Twisted by Jay Bonansinga Read Free Book Online Page B

at her then. He was close enough to smell her hair, which was still damp from the rain. “If you don’t mind my asking ... why? Why did you come here in the first place?”
    â€œTo say good-bye to Moses, whattya think?”
    â€œNo, I mean now. Back here. Why did you come back here with me?”
    She looked away, her voice softening. “I don’t know ... maybe because I miss you .”
    Grove was speechless. A long pause, as she looked at him, and they studied each other.
    Maura was still shivering. “Okay, I confess I came here because I miss you. Because I’m apathetic, lonely workaholic with no life. Because I’m a hopeless piece of—”
    â€œOkay, stop.”
    He reached over and took her cigarette out of her hand, then snuffed it out in a nearby ashtray. Then he took her by the arms and looked squarely into her eyes, and he spoke in a low, hushed tone: “I give you my word, my solemn word, as an agent of the federal government and a former Boy Scout ... I will never let what happened on Sun City happen to you again.” He suddenly burned with the urge to kiss her, and the timing felt right. He leaned down slowly, tenderly reaching up to her face, but before he had a chance to lock lips with her she pulled back suddenly.
    â€œNo.” She looked faint, the blood draining. “No, this is not right.”
    â€œMaura, I didn’t mean to—”
    â€œNo, I’m sorry.” She was shaking her head now. “We just can’t pick it up right where we left off.”
    He felt as though he’d been punched in the solar plexus. “But why not?”
    â€œBecause too much has happened ... because this is just ... this is not going to work.”
    â€œI swear to you, Maura, you will never, ever be in the line of fire again.”
    â€œI’m sorry. Ulysses ... I’m sorry.” She was looking around the room, looking for something. “I should probably go.”
    â€œNo way.”
    â€œI should get back.”
    â€œWait a minute, just wait. The old man would’ve whupped your ass. Leave here on a night like this? I can sleep on the couch, you can take the bed.”
    She chewed on a fingernail while she thought it over.
    Grove gave her a sad smile. “You can trust me, kiddo, I work for the government.”
    Maura grinned. “Oh, that’s a relief.”
    â€œPlease,” Grove said. “Please stay the night, I’ll take you to the airport in the morning.”
    Another long pause, and then she said, “Okay, but I get the couch.”
    His grin warmed.
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    Maura heard the sound first. Alone in the living room, curled up on the sofa, wrapped in an old afghan, she stirred now, trembling from the chill of cooled sweat. She sat up and looked around the dark room, trying to get her bearings. Through the teak blinds a pale membrane of light shone down on the rug.
    The sound of bare feet padding across hardwood behind her made her jerk with a start. She twisted around and saw Grove coming out of the bedroom, pulling on a pair of sweatpants. “You okay?” he asked. “I heard a noise.”
    Maura spoke softly, hoarsely, under her breath. “It wasn’t me, I heard it too.”
    â€œWhat was it?”
    She pointed at the door across the room. “Out in the hall. Might have been the wind or it might have been—”
    â€œSsshh.”
    Ulysses put a fingertip to his lips, cocked his head, and listened closely.
    Just beneath the noise of the rain came another creak. And not merely a creak from a gust of wind, which sounded more like the yawing bulwark of an old ship. This was a shorter, more furtive creak. The creak of a footstep crossing the landing at the top of the stairs.
    â€œThe door to the sheet music place—did you notice which side of the building it’s on? It’s on Dumaine, right?” Grove was frantically tying the waist string of his sweatpants. He