The Eyes Of Derek Archer

When she returned to the parking lot, Archer was waiting inside the car. He got out when he saw her coming.

“That didn’t take long,” he said. “Was the bank manager right about the forty-eight hours?” Opening the passenger door, he helped her inside.

“Yes. We’ll have the court order in the next couple of days. Now all I need is a few hours off from my new job.”

He started the engine. She didn’t miss the satisfied smile on his face.

“Before we do anything more, there’s something we need to get straightened out,” she said, keeping her voice deceptively calm. Might as well get this over with right now, she thought.

Switching the engine off, he turned toward her and leaned back against the door. “So let’s have it. What do we need to get straightened out?”

There was a wary watchfulness in his expression that made Susan wish she’d never brought this up. He focused his cold blue eyes on her, and she backed away from him on the car seat, even as she reminded herself she was the boss here, not him.

“Before we go any further with our investigation,” she said slowly, “I want to know the real reason you offered to help me.” Hardly breathing, she tried to detect any change in his expression that might clue her in as to his thoughts. But nothing changed. His brow remained furrowed, his mouth drawn down.

Then he drew in his breath and drawled an answer in his rich baritone voice. “So you spotted the lie I told you yesterday. For your information, I don’t give a tinker’s damn about what happens to you, lady.”

Too shocked to speak, Susan stared wordlessly at him.

“There’s only one reason I’d take on a two-bit job like this,” he continued abruptly. “For the money, of course. I expect to be paid for my services.”

He gazed at her with a bland half smile. “You look surprised. Why else would I offer to work for you?”

“Why I…I don’t know.” The words came out a broken whisper.

It was obvious to Archer that, finally, she believed him. What irony. She wouldn’t believe the noble half truth he’d told her yesterday: that he’d been shafted and didn’t want to see the same thing happen to her. But she was perfectly willing to accept a crass financial motive for his good deed.

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