Pulse Points

by Mary Lynn Baxter

  The remaining staff was made up of a writer, like herself, Dwight Cavanaugh, another artist, Angie Thigpen and the bookkeeper, Nelda Parrish.

  “What’s going on?” Red finally asked, his booming voice obliterating the silence.

  “Yeah, are we out on our ear?” Don chimed in.

  Veiled murmurs followed their outbursts.

  Feeling her confidence return, Kasey raised her hand. The room hushed. “No one is out of a job here unless they have a problem working with me.”

  Red spoke again. “How are you going to keep the agency afloat when Shirley couldn’t? We all know it’s in financial trouble.”

  His pointed questions were making her job much easier. “We have a new client.”

  For a moment, the group looked dumbfounded.

  “How can one client accomplish that?” Don asked, a suspicious note in his voice.

  “Must be one hellava client,” Dwight muttered.

  “It is,” Kasey said, her voice gaining added strength. “We’ve been hired by the developer and Texas senatorial candidate, Tanner Hart.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Lance said, speaking for the first time.

  “What he’s paying us, plus the other smaller jobs we still have, will enable the agency to keep the doors open until we can prove our worth again.”

  Angie raised her hand, then said, “That may be a while, what with all the unfavorable publicity.”

  “And there will be more to come,” Kasey said. “Detective Richard Gallain will be here any time to question all of us about Shirley. They are looking for anything that will help them find her killer. I know each of you will do your part to help in the investigation.”

  Her words met with another silence. Kasey broke it. “Meanwhile, I’ll be briefing you on Hart’s campaign and asking each of you for your input into the layout. Put your thinking caps on and don’t let me down.”

  On that note of encouragement, the meeting ended. She was on her way back to her office when Monica stopped her. “It’s for you.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “The phone.”

  She hadn’t even heard it ring. “Who is it?”

  “Tanner Hart.”

  She panicked. After that forbidden trip into the past, she didn’t want to talk to him or see him. “Tell him I’m busy, that I’ll get back to him soon.” She needed more time.

  Nine

  Kasey was both frustrated and excited. She had worked all day yesterday and most of this morning on Tanner’s campaign. While her head had been swarming with ideas based on his platform, nothing had gelled, no one theme that would make the man, Tanner Hart, stand out. With the help of the staff, she had come up with numerous sketches and slogans; they were strewn about the workroom on desks and tables. The place resembled a war zone.

  But again, nothing out of the ordinary had jumped out at her. At the moment, her frustration was winning over her excitement. Kasey rubbed her temples, trying to clear her dulled mind.

  “Want some more coffee?” Don Hornsby asked in a cheery tone, his smile targeting her.

  Kasey shook her head. “Absolutely not. But thanks. As it is, I’m already wired to the max.”

  “You’re not alone,” Don muttered, turning and pouring himself another big mug of coffee. “Still, I can’t stop hitting the high octane stuff. It’s keeping me going.”

  That was when Kasey noticed how tired he looked, how dark the circles were under his eyes. What was his problem? she wondered. The same as hers most likely—lack of sleep. She had been pushing hard since the staff meeting two days ago. They had worked long, intense hours, and the finish line was not yet in sight.

  And time was running out.

  “Maybe we should get Hart in here to give us his opinion,” Red said, shoving a hand through his thick red hair, causing it to stand on end.

  “Yeah, why not do that?” Lance chimed in. “I’m sure he could weed through some of this stuff which would give us a better perspective.”

  Kasey didn’t hesitate. “No. When he’s brought on-board, I want ideas in place that will wow him.”

  In fact, she hadn’t called Tanner back for fear he would want to know how things were progressing. More to the point, he’d probably want to have input. And while that was certainly his right, now was not the best time.

  “You’re pushing yourself too hard,” Dwight said in his mild-mannered voice.

