Riptide

him?"
    "Yeah. Hatch found out that McCallum's mother had an extra
    fifty thousand bucks in a checking account."
    "That doesn't seem like so much money if you have to die to get
    it. Did she tell the police or Hatch if Dick told her anything?"
    Adam shook his head, lifted his gun, looked at a face that needed
    a shave in the reflection of the barrel. "Nope. She was upset about
    it, but he wouldn't tell her anything, except to keep the money

quiet, which she did until Hatch tracked her down and got her to
    talk."
    "The FBI are coming soon."
    "Yeah. Don't worry, both Thomas and I will be there."
    She smiled at him. "That's nice, Adam, but unnecessary. I'm not
    a child or helpless, you know. And I do know Mr. Cobb, and poor
    Mr. Hawley, who's got hemorrhoids."
    He grinned up at her. "Nope, it's Cobb with the hemorrhoids.
    Now, you were helpless, don't try to rewrite the past, and I don't
    care what you say, I'll be there."
    "I should probably go dig out my Coonan and buff it."
    "I'd just as soon never see that pistol anywhere near you again."
    "Scared you but good, didn't I?"
    Thomas appeared in the kitchen doorway, frowning. "This is
    odd, but a man named Tyler McBride called Gaylan Woodhouse's
    office with the message that you, Becca, were to call him immediately.
    Nothing more, just that instruction."
    "I don't understand," Becca said, "but of course I'll call him.
    What's going on?"
    Adam was on his feet in an instant. "I don't like this. Why the
    hell would McBride call the director of the CIA?"
    "I'll find out, Adam. He's probably really worried and wants to
    make sure I'm okay."
    Adam said, "I don't want you to call Tyler McBride. I don't want
    him anywhere near you. I'll call him, find out what the hell he
    wants. If he wants reassurance, I'll give it to him."
    "Look, Adam, you told me he was really scared for me. He just
    wants to hear my voice. I'm not going to tell him where I am.
    Now, I'm calling him. Let it go."
    "Why don't you two stop bickering?" Thomas said. "Call the
    man, Becca. If something's wrong, Adam, she'll tell us."

"I still don't like it. Another thing: I've been thinking that maybe
    you would be safer at my house. At least you could stay there some
    of the time."
    Her left eyebrow went up. "Where do you live, Mr. Carruthers?"
    "About three miles down the road."
    She stared at him. "Then why are you staying here? Why aren't
    you going home at all?"
    "I'm needed here," he said, studiously rubbing the barrel of his
    Delta Elite to an even higher shine. "Besides, I do go home. Where
    do you think I get clean clothes?"
    "Get over it, Adam," she said, and went to get her small address
    book.
    "Use my private line," Thomas said. "It's untraceable. Adam,
    your gun looks good."
    "You'll like my house," Adam called after her. "It's a showcase,
    it's the prettiest place you've ever seen. Plants don't like me, but
    everything else does. I have a housekeeper come in twice a week
    and she even makes me casseroles."
    Becca turned to face him. "What kind?"
    "Tuna, ham and sweet potato, whatever. Do you like casseroles?"
    "You bet," she said.
    He heard her laugh as she walked away.
    He wanted to hear what she said to Tyler McBride, he really did,
    but he didn't move. Neither did Thomas, who stood there leaning
    against the refrigerator, his arms crossed over his chest.
    "I'm giving her privacy," Adam said. "It's tough."
    "Yeah, and you want her to think about your house, don't you?"
    "It's a very nice house--an old Georgian brick two-story, lovely
    yard that I pay a big chunk to keep looking good. Remember I
    told you how my mom talked me into buying the property some
    four years before, told me it was a good investment. She was right."

Thomas said, "Parents usually are."
    Adam grunted and looked at his reflection in the gun barrel.
    "McBride wants her, that's why he's called. He wants her to know
    that he's still laying claim. Damn, I don't trust him, Thomas. He'll
    use Sam if he has to. He can't have her."
    Thomas said, grinning now, "I can see your scowl on your face
    in the barrel of the gun. No, more than a scowl."
    Adam grunted. "How about seriously pissed off?"
    What the hell was she saying to Tyler McBride? Worse, what was
    he saying to her?

Chapter 24

    In her father's study, the door closed, Becca was leaning on the big
    mahogany desk, so pale, so off balance that she felt transparent. She
    knew that if she looked in a mirror, she wouldn't see anything at
    all. "No, Tyler," she said again. "I