Free Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson Page A

last a couple of weeks. If we really get another foot of snow tonight, even my four-wheel drive isn’t likely to make it down the mountain anytime soon.”
    “Do what you can to stay close to her. I want nightly updates.”
    “Anything else you want me to work on while I’m up here? I have a feeling I’m going to have a lot of down time.”
    “I’ve already e-mailed you the case file from the bombing at Kendra’s concert,” Elias told him. “Also, Rick Michaels, in the LA office, was hoping for some more help with investigating the latest serial killing. Sometimes it helps to have a fresh set of eyes read over the case files.”
    “I doubt I can do much from up here, but I can at least take a look.”
    “Good,” Elias said. “And, Charlie?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Be careful.”
    “I will. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Charlie hung up the phone and walked to the window. Staring out at the snow, he considered what he had to do. His first priority was to keep Kendra safe, and he supposed that meant getting to know her. He didn’t really like the idea of misleading her about why he was here, but this certainly wouldn’t be the first time he’d had to stretch the truth. Over the past two years with the Bureau, he had learned how to skim over details, to twist the facts so he could lead people to think what he wanted them to.
    All he had to do was not volunteer too much information. He could play the role of the vacationing lawyer, the guy who needed to get away and hide from the world for a few days. And just maybe he would be lucky enough to gain Kendra’s trust and figure out why she was running from all the people who wanted to help her.

Chapter 10
    The streets were busy outside Kendra Blake’s condominium as the Phoenix rush hour peaked. He watched the constant flow of people into and out of Kendra’s complex and studied each vehicle that passed into the gated community. Of all of the places she could hide, he thought this would be her first choice. He didn’t know what to make of the fact that she hadn’t arrived yet.
    She had said once that she felt safe here. He couldn’t understand why, except that the general population didn’t know that she owned the upstairs unit. She also seemed to like being close to her grandparents’ place, the ancient little house located several miles away.
    He had considered that she might hide there, too, but he’d checked it out earlier in the day and hadn’t seen any sign of her. That had been after he’d broken into her condo to make sure it was really empty. Bypassing the front gate had been pathetically easy. There wasn’t a security guard, and the lock on Kendra’s front door had been easy enough to pick.
    Now all he could do was wait and stay out of sight. It was only a matter of time before he would find her. Finally, the day he’d been waiting for was nearly here.
    * * *
    Kendra took a deep breath and then raised a hand to knock on the door. There wasn’t any reason to be nervous, especially now that she understood why Charlie had invited her to dinner. The explanation was simple, really. She was the only person he could talk to within a ten-mile radius.
    She clasped her hands together and took a little step back when the door swung open. Her mouth instantly went dry. His long-sleeved T-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders, and his quick grin sent butterflies to battle in her stomach. He might have asked her over for a friendly dinner, but that didn’t negate the fact that Charlie Whitmore was one handsome man.
    “Hi, there.” Charlie stepped back, motioning inside. “Come on in.”
    “Thanks.” Kendra stepped over the threshold and took a look around as she waited for her stomach to settle.
    The cabin was just as she remembered it: a simple A-frame structure, the entire front wall made up of tall windows. Two sofas were angled in the open living area so that anyone sitting on them could enjoy both the view out the front windows and the warmth