Light in Shadow by Jayne Ann Krentz Page B

right?”
    â€œI don’t know yet,” Davis said. “I haven’t resumed my social life.”
    â€œYeah, well, take it from me, this is how it works. Anyhow, things are going fine out in the front room, so you suggest that the two of you adjourn to the bedroom. She’s okay with that. So far, so good. The two of you walk down the hall, enter the bedroom, and wham, no warning at all, the lady takes one look at the bed and stops cold.”
    Davis and Zoe were both watching him as if he had turned them to stone.
    â€œWhy does she stop?” Davis sounded baffled.
    â€œBecause of the damned bed, of course,” Ethan said. “She gets this weird expression on her face and she looks right at you and she asks you if that’s the bed where you and your ex-wife slept. Talk about a loaded question.”
    â€œLoaded is right,” Davis grimaced. “I think I’m beginning to get the picture here.”
    â€œWomen don’t like to sleep or do anything else in the same bed you used with the ex, you see?” Ethan said. “Some kind of female thing, I guess.”
    He glanced at Zoe. She looked pained, but she kept silent.
    Davis, on the other hand, was at ease again, relaxed and smiling. He gave Ethan a knowing, man-to-man look. “I must admit, I hadn’t thought about that angle. Now that you’ve pointed it out, I can see where an old bed could be a bit awkward. However, that is one problem I’m happy to say that I don’t have.”
    â€œYeah.” Ethan surveyed the large empty space in the center of the room. “I can see that. The bed’s gone.”
    â€œMy ex took it with her when she left.”
    â€œJust backed up a truck and hauled it off, huh? Talk about insensitive.”
    â€œAlong with the rest of her personal possessions. To be honest, I helped her pack.”
    â€œYeah, I’ve done that a few times, too,” Ethan admitted. “I know where you’re coming from. Well, as far as the bed goes, count yourself lucky. It’ll cost you to replace it, but in the long run, it will be worth it. Trust me.”
    â€œI’ll take your word for it, Bob,” Davis murmured. “As you said, yours is the voice of experience. Three divorces?”
    â€œMy lawyer sends me cards on my birthday and most major holidays.”
    â€œSounds like he should send flowers,” Zoe said tightly. She took a decisive step back, moving away from the bedroom door. “I think we’ve seen enough, Bob. We’d better be on our way. If you will work up a rough idea on where you think the fixtures and electrical outlets could be located, I’ll include the information in my presentation to Davis on Friday.”
    â€œSure.” Ethan paused in front of Davis and stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mason. Good luck with theremodel. You can’t go wrong with Ms. Luce, here. She really knows her stuff.”
    Davis shook hands briefly, but his eyes were on Zoe. “I’m looking forward to working with her.”
    â€œMe, too,” Ethan said. “It’s always interesting, know what I mean?”
    Zoe did not respond. She turned on her heel and disappeared down the hall.
    She was certainly in a big hurry to leave the bedroom, Ethan thought. He wondered about that as he followed her outside to her car. He was aware that she had been tense when he had explained his plans for getting inside Mason’s home, but she had cooperated willingly. Her nerves had seemed steady enough throughout the tour of the house. But all that had changed when they’d reached the master bedroom.
    He got into the passenger seat and closed the door. Zoe slipped behind the wheel, fastened her seatbelt, started the engine, and drove away very quickly.
    He put on his dark glasses and studied her taut profile. Her delicate jaw was tight. She had a death grip on the wheel. She drove with the focused concentration of a professional