  It was the first time he’d spoken in a while, which wasn’t out of the ordinary. He was a strange little man, considered a geek by the others, maybe because he had zero personality and kept to himself. That aside, Kasey had learned that he was talented and valued his ability as a writer. In fact, several of her favorite slogans had been his idea.

  “I have to, Dwight,” she responded, her eyes touching on each one. “We all do. Remember time is not a luxury we have.”

  “Hart must’ve known that when he hired you.”

  “That he did, Don,” Kasey said on a testy tone. “But since I told him our agency was up to the task, we have to deliver.”

  Don merely shrugged before picking up one of the sketches and perusing it. Though his expertise was sales and marketing, Don also had an eye for design. Shirley had told her that from the get-go, and she had found that to be true. Yet she didn’t plan on tying him up too long. He was needed more on the outside to drum up new business.

  “So let’s get our backsides in the saddle, then,” Red said in his loud voice. “The fat lady obviously hasn’t sung yet.”

  Kasey gave the art director a grateful nod, picked up her sketchbook and thumbed through the pages. Not bad, she mused. Some of these ideas were actually damn good, and Tanner would probably be pleased.

  She mulled over each, then sighed. Something vital was missing on the pages. Kasey’s eyes narrowed, furrowing her brow. Suddenly she knew what it was. Her own brand of creative energy failed to leap off the pages.

  Shirley would probably have disagreed, telling her she was too anal, too much a perfectionist, for her own good. Perhaps. But until she pleased herself, she wouldn’t please her client.

  Especially this particular client.

  “If Shirley was here—” Angie Thigpen began, her gaze on Kasey.

  Kasey looked up and smiled at her.

  Angie flushed. “I’m sorry, Kasey, I didn’t mean to imply—”

  “It’s okay, Angie. I wish Shirley was here, too. We all do. She was the best.”

  “She was good, all right,” Don added, fingering that mole on his lip. “But from what I’ve seen of your work, you’re no slouch.”

  Kasey flashed him as much of a genuine smile as she could muster. The spoken and unspoken thoughts of Shirley suddenly forced the tragedy back to the fore-front of her mind. As if the others had picked up on that, a sad silence ensued.

  Red was the first to break it. “Kasey, how’s the investigation coming?” His usual booming voice was now tempered. “Have you heard anything?”

  “Nothing. Any day now, I’ve been expecting Detective Gallain to make an appearance and question us.”

  “I still can’t believe she’s gone,” Dwight said, his lean features looking troubled.

  Red tapped his pencil against a fingernail. “She damned sure deserved better than she got. I’d like to get my hands on the son of a bitch who was responsible.”

  “You and me both,” Don responded, down in the mouth.

  “So how are you holding up, Kasey?” Angie asked in a tentative voice. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

  Kasey stifled a sigh. “I’m still awfully skittish, that’s for sure. And have the tendency to look over my shoulder at odd times. Otherwise—” Her voice faded into nothingness. What else was there to say? What would be the point in telling them she hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since the incident? Or how much she beat up on herself because of her inability to identify the killer.

  “As long as you’re under police protection, you should be all right,�
� Red said.

  “I have a feeling that service is about to come to an end,” Kasey admitted with a frown, “since I’m obviously no threat to the killer.” Just saying that word made her shiver.

  Another silence fell over the room.

  “Just how bad are things, Kasey?” Lance asked. “Financially, I mean?”

  That question dropped into the silence like a small bomb.

  Before Kasey could respond, however, he went on, “I know Hart’s given us a reprieve, but just how far can that go?”

  “Even though I was a partner, I’m pretty much in the dark as to why the agency’s floundering. However, I intend to find out.”

  Another uncomfortable silence descended over the room.

  Monica Lee broke it. She stood in the door and said in an uneasy voice, “Kasey, Detective Gallain’s here.”

  An hour later, Kasey faced the detective alone in her office, behind closed doors.

  “Did the staff cooperate?” Kasey asked when Gallain was seated in front of her desk.

  “Yes, but they didn’t know much.”

