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shift to indicate that he no longer considered her a threat. It was enough to make Carrie want to shout with delight.
    “I’m friendly, Hennessey, really friendly. Can we be friends?” Once again she extended her hand for the dog to see.
    Again, Finn warned her. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
    Carrie slowly withdrew her hand.
    Hennessey lifted his head and looked up at her and then his tail started to move, this time to a full wag, as if to tell her he was willing to trust Carrie if she was willing to trust him.
    “Another traitor,” Finn muttered under his breath.
    “Sawyer isn’t a traitor,” Carrie insisted. “And Hennessey isn’t, either.”
    Finn snorted and then sipped his coffee.
    “Finn … Mr. Dalton,” she said, trying again. She didn’t mean to sound so familiar, and at the same time, “Mr. Dalton” came off as much too formal. “As you’ve guessed, I’m a reporter. I write for the Chicago Herald . Actually, I cover the society page. It’s not my favorite subject, but I was grateful to get the job. I’m a good reporter, and I wanted an opportunity to prove that I was capable of writing something other than who was seen where and with whom. I am sick to death of writing about meaningless parties and who’s getting married and who’s breaking up. So sick that I was ready to quit, and then my editor, who’s been in the business thirty years, said I could have any assignment I wanted if I couldmanage to interview you. Little did I know how difficult finding you would be.”
    Once she’d started explaining, she couldn’t seem to stop. Her hope was that once Finn heard her story he’d be willing to cooperate.
    Eventually he’d have to give an interview to someone, and it might as well be her. She was the one who’d found a way to reach him; that should prove something. He had to know his book was practically a phenomenon and the public was curious to know more about him.
    “If I was able to find you, then others will, too … eventually.”
    He glared at her as if to refute her words.
    “Your book is amazing, and your readers want to meet the man behind Alone . And really, who could blame them? Surely you realized when you submitted the book what it would mean?”
    He remained unmoved, so Carrie tried another tactic. Perhaps he would feel sorry for her. “I gave up spending Thanksgiving with my family in order to find you, but it’d be worth every one of my vacation days and a lot more if you were willing to give me an interview.” Studying him, she could tell he wasn’t the least bit concerned.
    “Are you looking for sympathy from me?”
    “No, of course not … well, maybe, just a little.”
    He briefly closed his eyes and shook his head.
    “I’ll tell you what,” she said in the same cheerful tone she’d used earlier. “I’ll let you preview the piece, give it your stamp of approval. If you don’t like it, then it won’t get printed.”
    “Do you honestly expect me to believe that?”
    “Well, yes, of course. I’m a woman of my word.”
    “I’ve yet to meet one who is.” His words dripped with disdain. Snickering softly, he walked over to where the computer and the radio were set up. Pulling out the chair, he sat down, flipped a couple of switches, and put on headphones. It didn’t take Carrie long to figure out his call was to Sawyer.
    Although Carrie could hear only one side of the conversation, it was enough. She was the main topic of interest.
    “If this is a joke, I’m not laughing. Over.”
    From Finn’s reaction, Sawyer was apparently amused.
    “You’re way off base,” Finn shouted into the microphone. “Having a woman here, let alone a woman reporter, isn’t my idea of doing me a favor. I don’t care who she is or who she knows. Over.”
    Sawyer replied, but Carrie couldn’t make out what he said.
    “I don’t want her here, and that’s putting it mildly. Over.”
    Silence followed. Finn rubbed his hand over his beard in what she