Read Reilly 02 - Invasion of Privacy for Free Online Page A

more exposure that way," Andrea said. "She’s just sensationalizing it so she can cash in."
    Nina said, "I’m afraid you’re right."
    Matt had been tossing wood on the fire, listening. He turned and said, "Paul, can’t you talk some sense into my sister? She’s just out of the hospital, and she’s getting mixed up in a bunch of unsolved killings—"
    "I am not, Matt! It’s just a civil case."
    "Here we go again," Matt said.
    "Matt, I’ve already decided I’m getting out of the case," said Nina.
    "We ought to be getting back," Andrea said.
    But Matt wasn’t ready to leave. "Nina, I moved up here to be left alone to raise my family," he went on. "That’s all I want out of life. Peace for my family. You and Andrea both have jobs that invite all the weirdos of the world to your doorsteps. Fine. Maybe you can’t avoid what’s out there, and maybe you shouldn’t," he said, "even if it’s a choice that makes me very uncomfortable. But I can live with it if I know that, having decided on a risky business, you use common sense. If you see trouble coming, you run."
    "I do what I can to stay safe, Matt, short of stopping the world," said Nina.
    "If that woman looks like she hates you, she probably does," Matt said.
    "I’ll be careful," Nina said.
    "When are you going to get rid of her?"
    "As soon as I can," said Nina. "I promise."
    Matt flipped the blackened logs with tongs, setting loose searing heat and loud crackles as the wood split into pieces.
    "I guess none of us are really over the shooting, Nina," Andrea said a little apologetically, to fill the conversational void that followed Matt’s speech. She held out a stick. "So, Paul, you want the last marshmallow?"
    Back at the house, the kids were tossed into hot baths, and came out flushed pink and bundled in pajamas. In the living room, by a cozy fire, Nina opened up her present from Paul, a stuffed bear with brown glassy eyes and a soft round head, a black nose and a tiny sewn-on mouth. She held it up, and Brianna made a rush for it, but Paul said, "Press on his chest."
    Oh, no. A talking bear. She pressed her thumbs into the bear’s chest. In a slow, plaintive, strangely familiar-sounding voice, it said, "Waiting ... waiting ... I’m just sitting over here in the corner waiting for you...."
    They all burst into laughter. The bear’s expression was so lonely yet expectant, and its tone was so lugubrious. Nina let Brianna press it a few more times, then she sat down on the couch with it.
    "Do you like it?" Paul said. He was standing, looking down at her. She nodded.
    "The voice is so ... unusual. They did a great job."
    "It’s a recording bear," Paul said. "You get to put your own voice on it."
    "You mean it’s you?" Andrea said. She headed for the kitchen, holding her hand over her mouth, her shoulders shaking with laughter.
    "I’m just trying to open up a dialogue," Paul said. "Press the bear whenever you want to know what’s on my mind."
    "Well. Thanks, Paul," Nina said. She walked him out to the porch.
    "Let’s go skiing tomorrow," he said. "I’m staying at Caesars until tomorrow night."
    "Skiing?"
    "You have a clean bill of health. I’ll make sure you don’t go off any cliffs."
    "Sometime soon. I have too much to do this weekend."
    "And tonight?"
    "I’m sorry," she said. "I can’t come tonight."
    He leaned in for a long kiss, closing his eyes and holding her close. "Call me," he said.
    "I will."

3
    UNWRITTEN RULES OF LEGAL PRACTICE:
    Rule 1: It’s always worse than you ever dreamed possible.
    Rule 2: The other guy lies and takes advantage.
    Rule 3: You never get a break.
    Taylor Nordholm’s mother, on the other end of the phone early Monday morning, was a reminder that there is another world outside law.
    "No concussion, not even a headache. We made him stay in bed, but he didn’t really need to. He said he tried to take Bob’s baseball cap. I hope Bob isn’t in trouble."
    "I’ll be talking with the principal this morning," Nina said,