Pretend You Don't See Her (41 page)

 
          
He
lunged across the desk and wrapped his powerful hands around Abbott’s throat.
It took Sloane and the team of agents to pry his fingers loose.

 
          
Jimmy’s
racking sobs echoed throughout the building as Baldwin took Steve Abbott into
custody.

 
          
Sandy
Savarano had completed his bargaining from his hospital bed.

 
          
At
eight o’clock, the driver Jay had sent to pick up Lacey at her apartment called
to say he was downstairs. Lacey was frantic to see her family, but there was a
phone call she still had to make. There was so much to tell Tom, so much to
explain. Baldwin, now suddenly her friend and ally, had told her, “You’re out
of the loop now. We’ve plea-bargained with Savarano, so we won’t need your
testimony to get Abbott. So you’ll be okay. But keep a low profile for a while.
Why not take a vacation until things settle down?”

 
          
She
had replied only half jokingly, “You know I do have an apartment and a job in
Minnesota. Maybe I should just go back there.”

 
          
She
dialed Tom’s number. The now familiar voice sounded strained and anxious.
“Hello,” he said.

 
          
“Tom?”

 
          
A whoop of joy.
“Alice, where are you? Are you all right?”

 
          
“Never
better, Tom. And you?”

 
          
“Worried sick!
I’ve been going out of my mind since you
disappeared.”

 
          
“It’s
a long story. You’ll hear it all.” She paused. “There’s just one thing. Alice
doesn’t live here anymore. Do you think you could possibly get used to calling
me Lacey? My name is Lacey Farrell.”

 
          
The
End