Why would he care if she moved? He wasn’t planning to arrest her or something—was he? It hadn’t been illegal, what she’d done. Criminally embarrassing, yes, but surely she and Walter were old enough to—to what? They hadn’t even got started. She crossed her arms over her chest as she shook her head. “I’d rathermove.”
“Look. If it’s about me seeing you naked, I barelypeeked.”
The hot sweat of embarrassment prickled her neck and underarms. “What exactly do youwant?”
“I dropped by to introduce myself properly. Just beingneighborly.”
“You’re new to the neighborhood.I’msupposed to call onyou.”
“I’ve been waiting for you to show up at my door with a Bundt cake. I was getting lonely.” He rubbed his stomach. “Andhungry.”
In spite of herself she had to smile. When he wasn’t scaring her, he had an odd sort of charm. “I’m all out of cake, but I do have some double-chocolate ice cream in thefreezer.”
“Sold.”
When she returned with two bowls of ice cream, she found him relaxed on the gold damask couch, staring down at a single Hummel figurine. The little girl feeding birds looked absurdly small and frail in his big hands. “What happened to all herbuddies?”
Cynthia pointed to the neatly labeledbox.
A glimmer of amusement threaded his voice. “How come she’s missing theparty?”
A shaft of guilt shot through her. “Mother bought that one when I was a child. She said the little statue reminded her of me. I didn’t have the heart to get rid ofher.”
He gazed at Cynthia consideringly. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as the sentimental type.” He placed the little figure back on the antique piecrust table beside the sofa and accepted the bowl of ice cream. “Please don’t leave theneighborhood.”
“Why would youcare?”
“You’re the only other person around here who’s both single and not collecting socialsecurity.”
Her heart rate increased. He’d mentioned they were both single and that he didn’t want her to move. Could a gorgeous guy like this be interested inher?She gazed at the stunning tough-guy. No. He must have an accountingproblem.
“It is mostly young families and older people,” she said. “Why did you move here? There are plenty of condos downtown. That’s where the single people live. That’s where I’m moving.” She stuck her chin out a little, just so he’d know she could fit in just fine in a swinging condoblock.
“I moved here because I hate living in a concrete cube. I like the character of these homes. I bought mine from my great-aunt when she moved into a nursinghome.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Mrs. Jorgensen is youraunt?”
Henodded.
“But she lived only two doors down. Beside Mrs.Lawrence.”
He nodded again, as if he were enjoying a privatejoke.
“You won’t tell her, will you? Please don’t tell either ofthem.”
“That I found you buck naked, chained to your own bed?” He chuckled, a richly evil sound. “I don’t want to send either of them to the ER, so don’tworry.”
Her hands trembled as she realized how truly ghastly that experience had been. Every time she saw Agent Wheeler she’d be reminded of how they’d met. “I’m definitelymoving.”
“You’d hate a condo after all this space.” He glanced around the living room. “You just need to redecorate. I’ll help. I could be your own personalpainter.”
“Just what I need. A nosy guy in overalls to come home to. Anyway, I thought you already had a job. Or was that FBI badgefake?”
“No. It wasn’t fake.” Suddenly his face grew serious, and she recognized the man who’d terrified her when he’d burst into her bedroom with a gun. He put down his ice cream and leaned forward, hands clasped loosely between his knees. “All right. I’m not just beingneighborly.”
For some reason, goose bumps danced up herspine.
“I need your help, Cynthia. The government needs yourhelp.”
