Page 3 of Cold Threat

River hesitated a moment.

“I know you’re thinking about your mom. Sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. I can go alone. I shouldn’t have put you on the spot.”

River shook her head. “You’re not. Now that we have Mrs. Weyland, I may be able to come with you.”

Hannah, the young woman who had come in to help River’s mother during the day, had quit after finding out she was pregnant. She’d recommended her aunt, who had recently lost her husband. Agatha Weyland was sixty-three years old and had nursed her husband through Alzheimer’s. When Hannah told her she was pregnant and had to leave her job, Mrs. Weyland had begged her to set up an interview with River. At first, she wasn’t sure if it would work since Mrs. Weyland wanted to move in.

“I just can’t stay in my house anymore,” she’d told River when they talked. “Too many ghosts. Hannah and her husband love the house and they’ve offered to buy it. I was goin’ to move into an apartment, but if you have a spare room...” Her hazel eyes had filled with tears, and River had been touched by her. But would she change her mind and quit once she was stronger? She didn’t want Rose to get used to someone and then have her leave. River’s mother was still dealing with Hannah’s quitting. She had loved and trusted the young woman.

“I’m not lookin’ for anything temporary,” Mrs. Weyland hadsaid as if reading River’s mind. “I intend to take care of your mother until ... well, until she no longer needs me.”

This time it was River’s turn for tears.

“Oh, honey,” the older woman had said, taking River’s hand. “I know what Alzheimer’s is like. I know how to take care of your precious mama. My Harold was a happy man until the day he died. I learned how to go with him wherever he was ... and how to be whoever he needed me to be. We were happy, and your mother will be happy too. You have my word.”

River had really wanted to hire Mrs. Weyland, but she was certain Rose wouldn’t give up another one of her rooms. She’d gotten upset when River and Tony had moved her original sewing space to another room even though they set it up exactly the same. They’d moved things around so River could be closer to her mother in case she needed help during the night. Now she’d have to give up her sewing room completely, even though she never used it. River was prepared for a meltdown. But after spending a couple of hours getting to know Mrs. Weyland, Rose had said, “Can’t we just move the things in the sewing room down to the basement, River? Either Agatha could move in there, or you could move into that room, and Agatha could be right next to me.”

Although she was more than surprised by her mother’s request, she quickly agreed. River moved into the old sewing room, and Mrs. Weyland set herself up next to Rose.

“Let me talk to Mrs. Weyland,” she told Tony. “She’s barely had time to get to know my mother. She might feel uncomfortable with me leaving town so soon. How long do you think we’ll be gone?”

“Why don’t we say the rest of the week?” he said. “I think that’s enough time to create a profile. My father’s already put together a murder book, although I’m not sure how much information he’s been able to get his hands on. Hopefully, we’ll at least have some pictures and reports.”

“Okay, but if Mrs. Weyland or my mother is uncomfortable...”

“I’ll go alone and bring everything back with me.” He frowned. “I’d really like you to talk to my dad. See if he can convince you the cases are related. I know that’s not what we do when we write a profile, so we’ll be using our ace deductive skills as well.”

River laughed. “I’ll call Mom now, but you might as well plan on going alone. My mother will probably have a conniption fit.”

“A conniption fit? Where do you get these expressions? I truly think an old lady lives somewhere down deep inside you.”

River picked up her phone, stuck her tongue out at Tony, and dialed Mrs. Weyland.

CHAPTER

TWO

You’re very quiet,” Tony said, looking over at River. He was glad she was able to go with him but wondered if taking her away from her mother right now was too stressful. And then there was the concussion she’d suffered last month after a confrontation with a very disturbed killer, although she seemed to have completely recovered.

“I feel like I forgot to pack something.”

Tony chuckled. “I’ve never known anyone as well organized as you. You have the most detailed packing list I’ve ever seen. When we worked for the Bureau and had to go out of town, you were the only person who never forgot one single thing.”

“Maybe...” she said slowly.

“It’s probably because of your mom. You might feel a little guilty for leaving her, but I truly think Mrs. Weyland is a godsend. Your mom is in good hands.”

River turned her head toward him. The morning light shone through the windshield and highlighted her face. The Vietnamese features River had inherited from her mother gave her a rather exotic look. Her brown hair with its golden streaks framed her delicate features as if she were a painting that needed protection.He gulped and tried to push back a strong and unbidden visceral reaction to her beauty.

“You’re probably right,” she said. Although she was a brilliant, strong-willed woman, her soft, lilting voice and slight body made her seem vulnerable. She would hate being described that way. Tony would never say it aloud.

“Are you still having headaches?”

River shook her head. “No, all healed. The only headaches I have now are the ones I cause myself.”

Tony smiled at her. “Well, stop doing that. There. I solved the problem.”

“Well, thank you. Why didn’t I just come to you in the first place?”

---