Chapter Forty-two

Cynthia Hendricks's home

Baskin Ridge, Delaware

Saturday

She looked Rome up and down. "Of course, I'm Mrs. Hendricks. So you're Special Agent Roman Foxe, and I do indeed see you weren't even on the planet when those idiot agents gnawed at me like dogs with a bone back in '78. I'll never forget those snotty-nosed agents with their shiny black shoes, acting like I was guilty as sin when they had no proof of anything." She took a deep breath. Rome knew she'd been waiting to get that bile out of her system; he couldn't blame her.

"No, ma'am, I'm Palmer, his bodyguard. He's very important and the FBI doesn't want anything to happen to him."

"Yes, thank you, I know. Enough playing nice, Agent Foxe. And you, Palmer, who are you really, besides his bodyguard?"

"I am Palmer, first name Elizabeth. I'm not his girlfriend or with the FBI, but I'm involved in another case and he asked me to accompany him. My job is to make sure he's polite and thorough."

"You're English. A lovely accent, I've always thought. Do you know Colin Firth?"

"Sorry, no, ma'am. He's quite too important for the likes of me."

"Nasty, no rhyme or reason," Mrs. Hendricks said. "Jazz, not your brother."

Rome smiled. "The ring wasn't mentioned in the reports from 1978. I only wanted to be thorough." He nodded to Elizabeth.

Obviously, Mrs. Hendricks wanted to question him more, but Elizabeth was fast. She walked to Mrs. Hendricks and shook her hand. "Thank you for the coffee, ma'am. I enjoyed spending time with you. Your children and grandchildren are amazing. No wonder you're so proud. And yes, I'll bet your husband is right, she does look like you when you were her age."

"A piece of paper. Let's drive well out of sight of Mrs. Hendricks and we'll look together."

"Ease back, Palmer—a good bodyguard's name. You did good with Mrs. Hendricks."

"Thank you."

At that moment, Rome wasn't thinking about what they might find and what it could mean, he was aware only of Elizabeth, her warm breath on his cheek, pressed against him. She was laughing, happy, her blue eyes warm and excited.

She kissed him on the mouth.

"I—I can't do this, Elizabeth, it's against the rules."

"What rules?"

She gave him the lopsided grin he realized was unique to her and she kissed him again, sank into him.