Blue Smoke

is employed by the same brokerage house which took him to Wall Street. He was married in December of 2000 to a Janine Grady. No children. He was widowed when his wife was killed on nine-eleven. She worked on the sixty-fourth floor of Tower One.”
    “Tough break. Something like that can twist a man. Wouldn’t’ve happened to him if you’d gone along with his plan back in the day.”
    “Jesus, you’re like a dog with a bone. Fine. I’ll reach out to the local cops, ask them to verify he was in New York last night.”
    O’Donnell stepped to her desk, then put the can of Diet Pepsi he’dstuck in his pocket in front of her. “Situation was reversed, you’d push me to do the same. If I wouldn’t, you’d do it for me.”
    “I’m tired. I’m edgy. The fact that you’re right only makes me want to punch you.”
    With a satisfied smile, O’Donnell sat back at his desk.
    I t was a relief to finally get home—and all Reena wanted now was a major nap.
    She went inside, hung her purse over the newel post. Then, when her mother’s disapproving frown flashed into her mind, took it off and put it in the closet.
    “There, happy now?”
    She ignored the flash of the answering machine, went straight into the kitchen.
    She tossed her mail on the table, set the file copy she’d brought home beside it. Nap first, she told herself, but gave in and punched the message retrieval on her answering machine.
    As soon as the recording announced message one had been received at two-ten A . M ., her heart began to pound.
    “Did you like your surprise? I bet you did since you’re still out there. All that fire. Gold and red and hot blue. I bet it made you wet. Bet you wanted to climb inside and let the boy next door fuck you while it burned. I’ll do better than that. Just wait. Just wait.”
    Her breathing was too loud, and too fast. She paused the playback, closed her eyes until she could bring it under control.
    He had watched. He’d known Bo was with her. Known she’d gone to the window.
    He’d been close enough to watch her, but she’d missed him. Had he been one of the people coming out of neighboring buildings? One of the drivers of a passing car? One of the faces in the crowd?
    Watching her. Watching her watch the flames.
    She shuddered. He wanted to spook her, and she couldn’t stop that. But she could control what she did about it.

    She ran through the rest of the messages.
    The second came through at seven-thirty.
    “Still not home?” He laughed, a kind of indrawn breath. “Busy, busy, busy.”
    “Bold, aren’t you, you bastard,” she said aloud. “That’s always a mistake.”
    The third recorded at seven forty-five.
    “Reena.”
    She jolted, then blew out a breath at the sound of Bo’s voice. Yes, indeed, she admitted, she was thoroughly spooked.
    “Your car’s not back, so I guess you’re still working. I’ve got a bid to work up today, and a supply run. Sounds pretty tame after the adventures of last night. Anyway, if you’re home later, give me a call.”
    The next came in an hour later—Gina wanting to get together so she could get the full scoop on the new guy.
    “Pretty sure you’re too late on that.” Reena made a whooshing sound and snapped her fingers. “Here, then gone.”
    Then she frowned when her sister Bella’s tearful voice blasted through the machine. “Why aren’t you ever around when I need you?”
    As that was the sum and total of the message, Reena reached for the phone. Then stopped herself. Sometimes she had to think like a cop first, then like a sister.
    She deleted all the messages after the second call, took the tape out, sealed it in a bag before digging out a fresh tape.
    She called O’Donnell to bring him up to speed.
    “So he was there.”
    “Most likely. Or he was watching my house, saw me leave with Bo. He may have me staked out here, may have followed me over. I didn’t make a tail, and I’ve been looking for one.”
    “We’ll start another canvass in the morning,” he told her. “I’ll call in, have a car patrol your place tonight.”
    She started to object, caught herself. “Good idea. Somebody from the unit, okay? He spots a patrol car, it might push him back. Unmarked’s better.”
    “I’ll fix it. Get some rest.”

    She thought of the call from Bella. “Yeah.” And rubbed her tired eyes. “I’ll do that.”
    She looked at the phone. She had to call Bella back. Of course she did. The fact that the outburst could have been brought