Double Vision (Unknown Identities #2) by Regan Black Read Free Book Online

thinking in the face of fear was growing on him.
    She gestured that her purse was gone and the doorman , Perry he remembered, patted her on the shoulder. They were buying her line about checking the mail and plants.
    "Who are you?" Perry demanded when Adam came too close. "Is this the guy who took your purse?" he asked Vaccaro.
    She shook her head. "I don't think so, but I can't be sure."
    The doorman shifted, putting himself between Adam and Vaccaro. "How'd you get in the building?"
    He looked down and shuffled his feet. "I was delivering pizzas to the party up in 4B," he said, thinking about all the thermal images in that apartment. "Went in the side entrance and up the service stairs."
    "But –" Vaccaro began.
    "It takes more than one job these days, y'know?" he added before she pointed out he wasn't wearing the tie she'd chosen for his party. Or that his day job was working a food cart for the past week on her block. He pulled out his wallet to offer his ID for their inspection. "Adam Maxwell, just in from Kansas City."
    Vaccaro and the doorman sent him matching skeptical frowns. The doorman turned to Vaccaro with a shrug. "I can verify that quick enough."
    Not more quickly than Adam could flee the scene. But he didn't want to leave Vaccaro here alone. No telling what Galloway might do next.
    Vaccaro shook her head, looking more than a little defeated. "Don't bother. He's not the guy who stole my purse." She'd given up the oxygen, but her voice trembled.
    "Thanks for vouching for me."
    "Yeah, well, don't read too much into it. You're in jeans. The other guy had something more like gym pants on. It's just common sense."
    "Got it." He smiled, careful not to go overboard, but enough to show the dimple in his left cheek. In his experience women found that small feature trustworthy if he didn't abuse it. "I didn't mean to scare you up there."
    She studied him for a long moment before her gaze dropped to the oxygen mask in her hands. "Sorry. I couldn't hear or see. I was overwhelmed."
    "Perfectly understandable," he said, taking a half s tep closer.
    "If you're all right here," the doorman shot Adam another frown, "I need to get back and give a statement."
    "I'll be fine, thanks," she said.
    "You're sure?"
    "I'll keep an eye on her," Adam offered.
    "Sure," Perry replied. "Let me know and I can get a cab to take you home," he said, giving Adam another assessing look before striding away.
    "He likes you a lot," Adam said.
    "He's a good guy with a big brother streak a mile wide." She stared up at the building, then took a long look at the people gathered around on the street.
    Adam realized she was trying to identify the man he considered Player Three. Too bad the man was long gone by now.
    "What an awful ni ght," she said, her gaze scanning the bystanders again.
    He cleared his throat. "Seems like things are settling down." The firefighters were packing away their gear. "Can I help you get someplace safe to stay tonight?"
    She stared at him blankly. He watched as it dawned on her why he was asking. The strangest sensation washed over him and he found himself wondering about the true color of her eyes. Her hair was blond based on the contrast with her black jacket. Her irises were pale, and if the blond hair was real, then he could safely deduce the eyes were probably a soft blue. But he wanted to know .
    "Oh. Don't worry about me. It's not a problem. I don't live in the building," she said, still a bit too loudly. "I was just checking on my friend's place."
    Her gaze drifted as she rambled on. Any halfway decent investigator – or spy – would recognize the signs of a lie delivered poorly.
    "Well , let me walk you home at least."
    "No, thanks. I'll just take a cab when the police have my statement."
    He really didn't want that to happen. For her sake, he assured himself.
    "You have cash?"
    Her eyes went wide as she patted her pockets. "Crap. The police will give me a ride home."
    He laughed, unable to stop himself.
    She planted