Chapter 11

"You look like shit." Evan Tyler said, holding Sarra's chair at his favorite lunch spot. It was a nice deli on 23rd st. complete with subs and soups.

"Thanks" she she looked. at  him. stuffing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Im a little under the weather, spent the weekend in bed."

She spent the weekend on the Internet and working through he list was more like it, but she couldn't tell Evan that. She still had completely wrapped her mind at what was happening. For most of the year Brandon James was out of prison, His was one of rash of overturned convictions that had the internal affairs department of the Seattle police department roughing out dirty cops in collision with a dirty DA.

"If you were sick," Evan said "Why didn't you bring Abby over so aunt Shirley could  watch her and you could get some rest?"

"I can take care of my own daughter, Evan I do it all -

"All the time. yeah yeah A regular wonder woman-"

Sarra heard no more Ten feet away Brian Fuller was being seated by a hostess. He stretched his long legs out under his table looked at Sarra and winked.

Her belly was in butterflies. Damn him what was he doing here?

"Sarra." Evan's voice "I asked you how is Abby's T-Ball going?

"Oh" she said twisting her napkin around. "Abby hates it."

"Then don't make her do it."

"is good for her, Sarra said. Evan concentrate on Evan Not Brian, "This is spring break week at school and I'm going to take her to spend a few days with Emily and Christian. I'm hoping Christian can coach her a little and get her excited about it,"

"Sure let your brother in law turn her into a boy for ya."

"I'm not trying to turn her into a boy I just want her exposed to things.___

"So take her to a game."

"I'm not into games, that's the problem.:

"Then let me take her to a ball game." he reached into his pocket and held up three tickets." orioles in three weeks .

Sarra went silent. "Evan no" she finally said "It might mislead Abby into thinking________

"That I am someone special?:"God forbid. He slid the tickets back into his pocket his expression changed from charm to anger. "Tell me something. Don't you get tired of going to ed alone? of not having anyone in your life who can name your favorite color or deepest fear?"

"You?" Sarra said.

He managed a smile "Your favorite color is purple, your deepest fear is loving again.

Wrong on both accounts Evan she thought. but wished to god he was right.

The phone in her purse rang,Sarra looked she missed a call from the same number earlier when she was dropping Abby off at t ball  but there wasn't any messages. she wasn't anxious to take calls from unknown numbers these days.

"So tell me about the water high boy " Evan was back to business."Is it any good?"

"The back is made up on both pieces,. Six or eight thousand dollars top."

"Shit"

"Kerry Fisk is a con artist. Ive been telling you that."

"Then its got to be the dolls, Sarra That widows dolls better be worth a fortune."

"They might be, Ive only seen one so far buts it legitimate Benoit. an early 1862." She let out a sparkle in her eyes. "It almost reminds me of the Larousse dolls."

"Larousse?" Evan leaned in He was no doll expert but he knew the Larousse collection. it had been held by a wealthy family for nearly a century.

"Don't get excited I checked The Larousse hasn't sold anything, that collection is still inactive. in Vancouver. But this one is still good."

"Is it in good condition?"

"The blinking mechanism in her eyelids doesn't work but otherwise she is nearly perfect, thirty or forty thousand dollars, I bet even without repairing her eyes."

"Cha ching." Evan said, smiling now."How many more are there?"

"i don't know the owner is a widow in Boise whose husband had them in the attic. I met her in Dallas show in September after Kerry tried to con her into buying a fake Benoit., It has taken me this long to convince her to sell she called this morning and said she sent me two more."

Brian's voice rumbled from across the  way. Sarra blinked. For one shining moment she had forgotten about him. Now he thanked a blushing waitress for a club sandwich and coleslaw, then picked up his glass of water and tipped it toward Sarra in a toast.

Her skin shrank two sizes She spent the rest of the meal torn between wanting to tell Brian to go to hell and wanting to plead with him to keep Brandon James away.But there was too much at stake for her the latter.

When Evan reached for the tab Sarra stopped him and picked it up."I'll get it. I'm going to stay a few more minutes and return some phone calls.have a cup of coffee."

Time to have it out with Brian fuller.

Evan kissed Sarra before leaving. Just on the cheek but what was Sarra doing--- that instinctively feminine maneuver of her chin in the last second. She'd talked about Abby and T ball and Antique dolls munched on salad and bread sticks, and tried not to get caught shooting nervous glances at Brian. She and Evan discussed nothing that could be constructed as remotely related to the murder or kidnapping.In fact Sarra Jane's made such a pretty picture of innocence he was wondering if his bull shit meter had gone on the blink.

Then his phone rang Rick."Sarra just got a phone call a little while ago on her cell phone."

"Yea I know Brian said. "I'm with her now."

"Your what?"

"Not with her, exactly but we are in the same place.She had lunch with Evan.

"Did she answer the phone about forty minutes ago??"

"No it rang and she checked the number then let it go. Why?"

"That call came from Omaha, Nebraska. It is the second call from that phone today. it lasted fifty seconds."

He didn't like the direction Phil was headed."Omaha?"

"The owner of the phone may have gone missing there this morning she hasn't been gone long enough to be official but the family is worried and reported it."

