“Okay,” he said slowly. “So why didn’t you t
ry to call back? You just had to hit redial on my number.”
“I figured I’d let you work it out. How have you been?”
“Don’t you want to scream at me?”
“Why, would that be productive?”
That didn’t sound like the Katie James he knew. She was all emotion, wearing her heart on her sleeve and in her news stories. The lady was impulsive, something that Shaw both objected to and admired about her because it was so different from who he was. Or at least who he’d thought he was. As it turned out, around her he could be pretty spontaneous.
Shaw got up and walked over to the window overlooking the cobblestone courtyard of the hotel as night fell solidly over Paris. “I’m okay. How have you been?”
“Back doing freelance. I got some permanent job offers but none of them really interested me.”
“Bunch of rags?”
“New York Times. Der Spiegel in Germany, even Rolling Stone, real bottom dwellers.”
“I thought you wanted to get back in the game.”
“I guess I was wrong. How’s Frank?”
“The same.”
“So you’re back in your game, apparently.”
“I guess so,” he mumbled.
“Where are you?”
“Working.”
“I’m in San Fran for now. So when do you think you’ll get a break from work?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Not sure if you’ll survive the next job, or something else?”
He didn’t answer.
“Well, if you ever want to talk you have my number.”
“Katie?”
“Yes?” Shaw could hear her breaths coming a little more quickly.
“It was good to hear your voice.”
“Take care of yourself. And remember, you don’t have to do everything Frank tells you to.”
She clicked off and Shaw tossed the phone on the bed.
CHAPTER
9
DOMINIC LOWERED his glass of beer and tapped Reggie on the arm.