Free The Taxman Killeth by Mary Ann Mitchell Page B

I can give you
a lift home.”
    “No, it’s all right. I’ve got a
cab picking me up in another half hour.”
    “Okay. By the way, I’m sorry I’ve
been so grumpy lately.”
    “It’s okay. You must be under a
lot of stress. I mean, I’ve heard about the pending promotion.”
    “Yeah, a lot of stress,” he
muttered. “Try not to let it get around about how late I’ve been staying. I’m
working on some personal business and would rather not have to go into
explanations with the partners.”
    “I understand.”
    “I hope so, because I like you.”
    After Stu was gone she tried to
guess at what he had meant. Was it a threat? What had he meant by his last
comment? Perhaps Stu’s office should be first on her investigative list.
However, when she tried the door it was locked. Unusual in the firm, since all
employees were encouraged to keep their work available in case someone else had
to cover for them.
    Todd would know how to pick the
lock without any problem. Amy went back to her office and phoned him.
    “How does one go about picking a
lock?”
    “Amy! Is that you? Where the
hell are you?”
    “At the office, but I’ve run
into a snag. See, my prime suspect...”
    “Amy, this isn’t a television
show or movie. Wait there and I’ll come and get you.”
    “You can’t do that. There’s a
guard downstairs in the lobby. Even if he didn’t recognize you, he still wouldn’t
let you in without ID. I’ve got a credit card and the lock is simple...”
    “Amy, it will take me a half
hour to get there. Be in front of the building.”
    He hung up.
    She rushed out to the reception
desk and rifled the drawers for visitor’s cards. Now what excuse would someone
have for showing up at two-thirty? Amy checked the time. Make that three in the
morning. One of the attorneys kept a Stetson hat sitting on top of his bookcase
attracting dust, but it probably would fit Todd, who could pull the brim down
over his face.
    Amy scratched her head. He would
have to be a relative come to pick her up. No client would show up at that
hour. And since she hadn’t completed her work, she was taking him upstairs to
wait.
    Amy scrawled a fictitious name
across the card. She went back to Stu’s door to try to pry the lock open with a
credit card, but she didn’t know how to do it. Todd would, she assured herself.
    At two-fifty five she took the
elevator down to the lobby. She didn’t know the guard, but showed her
identification and explained that her brother would be arriving soon, and would
he mind if her brother came upstairs to wait for her to finish her work?
    The guard nodded and returned to
his thick paperback.
    When she saw Todd, Amy rushed
out to meet him, topping his head with the Western hat.
    “Perfect fit,” she said,
lowering the brim over his forehead. She attempted to yank him into the
building, but Todd was immovable.
    “Come on. It’s getting late.”
    “It is late, Amy, and I told you
to come home if it was getting too late.”
    “You didn’t specify any time.”
    Todd arched a brow and pulled
her into his arms. The smell of his leather jacket mixed with Todd’s own scent
seduced Amy into relaxing into his embrace. Her senses were further heightened
by the feel of his chest beneath her palm. She looked up into his eyes and
found them burning their own heat down toward her face.
    “You’re a mighty handsome
cowboy.”
    They both leaned into a kiss.
Too soon for Amy they parted.
    “Let’s finish this at home,” he said,
his breathing thick with desire.
    Amy almost followed his lead
until she remembered the visitor’s card that she held between her fingers. She
tore off the backing and stuck the card on his jacket.
    “I think it might be Stu,” she
said, tracing the stubble along his jawline. God, he was looking more savagely
handsome every day, she thought, a chill speeding through her body.
    Todd hesitated. He hated
involving her, but if she was on to something he’d rather be with her than have
her