"No way man."

"I'm going to pull Mrs Jane in for questioning. just in case where are you?"

Brian told him his pulse picking up another one? he stared at Sarra.

"Don't do anything stupid Brian." Phil said." There is no crime in Omaha yet and we are just talking. Brian?"

"i heard you"

He disconnected just as Sarra gathered her purse and stood she headed past Brian slowing at his table to slide her tab under his.

Brian might have smiled if he wasn't so pissed. and confused. He gave her a minute just in in case she was using the restroom then left enough money for both checks and followed her to the back of the restaurant.he found her in the lobby. with her back to him. her cell phone pressed to her ear. checking the messages from Omaha.No doubt.

He stepped closer than stopped She wasn't listening to a message.

"So you got the jewels?: She asked in a hushed voice.Take them to the lock box I will call Vito and arrange the drop."Be careful. I think there on to us."

"Cute" Brian said

She turned around "Oh my" The fingers on one hand went over her breast bone"Mr Fuller i did not know you were here."

"I'm figuring the last name of Vito is Gambini.?"

"Wouldn't you like to know" she squared her shoulders the cell phone dead in one hand. "Your following me?:

"I stopped for lunch Don't you ever run into friends at lunch?"

"You arn't a friend you arn't a police officer either."

Brian was impressed "The lady does her homework."

"Stay away from me or I will file charges, harassment impersonating a cop."

"I didn't impersonate anyone.I used to be FBI Lieutenant Phil Dillon invited me along to talk you cause the man calling you may be the same man i hunted in a murder case several years ago."

She went suddenly pale" I told you I don't know him."

Brian stepped closer. "But you are lying."

She started to walk past him but Brian grabbed her elbow She exploded Air hissed between her teeth as her right elbow went for his throat and her knee jammed in wards. Brian twisted blocking the blows out of sheer instinct and no small degree of luck and in no time he threw her against the wall pinning her wrist over her head.

"Let me go." she said breathlessly

"What the hell was that? Brian's heart was pounding he couldn't believe she caught him off guard. More than that he can't believe she reacted so strongly to to the mere grasp of her arm."Bad idea" He warned."You may be some kind of black belt or whatever but I know every trick you do plus a dozen you never thought of."

She squirmed and he moved closer a man holding his lover murmuring sweet nothings against her ear in case anyone would see them. Except holding Sarra Jane was like handling fire."I want answers." He said.

"Let me go"

"Why did you try and kill me just then?. Christ that wasn't what he shouldn't of asked.He should of asked about the phone calls but his brain was going in sensory overload. The fragrance of her berry shampoo throb of her pulse in her wrist the brush of her breast against his rib cage."Answer me." He said. "Why did you go off like that?"

"You grabbed me." she snarled.

"I touched you there is a difference."

"You are still touching me. Let me go"

Brian held  her eyes than couldn't resist letting his gaze drop to her lips it was the tightness there that shook him free from the spell. Pinching back secrets.

He cursed and let go. but she came after him the instant she realized he'd wrenched her phone away."What do you want?"

"I wanna know what makes a woman lie to the police, than walk around ready to rip a mans throat out."He said "But I will settle for finding out who called you during lunch.

"What?"

"Your cell phone rang about forty Min's ago. Lieutenant Fuller thinks the call come from Omaha."

She blinked as if genuinely surprised and Brian looked down at her phone screen.

"You have no right to listen to my phone messages!! "I will sue the police department.

Her conviction was so righteous he almost chuckled."I'm not a member of the police department remember?"Of course you can make a report of assault or stealing your phone but it will be one of those he said she said situations. He cocked a dark brow at her "And I haven't already lied to the police already this week."

"Give me my phone."

He pushed her hands away and punched. okay. the screen came up with a number area code 402. well shit."You didn't answer the phone during lunch.he said "Yet this call was almost a minute ago.Guess that means there will be a message.huh?"

Sarra ground her heel  into the floor.Brian punched ok then put the phone to his ear. "Ah Beth where are you I need to talk to you doll."

His blood turned cold Not a woman Not the owner of this phone. was this the voice of Gloria Michaels Killer? he turned the phone off and looked at Sarra.One more chance."Who is this?"

"How should I know?"I haven't heard the message."

He pushed the appropriate button and put it to her ear.

"Mrs Jane he said. but she didn't seem to hear him hi touched her shoulder and she jumped. Brian frowned thirty seconds earlier she had been spitting nails and now she looked scared to death.But there wasn't time to think about that. A pair of uniforms came through the restaurant, and Brian slid the phone back into her purse.He dropped back as they walked into the lobby.

"Mrs Jane"? A balding officer said Lieutenant Fuller would like you to come with us to the station.:

"What she looked at Brian shock and anger swimming in her eyes then back to the officers."What the hell for?"

"Just questioning ma'am" said the other officer."Unless you want to do it the hard way?"

Sarra looked as if she had gone numb. but betrayal in her eyes she stared at Brian the cops walking her out the door, and a memory stabbed him in the chest "Dammit Lorra I can't help if your not gonna be straight with me....

He cursed.

Deja fucking vu.