Read Tell No Lies for Free Online Page B

she'd gather it with her hand into a makeshift ponytail and then flip it down against her back. She wore a print sundress made of a gauzy material; its mottled blues and greens reminded him of the ocean on a still day, the subtle colors illuminated in the reflecting flashes of the sun. Some sort of woven rope bracelet graced her wrist. A trace of red lit her cheeks and shoulders as if she'd been in the sun earlier that day.
    When he thought back on it, he was surprised that he'd scored well on his exams that first semester, given how distracted he'd become by his pursuit of her. She hadn't been easy to snag, either, like the other girls he'd dated. At the beginning she'd been uninterested in him; she told him later that he seemed like too much of a 'pretty boy' to her. He'd had to work on her, and he hadn't even realized at the time that his boyish good looks were a handicap. It was almost Halloween before he finally persuaded her to have lunch with him. To this day he remained convinced that she only agreed because he promised to make the lunch himself for a picnic in Forest Park, where she could bring her dog, and she didn't really think he'd follow through.
    "Jack?" Claire's voice was soft, far away. "What are you doing out here, babe?"
    Jack shot up suddenly, surprised to see Claire standing right outside his car door. He realized he'd fallen asleep.
    "Hi." He blinked to bring her into focus. She stood on the pavement in an oversized white nightshirt, her face scrubbed bare of all makeup. She'd pulled her hair back into a braid at the nape of her neck, as she did every night to keep it from getting tangled while she slept. But now, stray curls stood out against the halo of backlight from the lamps over the garage.
    "Are you all right? What's the matter?" Claire opened the car door.
    "I fell asleep." It sounded as good as anything else he could have said at that point.
    "I can see that," she said, laughing a little bit. "Why didn't you come into the house?"
    "How'd you know I was out here?"
    "I was half asleep when I thought I heard you pull into the driveway. Later I got up to use the bathroom and saw it was three, but you still weren't in bed yet. So I came looking for you."
    Jack opened the door and swung his legs out, but decided against standing up just yet. He stared straight ahead into Claire's shirt, the white cotton glowing against the black of the sky and the driveway. He reached out and grabbed her hips, pulling her to him. He turned his face and pressed his cheek into her stomach. Although it still appeared flat, it was soft from her pregnancies and gave a bit when he leaned into it. He liked that. He inhaled the clean scent of the shirt.
    "I missed you," he said without looking up at her.
    "I was only a few steps away. Funny you should decide to sleep in your car."
    "It's been a weird night." He lifted the shirt and ducked his head under it. Now, skin to skin, his cheek against her stomach, he could smell her scent, the indescribable essence her skin gave off when she was sleeping. He just needed to be honest with her. After all, it was simply a kiss. "Jenny got really drunk tonight. She's upset about something happening at Newman, and probably about Alex, too. I had to drive her home." Did he imagine her muscles tense? When she didn't say anything, he added, "And Earl's quitting."
 
    "What?" Claire backed up, forcing Jack's head out.
    "He announced it tonight. Says he's going to Clark and Cavanaugh. He claims they made him an offer that's too good to pass up."
    "Wow," she said quietly, looking over his head and down the dark street. Jack knew Claire was as surprised as he had been. She knew how long Earl had been in the DA's office. Every lawyer in town had assumed he would retire there.
    "What do you think this means for you?" she asked finally. He understood her question. They'd both seen the turnover at other state offices after someone new took over.
    Jack turned and reached for his briefcase on the