  Kasey made a face. “I find that odd. Most of them have been with Shirley from the beginning.”

  “Seems as if she kept her private life private.”

  “Surely they were able to tell you something that would help with the investigation,” Kasey said.

  “Either they’re reluctant to confide in me, or they truly don’t have a clue.”

  “Why would they hesitate to tell you what they know?”

  “The nature of the crime, Mrs. Ellis. Like you, they’re scared and don’t want to get involved.”

  “I may be frightened, Detective,” Kasey responded in a frigid voice, “but I do want to be involved, only I don’t have anything else to contribute.”

  Gallain rubbed his chin. “So you’ve said.” With those succinct words, he stood and opened the door to leave.

  Tanner stood on the other side.

  Kasey’s eyes widened as they met his for a millisecond. But it was enough to cause her heart to skip a beat or two, which added to her irritation.

  “Hart,” Detective Gallain said in a clipped tone, passing him by.

  Kasey watched as Tanner nodded, then responded, “Detective.”

  Neither said anything until Gallain had left. Then to cover her own nervousness at his unexpected appearance, Kasey asked, “Have you two met?”

  “That we have, and you can bet I won’t get his vote.”

  “If that little exchange is anything to judge by, I wouldn’t think so.”

  “Ah, he’s pissed because I went over his head concerning an incident with one of his friends. He over-stepped his bounds, and I reported him.”

  When he didn’t offer more, she didn’t ask, disconcerted that he had just showed up unannounced.

  “Why didn’t you return my call?” he asked in his low, rusty-sounding voice.

  She maintained as much composure as she could. “I haven’t had time. I’ve been busy.”

  “Is Gallain giving you a hard time?”

  “He still thinks I’m the key to solving Shirley’s murder, if that’s what you mean.”

  “Don’t let him get to you. He can be a royal pain in the ass.”

  “I can hold my own.”

  His eyes perused her, and he gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m sure you can.”

  She turned away, feeling her heart do funny things again.

  “Mind if I sit down?”

  “Huh, sorry, you’ll have to forgive my manners, or rather the lack of them.”

  He whipped around, his eyes dark and probing. “You’re doing it again.”

  “What?”

  “Treating me like a stranger with an ulterior motive in hiring you.”

  His arrogant assumption infuriated her. “I don’t think you want to go there, Tanner. I know I don’t.”

  His face lost its color under the lash of her tongue. “I thought we could be friends.”

  “Friends?” Her laughter bordered on hysteria. “I don’t think so.”

  “So, do you have anything to show me?”

  The sudden change of subject caught her off guard, slowing her response. “I’ve been working.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Actually, it’s a no.”

  He threw up his hands and smiled, but it disappeared just as quickly and his gaze smoldered into her.

  She tried to look away but she couldn’t.

  “Did I ever tell you I was sorry?” he asked in a husky voice.

  Ten

  Man, he was tired.

  He was coming off the road following two days of hard campaigning in rural areas. While invigorating and eye opening, the jaunt had been taxing. He seemed never to stop talking, smiling, or moving. Someone had been in his face at all times.

  Instead of heading home and immediately climbing in the shower, he decided to detour by the construction site. Paul assured him things were progressing as well as could be expected on a project of such magnitude, but Tanner wanted to see for himself. The fact that the job had fallen a bit behind schedule, which hadn’t gone unnoticed by the company who had leased the complex, bothered him.

  Ever though it was after eight o’clock, Paul was still there.

  Tanner made his way through the debris and approached him. “It’s beginning to look like a building.” He raised his eyes and took in the metal frame that seemed to reach to the sky. “You’re doing a great job.”

  “It’s your baby, Tanner. I’m just following the plans.”

  “The ability to carry out a plan is half the battle. Don’t sell yourself short.”

  “The material’s due to arrive tomorrow,” Paul said, removing his hard hat and mopping his brow with the back of his hand. “Damn, this weather’s a killer.”

