Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum 8)

He slouched back in his seat. “Against my better judgment, I love you.”

I paused with the coffee cup midway to my mouth, and my heart did a flip-flop.

“Don't get all excited,” Morelli said. “That doesn't mean I want a relationship.”

“You could do worse,” I said.

“With who? Lizzy Borden?”

“You're not perfect, either!”

“I don't find dead guys sitting on my couch.”

“Well, I don't have a knife scar slicing through my eyebrow from a barroom brawl.”

“That happened years ago.”

“So? The dead guy was on my couch yesterday. It's been twenty-four hours since anything bad has happened.”

Morelli pushed back from the table. “I have to get back to work. Try to stay out of trouble.”

And he was gone, off to fight crime. I, on the other hand, had no crime to fight. Bender was my only open case, and I was willing to pretend he didn't exist. I was thinking about a second croissant when Les Sebring called on my cell phone.

“Could you stop by the office?” Sebring asked. “I'd like to talk to you.”

I cut across town and got another call just as I was cruising the street in front of Sebring's office, looking for parking.

“He's a nerd,” Valerie said. “You didn't tell me he was a nerd.”

“Who?”

“Albert Kloughn. And what's with the hovering? Sometimes I can actually feel him breathing down my neck.”

“He's insecure. Try thinking of him as a pet.”

“A golden retriever.”

“More like a giant hamster.”

“I was sort of hoping he'd marry me,” Valerie said. “I was hoping he'd be taller.”

“Valerie, this isn't a date. This is a job. Where is he now?”

“He went next door. There's something wrong with the vending machine that dispenses detergent.”

“He's a nice guy. A little annoying, maybe. But he won't fire you for spilling chicken soup. In fact, he'll buy you a replacement lunch. Think about it.”

“And I shouldn't have worn these shoes,” Valerie said. “I'm dressed all wrong.”

I disconnected and found a place to park on the street across from Sebring. I put a quarter in the meter and made sure it registered.. I didn't need another parking ticket. I still hadn't paid the last one.

Sebring's secretary walked me upstairs and led me into Sebring's private office. Sebring was waiting for me. And so was Jeanne Ellen Burrows.

I extended my hand to Sebring. “Nice to see you again,” I said. I nodded to Jeanne Ellen. She smiled in return.

“I guess you're out of a job,” I said to Jeanne Ellen.

“Yes. And I'll be flying to Puerto Rico later today to pick up an FTA for Les. I wanted to tell you about Soder before I left. For what it's worth, Soder claimed Annie was in danger. He never articulated that danger, but he felt Evelyn was incapable of protecting his daughter. I wasn't successful at locating Annie, but I realized Dotty was the conduit . . . the weak link. So I guarded Dotty.”