Free Catch a Shadow by Patricia; Potter Page A

humorless. She didn’t like humorless men.
    Yet every time she looked at him, she felt the oddest connection. Her body warmed when she’d brushed by him. She wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t typically attractive. His features were too severe, his manner too brusque and emotionless.
    â€œA few,” she replied.
    His gaze bored into her again, and she felt as if her soul was being stripped bare.
    â€œWhat might be on the computer that would interest someone?” he suddenly asked, shattering that hold.
    She shook her head in puzzlement. “Nothing. E-mails to friends. A couple of blogs I like.” She decided not to mention that she had been trying to find a Mitch Edwards.
    She went over to the computer and checked recent searches. It was the same ones as she had made, but with a later date. An hour ago, in fact.
    What if she had walked into her own duplex before going to Sam’s?
    â€œCall the police,” David Cable said. “You should have this on record.”
    â€œWhat should I say? Someone looked at my computer? Nothing is missing.”
    â€œIsn’t it?” he asked. “Have you really looked that well?”
    There was something in his voice that ignited those alarm bells again. It brought back her other doubts.
    â€œI’ll do that,” she said.
    â€œDo you want me to stay?”
    â€œYou said you had a plane to catch, and I have the parrot alarm.”
    â€œYou need more than that,” he said. “I noticed you have an alarm system. Turn it on.”
    He’d noticed the alarm system. Just, she thought, as he’d noticed everything else in the apartment. His gaze never stopped moving. It had taken in the volumes on her bookshelves and the CDs piled up next to her player. And the pile of clothes on the floor from last night.
    â€œYes sir,” she said with a jauntiness that was all bravado.
    He stared at her with those dark eyes. She felt properly chastised.
    â€œAnd nail down that window,” he added.
    She noticed he didn’t offer to do that for her.
    She liked that.
    She worked hard to be independent. She never asked Sam to help her put together all those things that came with some assembly required, and she knew how to change a tire, refill oil in her car, and hit the hell out of someone who tried to abuse her.
    He headed through the door to the screen porch, then turned. Their eyes met, and something flashed between them. Testosterone and pheromones meeting and finding something they liked. There wasn’t a darn thing she could do about it.
    And then he was gone, and the home she’d always loved felt empty. And lonely.

CHAPTER 7
    Halfway out of the city, Jake slammed his fist against the steering wheel, then took the next exit off the expressway and headed back.
    Dammit, but the woman is in over her head .
    Adams undoubtedly had seen Del Cox hand an envelope to her. Jake had little doubt that her intruder had been Gene Adams or someone working for him. Either way, she was in one hell of a lot of trouble.
    She hadn’t seemed to miss anything, so she must still have the letter. Was it on her? Or in the apartment of her friend?
    If he didn’t return to Chicago now, he would be on the run. He would be violating the terms of his release. Hell, he’d already violated them, but he certainly was worsening the situation. It was the devil’s own choice, but his life wasn’t worth a shit if he didn’t learn the truth.
    He wanted that letter. And he wanted to protect that damned woman. Correction. He didn’t want to protect her. He had to protect her. He needed her.
    He wondered whether she’d called the police about the break-in. Probably not. She had the attitude of a woman who thought she could take care of herself.
    Even if she called the police, no department had the manpower to protect the victim of a burglary, especially one when nothing was missing. Neither they nor she could possibly comprehend the