"Did someone hurt you?"

"Yes. And for too long I did what you're doing. I just accepted it. Fight back, Eli." She laid her hands on his shoulders. "Whether or not they ever believe you're innocent, they'll know you're not their whipping boy. And you'll know it, too."

On impulse she rose to her toes, brushed her lips lightly over his. "Go call your lawyer," she ordered, then walked away toward the beach steps.

From above, on the long headland, Kirby Duncan snapped photos through his long lens.

He'd figured something was going on between Landon and the long-stemmed brunette. Didn't mean squat, of course, but his job was to doc.u.ment, to ask questions, to keep Landon off balance.

People made more mistakes when they were off balance.

CHAPTER Six

WHEN ABRA CAME INTO BLUFF HOUSE TO CLEAN, THE scent of coffee greeted her. She scanned the kitchen-he kept it clean and tidy-then, since he hadn't done so, began to make a shopping list.

When he came in, she stood on a step stool polishing the kitchen cabinets.

"Morning." She sent him a casual smile over her shoulder. "Been up awhile?"

"Yeah. I wanted to get some work in." Particularly since the d.a.m.n dream had wakened him just before dawn. "I need to go into Boston today."

"Oh?"

"I'm meeting with my lawyer."

"Good. Have you eaten?"

"Yes, Mom."

Unoffended, she kept polishing. "Will you have time to see your family?"

"That's the plan. Look, I don't know when I'll be back. I may end up staying overnight. I'll probably stay over."

"No problem here. We can reschedule your ma.s.sage."

"I'll leave your money. The same as the last time?"

"Yes. If there's a difference either way, we'll adjust it next week. Since you won't be working, I'll give your office a quick pa.s.s, and I promise not to touch anything on your desk."

"Okay." He stood where he was, watching her. She wore a plain black T-shirt today-conservative for her-with snug black pants and red high-top Chucks.

Chains of little red b.a.l.l.s swung at her ears, and he noted a little bowl with several silver rings on the kitchen island. He supposed she'd taken them off to avoid getting polish on them.

"You were right the other day," he said at length.

"I love when that happens." She stepped down from the stool, turned. "What was I right about this time?"

"About fighting back. I let that slide. I had reasons, but they're not working. At least I need to be armed, so to speak."

"That's good. No one should have to tolerate being hara.s.sed and hounded, and that's what Lindsay's family is doing. They're not going to go through with this suit."

"They're not?"

"There's nothing there, legally, for them to go through with. Not that I can see, and I've watched a lot of lawyer shows."

He let out a half laugh. "That would qualify you."

Pleased with his reaction, she nodded. "I could make a living. They're just habeasing their corpus and whereforing the heretofore to screw with you."

"That's ... a unique argument."

"And rational. They probably think if they can string this out, keep chipping away at you, maybe they'll uncover new evidence against you. Or at the very least, they'll beat you up, bury you in doc.u.ments and writs and whatever so you'll offer a financial settlement. Which would prove, to their mind, your guilt. They're grieving, so they lash out."

"Maybe you could make a living."

"I like The Good Wife."

"Who?"

"It's a lawyer show. Well, it's really a character study, and s.e.xy. Anyway, what I'm saying is, it's good you're going to meet with your lawyer, that you're taking steps. You look better today."

"Than what?"

"Than you did." Resting her polishing hand on her hip, she angled her head. "You should wear a tie."

"A tie?"

"Normally I don't see the point in a man putting a noose around his neck, which ties are, essentially. But you should wear a tie. It'll make you feel stronger, more in control. More yourself. Plus you have a whole collection upstairs."

"Anything else?"

"Don't get a haircut."

Once more, she simply baffled him. "No haircut because?"

"I like your hair. It's not lawyerly, but it's writerly. A little shaping if you absolutely feel it's necessary, and which I could actually do for you myself but-"

"No, you absolutely couldn't."

"I could on the element of skill. Just don't whack it into the suit-and-tie lawyer look."

"Wear a tie, but keep the hair."