Authors: Sandi Perry
"Maybe
Allison
shouldn't
go
into
the
office.
If
there
really
was
foul
play,
maybe
she's
in
danger,"
Alex
objected.
"I'm
sitting
right
here,
Alex.
It's
fine.
I'll
be
fine."
The
detective
nodded,
"Ms>
Ross
if
you
feel
uncomfortable
or
fearful
in
any
way,
please,
go
directly
home
and
call
for
help.
And
that
goes
for
you,
too,"
he
said
to
Alex.
"We
don't
need
any
heroes."
Allison
was
glued
to
her
seat.
She
didn't
realize
the
conversation
was
over
and
it
was
time
to
leave
until
Alex
tapped
her
arm.
"Ally,
let's
leave
and
allow
the
detectives
to
make
their
follow-up
calls."
Detective
Fitzsimmons
got
up
and
looked
at
Allison
kindly,
"We
have
some
solid
leads
now.
We
will
do
everything
to
bring
a
sound
resolution
to
your
father's...accident."
"Thank
you,"
Allison
smiled
wanly,
all
her
energy
seeming
to
evaporate
at
that
moment.
They
walked
toward
the
car
and
Alex
paused
mid-step,
"What's
our
next
move?
Do
you
want
to
stop
off
at
your
mom's
house?"
"No,
she's
in
L.A.
visiting
my
Aunt
Carol.
I'm
grateful
she
wasn't
home
to
get
this
disturbing
call."
"Will
you
tell
her?"
"Absolutely
not,"
she
said
forcefully,
feeling
color
returning
to
her
cheeks.
"So,
where
do
we
go
now?"
Alex
asked.
"If
it's
not
too
much
bother,
I
want
to
go
home.
To
the
city.
I
can
call
a
car
to
take
me."
"No,
I'll
take
you.
I'll
see
you
home
safely
and
then
drive
back
up
to
Turtle
Bay."
Alex
offered.
"It's
out
of
the
way,
but
thank
you,
I
really
appreciate
it,"
Allison
said
as
she
slid
into
the
seat.
She
missed
Alex's
grimace
as
she
put
her
head
back
and
closed
her
eyes.
It
was
a
quick,
quiet
ride
back
into
the
city.
****
"You
really
didn't
have
to
stay
and
babysit
me,"
Allison
said
as
she
slurped
up
some
sesame
noodles.
"You
can't
hang
around
all
the
time."
"Who
says?"
He
cracked
open
a
fortune
cookie.
"Want
to
hear
your
fortune?"
"Sure,
hit
me
with
it."
"It
says,
'A
tall,
handsome
stranger
will
come
into
your
life.
Heed
his
words—
for
he
is
very
wise'."
She
shook
her
head
as
she
reached
for
a
cookie,
"This
one
says,
'Beware
of
tall,
handsome
strangers
who
make
up
things
to
further
their
own
interests'."
"So,
you
think
I'm
handsome?"
he
smiled
cheekily.
They
heard
a
knock
on
the
door.
Allison
got
up
to
answer
it.
"What
are
you
doing?"
Alex
said,
"You
can't
just
open
the
door
if
you
don't
know
who
it
is."
"I'll
know
in
a
minute...oh,
it's
Kenyon,
not
some
crazed
murderer
who
knocks
on
the
door
before
attacking."
She
turned
to
look
at
Alex,
her
hand
on
her
hip.
"No
need
for
sarcasm,
I'm
spooked
after
today,
that's
all."
He
eyed
Kenyon
warily.
"What
did
the
police
say?"
Kenyon
walked
over
to
the
table
and
speared
a
dumpling
with
a
pair
of
chopsticks
as
he
sat
down.
Alex
looked
at
Kenyon,
"It's
fascinating
to
me
how
you're
always
just
popping
up."
"I
live
down
the
hall."
The
men
eyed
each
other
suspiciously.
Allison
rolled
her
eyes,
"Ken,
the
police
now
have
a
list
of
suspects
that
they
are
looking
into,
and
my
head
is
exploding
from
the
strain
of
the
day.
So,
I
would
appreciate
it
if
you
two
would
start
acting
your
age
and
not
like
you
were
in
some
contest
to
see
whose
is
bigger."
"Mine
is,"
they
said
in
unison.
"Oh
for
goodness
sakes!"
she
stalked
off
to
the
back
of
the
loft
and
threw
herself
onto
her
bed.
They
stood
silently
for
a
moment;
finally,
Alex
extended
his
hand.
"I'm
sorry
about
that."
"Yeah,
me
too."
She
lay
silently
on
her
bed
hoping
the
truce
between
the
two
men
in
her
life
would
hold.
Then
she
heard
Alex
speak,
"So,
I'm
not
clear
on
what
type
of
relationship
the
two
of
you
have,
I'm
not
threatened
or
anything,
but
you
seem
to
hang
around
her
a
lot."