Chapter 24

Eric was glad he'd successfully distracted Lori from the subject of Warren Chamberlain. Eric couldn't decide whether he wanted to punch the man out, or just blank the sucker's hard drive for hurting Lori and for making her so wary of relationships in general. He'd obviously done a number on her self-confidence.

Too restless to sit still, he got up and wandered around her living room, commenting on a few of her oddball objets d'art and listening to the stories she had to go with each of them. The marble Buddha was from a friend who'd lived in China, the handmade pottery was from a phase she'd gone through herself as an undergraduate and the delicate Wedgwood vase was a family heirloom. There were photographs scattered about too and he admired each of her five nieces and nephews and noted the names and faces of their parents and grandparents.