Guarding Raine Part 60

protection.

He seemed to think his alarm system and the quick response of the police saved the place from a looting.

But I'm not completely convinced.

At any rate," he said, switching his attention to Raine, " we'll follow

the same procedure as always when it comes to transporting yourworks.

You'll supervise the actual loading, of course.

We'll probably be pressed for time due to the amount of work the gallery will be having done.

So if you can have everything ready to go at a moment's notice, that

will be a big help." Raine agreed. After going over several more points with him, she sawhim to the door. Mac hadn't moved from his position in the doorway, stepping aside only to let them pa.s.s. When she had bid goodbye to heragent, she came to stand before him. " Okay, let's have it." He looked at her silently. " C'mon, Macauley, I know you well enough by now to know that something is bothering you.

So out with it.

" He surveyed her lazily. " Think you know me pretty well?

" She took a step closer, and her hair brushed his mouth as she turned

her head up to his. " I'm beginning to.

" He dropped a quick, hard kiss on her lips, then led her to the couch.

" I don't particularly like coincidences.

The very gallery that you had reserved for your showing got hit last

night, only days before your exhibit.

" " I know," she admitted. " I didn't want to seem paranoid, but I couldn't help wondering.

Your suspicious nature is starting to rub off, I'm afraid.

But if the vandals had really wanted to target me, why didn't they wait

until my paintings were there?

Why hit the gallery now?

" " To keep your exhibit from taking place?

" he suggested. " But that doesn't make sense," she argued. " Up to

this point everything has been designed to frighten me.

" " Or to hurt you," he reminded her quietly. " Hurting your career isanother way to get at you." " Maybe." She bounced up restlessly and roamed around the room. " It's hard to predict what's going to happen next.

It certainly never occurred to me that the gallery could he a target.

" " I'm going to call Detective Ramirez and inform him of the

break-in.

We're going to a.s.sume, for now, that it's connected with you somehow.

I wanted to talk to him and see if he's come up with anything lately,

anyway.

" He thought for a moment, then added, " To be on the safe side, Idon't want you delivering the pictures the way you usually do withAndre.

It seems to me, if someone wants to stop your showing, the next logicalstep would be to make sure your paintings never reached the gallery.

" " But someone would have to be very familiar with my arrangements toknow when and how we would be loading, "Raine argued. KyKe Brant 213 "Whoever is behind this knew what gallery was hosting your exhibit," hereminded her. " That information has been in the papers, Macauley.

The way I transport my pictures hasn't.

" " You'd be surprised how easy some information is to get, if you askthe right questions.

Let's just be cautious, shall we?

" She rubbed her forehead tiredly. He was right, as usual. " What did you have in mind?

" " We've got a van at the office.

I'm sure it can be used to carry your pictures to the gallery.

You can supervise the loading and tell me how it can be done withoutdamaging anything.

" She nodded slowly. " All right.

" A permanent chill seemed to be settling inside her. She wondered how much longer they could be expected to fight an unknown hara.s.ser, tryingto predict his next move and counteracting it. It was as exhausting asit was scary.

The incredible irony of it was she couldn't even look forward to theend of the threats. Because that would be when Macauley would walk outof her life forever. Once Raine was occupied in another part of thehouse, Mac took the opportunity to phone Ramirez. When questioned, thedetective admitted that they hadn't found any leads on the personresponsible for firebombing Raine's porch. " I was going to give her acall, though," Ramirez told him. " The postal investigator haspinpointed the general locale in which the last letter originated.

" Mac could feel himself grow tense. " What did he find out?

" After hesitating, the detective said, " I can't discuss that withyou, Mr. O'Neill.

I have to talk to Miss Michaels.

Is she there?

" Silently cursing the man's procedures, Mac told him to wait and wentlooking for Raine. He found her in the kitchen. She looked up at hisentrance. " We are really going to have to break down and get somegroceries," she informed him. " It's to the point where we're going to he eating leftover leftovers.

I don't know about you, but my stomach is starting to rebel.

" " Later," he said. " Right now Ramirez is on the line for you.

" His voice was terse, and she gave him a wary look as she hurried by

him. " What's he want?

" " I don't know.

He wouldn't say.

" She picked up the receiver of the phone in the kitchen.

" Detective Ramirez, this is Raine Michaels.

How are you?

" Mac walked by deliberately and went to the office. There he picked

up the phone and unabashedly listened to the conversation. " The postal investigators have pinpointed the Los Angeles locale where thelast letter was mailed," the man was saying as Mac picked up the phone." At this point, it will be almost impossible for them to catch theperson in the act of mailing another letter.

But we are trying to match prints we found on the letter with"" Raine,"Mac cut in smoothly. " Maybe you ought to tell the detective aboutwhat happened at the gallery.

" " Gallery?" the man repeated. " What gallery is that?" Raine filled him in on what Andre had told her. " We're not sure,"

she said hesitantly after she'd finished. " But Mac thought the coincidence might mean it was linked to me.

" " When is your showing scheduled?

" " Next week." " Sure sounds like it could be related," the detective said. " Atany rate, it won't hurt to be extra cautious " " I will," she promisedwryly. " We did find some human hairs in the car that was abandonedafter the driver ran you off the road.

Unfortunately, we're going to need a suspect before we can make any matches there.

wish we had more good news for you, Miss Michaels." Mac hung up the phone as they said their goodbyes. A few minuteslater Raine was in the doorway. " What's the matter?

" he asked sharply, noting her expression. Approaching him slowly, shewaited until she was next to his. desk before answering. " What wasthat all about?

" He leaned back in his chair in a show of nonchalance, but his stomachclenched reflexively. " What?" " You interrupted the detective as he was talking about prints." Mac shrugged. " Sorry.Anyway, all he said was that they checking for prints.

" " But whose prints?

" she asked shrewdly. At his silence, on, " You might as well tell me.

Detective Ramirez will ally." He nodded slowly. " Yeah." Coming to a decision, desk and said " Sit down Raine.Not releasing his gaze, she obeyed. He looked down, studying his knuckles. His obvious reluctance alarmed her. " What is it,

Macauley?

Tell me.

" Taking a deep 1orea[h." he met her gaze squarely. '~I asked them to explore a possible link between the person who's making the threats and.

Brian Burnett. " She went absolotely still.

Not so much as a muscle twitched, but her eyes.