Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28

R ose on the lam. It made sense as far as the situation, not considering the woman. But nobody goes on the run from a pickpocketing charge. What kind of law could Rose have broken that would make her run? Poisoning an ex with lasagna? It wouldn't be a bad way to go. "What law did you break?"

She frowned at me. "I didn't do it; it was a bum rap. Why did somebody send you here to pick up your boots? It was out of your way."

I wasn't ready to give that up. "My ex-boss has a twisted sense of humor. You said you were on the run."

"Yes, but I didn't say I was guilty. You have your boots. Why did you come back?"

That was a surprisingly tough question. "Maggs was hurt." As she got ready to object, I continued, "Plus, bad things are happening. Junior. Norman. There may be more. I couldn't leave you to deal with that."

"You left this morning." She sounded a little upset about that. Maybe she'd wanted me to stay? She hadn't asked me to spend the night again, so? —

She stood up. "You did not come here to get boots. That is just too far outside the realm of coincidence."

"Oh, relax," I said, which was clearly the wrong thing to say because she blazed at me.

" Do not tell me to relax . You're?—"

"I came here because my old boss sent me to pick up boots here. His choice. That's the truth. But not the complete story." I added "Do not tell an angry woman to relax" to my list of things to remember, right up there with "Never look into the barrel of a loaded gun."

She stood there, still suspicious but not yelling at me anymore.

"What does the law think you did?"

She stiffened. "Fraud. Fugitive from justice, which has no statute of limitations. Enough about me. What did he send you here to do?"

I shook my head. "I need to know how much trouble you're in besides the mess with Junior and Norman. So here's the deal: We tell each other everything, and then tomorrow, we deal with it all. Okay?"

She blinked at me, and then she nodded. "Are you staying the night?"

"Yes," I said.