ever. Sterling was unable to speak to either of them alone.
    Jodie had remained at their South Shore home this morning. She said she didn't want to see or speak to anyone unless she had to-as far as she was concerned, if the police wanted to interview her again, they could drive down to Hingham and find her.
    She knew nothing, Sterling thought. None of them did. Louis Sanborn had been in their lives for two weeks. That was it.
    Manny Carrera couldn't have killed him. Manny saved lives. He only took a life when he came under enemy fire and had no other choice. Sterling had read up on PJs and their heroic work, although Manny and Tyler North would be the last to call what they did heroic. It wasn't false humility- Sterling would have recognized it if it were.
    He and Jodie owed Manny Carrera
their
lives. But if the police wanted to waste their time pursuing him, that was their choice. There was nothing Sterling or anyone else could do.
    "Mr. Rancourt?"
    Gary Turner walked down the hall, his nearly colorless eyes and extremely pale skin disconcerting, off-putting even before anyone had gotten to the point of noticing the missing fingers. But he was quiet and supremely competent, and Sterling knew better than to underestimate him because of his strange appearance. Jodie said she found him fascinating, even sexy in a weird way. He wasn't ex-military or ex-law enforcement- Sterling suspected he was ex-CIA. Whatever the case, his credentials in private and corporate security had checked out. He hadn't said a word when Sterling hired Manny Carrera as a consultant. Either he was too self-disciplined to criticize his employer's decision, or he approved. Sterling hadn't asked him his opinion.
    "Carine's on her way?"
    Turner nodded. "She doesn't know what to do with herself."
    "A shock reaction. She'll rally. It just might take a little more time than she wants it to. I've met her brother and sister-and her uncle-and they're all strong, resilient people."
    But he could tell concern over Carine Winter wasn't why Turner was here. The man shifted slightly, lowering his voice although there was no one within earshot. "There's been a new development. Tyler North is in town. I just saw his truck on Comm. Ave. "
    " Tyler? Interesting." Sterling didn't share Turner's sense of drama over this news. Of course Tyler would