Light in Shadow by Jayne Ann Krentz Page A

going to get me inside.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œYou can start by calling me Bob.”
    Â 
    An hour later Ethan stood in the center of the master bedroom of the Mason house and tried to ignore the little tingle of adrenaline that was humming through him. He understood the source of the sensation. If he and Zoe were right about Jennifer Mason’s fate, they were standing in the same room as a killer.
    At least he was standing in the same room with Mason, he thought. Zoe, on the other hand, still had both feet out in the hall. She hovered in the bedroom doorway, arms crossed tightly beneath her breasts. Until now she had been doing a very good job of acting but he had noticed a new level of tension in her when they had reached this bedroom.
    Davis Mason watched him from a short distance away. Zoe had reported that he’d sounded somewhat surprisedwhen she’d phoned to say that she wanted to bring a contractor to his house. But he had not had a problem with the suggestion. In fact, he had offered to leave his office early to meet them.
    â€œWhat do you think about my lighting ideas for this space, Bob?” Zoe asked from the door.
    â€œNo problem,” Ethan said easily. “Plenty of room in here to drop the ceiling and put in recessed lighting. You want me to work up a detailed estimate?”
    â€œNot at this stage,” she said. “I just wanted your opinion on whether or not you thought the concept was feasible.”
    â€œHell, yeah, it’ll work. The lighting won’t be a problem. Picture on the ceiling sounds weird, though.”
    Davis looked at Zoe. “You’re going to paint a picture on my ceiling?”
    â€œIt’s an option that interests me. There are some excellent mural artists here in town who could do something very special in this space. An evening sky scene, perhaps.”
    Davis nodded thoughtfully. “I like the idea. Never would have thought of it myself.”
    â€œGonna be expensive,” Ethan warned him. “The recessed lighting she wants to illuminate the ceiling doesn’t come cheap, and Lord only knows what the artist will charge.”
    Zoe fixed him with a steely look. “The cost is not your problem, Bob. ”
    â€œShe’s right,” Davis said. “Price is no object for me. My wife and I recently parted ways. I want a whole new look for this bedroom.”
    â€œOh, man,” Ethan whistled softly. “Been there, done that a few times myself. I know all about the bedroom thing.”
    He caught Zoe’s startled reaction to that comment, but he ignored it. He was more interested in Davis’s frown.
    â€œThe bedroom thing?” Davis stood unmoving. “I don’t understand.”
    Ethan shook his head. “This is the voice of experience talking. I’ve had three wives walk out on me and file for divorce. Just no pleasing some women, I guess.”
    â€œNo,” Davis said evenly. “Women can be difficult.” He did not look in Zoe’s direction.
    â€œDifficult and damned expensive,” Ethan said. “Especially when it comes to beds. Beds cost a lot of money, you know.”
    â€œWhat does this have to do with beds?” Davis asked.
    Ethan shrugged. “The first thing you do, after you finish paying off your ex and the lawyers, is you start dating again, right? Hell, maybe you don’t even wait until the paperwork is finished. Maybe you need some understanding companionship right away, know what I mean?”
    â€œNo, Bob,” Zoe said coldly from the hall. “I, for one, don’t know what you mean.”
    â€œNo offense, Ms. Luce,” he said, making a show of exaggerated patience, “but these are facts of life for a guy in this situation. Like I was saying, you want to start dating again so you bring a new lady friend home. You turn on the music, have a couple of drinks, and you tell her your sad story.” He winked at Davis. “Am I