Hidden Riches

raise kids, hold down a job and cook like that?”
    “I have an understanding boss.” Smiling, Lea poured Mary Pat a glass of wine. “She gave me the day off.”
    “Speaking of work, terrific news about Jed, isn’t it?”
    “What news?”
    “About him coming back on the job.” With her eyes closed, she circled her neck and missed Dora’s blank look. “Brent’s really flying. He detested Goldman, of course. Who didn’t? But it’s more than that. The department needs Jed and Jed needs the department. Now that he’s made the decision to come back, it’s pretty clear he’s got his head on straight again. I don’t think he’s going to wait until the first of the month to take command, either. Otherwise . . .” One look at Dora’s face made Mary Pat stumble to a halt. “Oh, damn. Did I jump the gun? When Brent told me it would be official on Monday, I just assumed you knew.”
    “No, Jed didn’t mention it.” She fought to work a smile onto her lips, but couldn’t make it reach her eyes. “It’s good news, though. No, great news. I’m sure it’s just what he needs. How long have you known?”
    “A couple of days.” Idiot, Mary Pat thought, but wasn’t sure if she was referring to herself or to Jed. “I’m sure he planned to tell you himself. Once he, ah . . .” But she couldn’t think of any handy excuses. “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be. I really am glad to hear it.” After sliding off the stool, Dora reached mechanically for her coat. “I’ve got to get going.”
    “Stay for dinner,” Lea said quickly. “There’s plenty.”
    “No, I have some things to do. Say hi to Brent,” she told Mary Pat.
    “Sure.” When the door closed, Mary Pat lowered her forehead onto her fisted hands. “I feel like I ran over a puppy. Why the hell didn’t he tell her?”
    “Because he’s a jerk.” Lea’s voice was low with fury. “All men are jerks.”
    “That’s a given,” Mary Pat agreed. “But this was major. And this was cold. Lea, I’ve known Jed a long time,and he’s not cold. Careful, but not cold.”
    “Maybe he forgot the difference.”
     
    Odd things happen to the mind at two o’clock in the morning. Particularly to a man who’s waiting for a woman. He begins to speculate, to project, to worry and to sweat. Jed paced his living room, strode through the door he’d propped open and paced the corridor.
    As he had numerous times over the last four hours, he strode to the back door and stared out at the gravel lot. His car was as alone out there as he was alone inside. There was no sign of Dora.
    Where the hell was she? He strode back to his apartment to look at the clock, to check its time with his watch. Two-oh-one. If she wasn’t home in ten minutes, he promised himself, he would call in all his markers and put out an APB.
    He stared at the phone. It wasn’t until he’d picked up the receiver that he realized his hand was sweating. Swearing, he slammed the phone back on the cradle. No, he wasn’t going to call the hospitals. He wasn’t even going to let himself think that way.
    But where the hell was she? What the hell could she have to do at two in the morning?
    He started to reach for the phone again and stopped as a fresh idea sharpened in his brain. Unless she was paying him back. It was a safe, even a comforting thought, so he played with it. Was this how she’d felt when he’d come in late without leaving any word? Was she doing this to show him how it was to agonize over silence when the person who mattered was out of reach?
    She wasn’t going to get away with it, he decided. She damn well was going to pay for it. But he was reaching for the phone again when he heard her key in the outside lock.
    He was out in the hall and at the door before she’d opened it.
    “Where the hell have you been?” The demand burst outof him, ripe with worried fury. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
    “Yes.” Very deliberately she closed the door and locked it. “Sorry. I didn’t realize I had a curfew.”
    She walked past him only because he was too stunned to stop her. But he recovered quickly. He caught up with her at the door of her apartment and spun her around.
    “Just a Goddamn minute, Conroy. We’ll forget the personal stuff for now. The fact is you’re a prime target, and it was incredibly irresponsible of you to be out of contact for half the night.”
    “I’m responsible to and for myself.” She jammed the key in the lock and shoved the