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"I’m not sure I buy your analysis, Gran," Chloeat you in the photo It’s that Bogart and Bacall thing," Alexie declared
Much to Chloe’s relief, the conversation shifted to s, and away from her and Jake Morrissey The rest of their visit with Winifred passed with art and Bacall led the list of top-ten best couples ever
Alone in her bedrooe of her turned-down bed and picked up Richard’s photo froirls find a oodher froht be the one for our Chloe I think sheto admit"
She pressed a kiss to the photo and returned the silver fra the polished ht, Richard"
He parked in the shadow of a large elm, across the street and half a block away from Winifred Abbott’s stately Victorian home Chloe Abbott had been ridiculously easy to follow frorandmother’s She’d arrived alone, but while she was still unloading parcels from her car, another vehicle pulled in and parked behind her in the driveway A second wo before doors slahborhood subsided into relative quiet once more
He slumped in the driver’s seat and waited until he was sure Chloe was staying put Then he left, parking some distance away froorously supported Neighborhood Watch and they were also dog-lovers The last six weeks he’d spent following Morrissey had taught hirow suspicious if he was parked too long in one place
Around ten o’clock, the tomen drove away He followed Chloe’s Volvo back to Queen Anne and watched her enter the tidy Craftsalow
Satisfied, he drove home to neatly enter details of the day’s activities and observations in his log book Reading his afternoon notes, jotted while slumped in the last seat of the top tier in the far-left corner of the lecture hall, brought a resurgence of the outrage he’d felt as he listened to Chloe’s class voice their opinions What did any of these late-teens and early twenties students know about the tearing pain felt by the family after a soldier died in combat? He was convinced he was the only person in the lecture hall who’d actually experienced the loss of an American soldier and the devastation that accompanied it
Only he could write an essay that told the truth And he would, he decided
He printed a note in the e brief Deliver essay to Liberty Hall, Chloe Abbott’s office, one week fro his personal shorthand into sentences on the page
Chloe Abbott would et She seemed to lead an ordinary life, with set work hours and close family connections
A predictable schedule and rudimentary surveillance require lot surrounding the casino was e’s oith his entourage
Jake stepped away fro his head to speak into his earpiece
"You ready over there, Ed?"
"Good to go, Sarge Ready whenever you are"
Jake nodded, waved a hand at Ed, visible across the expanse of bare pavement, and turned back to the observers
"We’re ready, Kyle" He joined the crowd and lifted the protective plastic guard from the black box "It’s all yours"
Nore the ten-year-old child within an adult client and let hi But today, he had difficulty concealing his iht home to Seattle With luck, by nine-thirty or ten o’clock he’d be back in his apartment
Kyle set off the first round of explosives and the building’s upper stories i the subsequent explosions as each charge detonated in sequence, further weakening the structure and allowing it to fold in on itself, collapsing to the ground with slow grace Clouds of dust rose Hiding a grin, Jake watched the well-dressed crowd scatter like chickens in a downpour as the wall of dustlot toward them
He headed for his rented SUV All he had left to finish in Vegas was a celebration dinner and drinks with the client and he could go home to Seattle
The next day, Jake decided not to call Chloe after all Instead, he phoned the florist and arranged to have flowers delivered with a note asking her to lunch--today, tomorrohenever she was free He drove to the University of Washington just before noon and parked the Porsche, then he took a last look at the map he’d printed off the UW Web site and started across campus
Liberty Hall was easy to find Built in 1949 and dedicated to World War II veterans, the four-story brick building had majestic Norman arches and a bell tower It housed faculty offices for the English Department Jake paused at an information desk to inquire after Professor Abbott’s whereabouts Then he followed the secretary’s directions doide hallway
Halfway down the hall, a white na lossy dark ith a wide htly ajar He rapped lightly on the doorjamb
"Come in"
He pushed the door wide and stepped across the threshold The small office was neat and tidy, but croith a desk, tooden guest chairs, a bookcase and a corner coatrack Chloe stood next to the deepe bouquet
"You got my flowers"
"Yes, I did Thank you--they’re beautiful"
His mouth curved upward in response to the smile that warmed her face and lit her eyes He’d have to reht "Any chance you’re free for lunch? Today would be great, but I’ll come back tomorrow or the next day, if you’re busy"
"Actually, I was planning on eating yogurt and a banana at my desk while I corrected papers But the world’s best pizza is just across campus" She walked to the desk, opened a drawer and took out a straw purse, then looked up at him "Do you like pizza?"