Chapter 44

Josh reached out and grabbed him by those very same shoulders and pulled him inside the apartment, closing the door behind him. “You look tense. No use denying it. I can practically smell it on you.” Now that he was getting more and more into the role, Josh found it easy to grin and look as though he really cared. “Come on in and sit down. Can I get you some coffee? It’s Kona…and freshly made.”

He watched as Arliss moved almost magnetically to the bank of windows facing the downtown Chicago skyline. He’d seen the pull of that view many times before. It still amazed him, and he had to remind himself it was not some movie set carefully contrived beyond the glass.

“Um…whatever.” Arliss took his gaze away from the panorama before him for only an instant. “I’m not picky.”

“Something stronger? I make a mean Bloody.”

Arliss swiveled his head around.

“I see we have a taker. Grab yourself a chair and I’ll whip one up for you.”