  “Don’t I know it.” Tanner unbuttoned his shirt and loosened his tie. At least he’d had the good sense to leave his sports jacket in the car. “But I’ve been out in this mess for so long now, I wouldn’t know what it’s like not to be in a sauna.”

  “It’s tough on the men, that’s for sure,” Paul said. “But now that the material is on its way, maybe we can kick ass and make up for lost time.”

  “Ah, so you found another supplier?”

  Paul shrugged. “Only time will tell that. But I’m cautiously optimistic that we have.”

  “Keep me posted. If anything changes, you find me. Meanwhile, I’m going home to hit the sack.”

  Tanner reached for the cup of coffee on his desk. He’d gotten up early, gone for a run, showered, then made his way to campaign headquarters. But instead of working on an important speech he had on the near agenda, his thoughts were elsewhere. On Kasey. When had they not been on her? The second after he’d left the agency and hit the campaign trail, she had been with him in spirit.

  Okay, so he should’ve kept his mouth shut.

  But then that had never been one of his strong suits. He’d never been shy about speaking his mind. Maybe that was why Jack had him figured for a good politician. Tanner smirked as he got up and stretched his arms high above his head.

  He should never have referred to that night in any context. And definitely not with an apology. God, the word sorry didn’t even begin to cover that sin of the flesh.

  When he’d asked Kasey if he’d ever told her he was sorry, she’d been taken aback and furious by his question, and well she should have been. Those gorgeous blue eyes had sparked with anger.

  “The past is off-limits.” Her voice was brittle as glass.

  “I know, but—”

  Kasey moved away from him, but the smell of her cologne lingered. He took a deep breath, drawing it into his lungs. If only she weren’t such a lovely, mature widow who stirred unwanted longings in him, perhaps he wouldn’t be having such a difficult time keeping things on a professional level.

  So it was all about sex. Again.

  No, it wasn’t, he told himself adamantly. She touched him on another level, a deeper lev
el. She was the type of woman he’d always wanted but had never found. And she detested him.

  “Tanner, this isn’t going to work.”

  Her words jolted him into action. “Kasey, for God’s sake—”

  “I knew this was an insane idea,” she went on as though he hadn’t spoken. “I should’ve listened to my instincts and told you to take your business elsewhere.”

  Panic rose inside him but he quelled it. “If it makes you that uncomfortable, I won’t bring it up again.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I give you my word,” he stressed in a gruff voice.

  “If I didn’t need—”

  “The job,” he finished for her, “you’d dump my ass, regardless.”

  A fathom of a smile crossed her lips. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

  He grinned outright. “So just count me a blessing.”

  “Don’t push your luck.”

  He laughed outright, which defused the charged atmosphere. “So when can I see what you’ve done?”

  “I’ll let you know.” Her tone brooked no argument. “And don’t worry, I know I’m under a time crunch.”

  He had tried to trap her gaze but wasn’t successful. “I’m not worried. I know you’ll come through for me.”

  Now, two days later, he still hadn’t heard from her. He had reached for his cell to call several times, but hadn’t. When she was ready, she’d call him. However, his patience was wearing thin, especially when he wanted to see her again.

  Unfortunately the wanting had nothing to do with business.

  “Yo.”

  Tanner looked up and watched as Irene breezed through the door, a sack in hand. The smell of fast food instantly assaulted his senses and his stomach revolted.

  “I went by your place first,” she said without preamble, making her way to the coffee bar.

  Tanner’s eyes took in her perfectly done hair and makeup before moving to her designer pantsuit and strapped sandals. No doubt, she was the savvy, career woman on the rise. So opposite from Kasey, though she, too, valued her career.

  It was the difference between hard and soft. Irene had hard edges that taunted she wouldn’t hesitate to use her looks and brains to get what and where she wanted. Kasey’s edges, on the other hand, were soft and refined, embodying the epitome of the old-fashioned ideas that said you waited your turn.