Fixed in Fear Read Online Free PDF Page A

field. Eddie had chosen a lovely spot to hide. And Dennis Chait’s money was paying for it all.
    His car was in the driveway. A four-year-old Subaru that Lydia knew was registered to William Smith, Eddie’s alias. A sensible car. Built for Maine winters. Nothing flashy. Nothing drawing attention. Her search of Maine licensing revealed Eddie had purchased the car for nine thousand dollars cash seven months ago.
    Mort drives the same model car,
she thought.
Cops and killers. Interesting target market.
She pushed the thought of Mort from her mind and checked the contents of her purse. Everything she needed was inside.
    The front door to Eddie’s house opened. A man walked out. It was too far for Lydia to clearly identify him. There was a lightness in his step, and he played with his car keys, tossing them up and catching them, as he walked to the Subaru. Lydia scooted down in her seat when she saw the headlights pop on and the car come down the drive. She was able to get a good look at the driver when he paused to look both ways before turning his car toward town.
    Eddie Dirkin was going for a drive.
    She waited until he was several car lengths ahead of her before she started her own car and followed him into Westbrook. Despite the lack of traffic, Eddie kept his car just under the speed limit.
You’ve gotten smarter, haven’t you, Eddie? You’re learning to live an underground life. Do nothing to draw the attention of anyone who might have reason to check your identity. Not even so much as a speeding ticket.
    Lydia stayed fifty yards behind Eddie’s car, mirroring his turn onto Main Street just before the traffic light turned red. She saw him pull into the parking lot of Shaw’s grocery store and followed him, parking her Accord two lanes down from his Subaru. She waited until he was inside the store before she left her car.
    She pushed her shopping cart with the ambled ease of someone looking for just a few items on her grocery list. She selected a can of pears and two loaves of bread. She politely declined the offer of a cheese sample from the woman behind the deli counter, but tossed a jar of honey mustard into her cart. She crossed the store using the wide back area, glancing down each aisle she passed. She saw him in the frozen foods section. He was bending over an open freezer, sifting through the products. Lydia shifted the strap of her purse higher on her shoulder, turned her cart down the aisle, and came up beside him. She feigned interest in the myriad of frozen entrees, considering first a family-sized lasagna before shifting her hand to an icy box of beef Stroganoff.
    You’ve been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list for nearly four years, Eddie. And here you are with a stack of frozen hamburger patties in your hands.
    Eddie glanced over his shoulder, saw her, and straightened. Lydia got a taste of the Eddie Dirkin charm as he turned to her and gave her a megawatt smile. Lydia returned his smile, and Eddie lowered his gaze. He saw her pregnant bulge and his eyes instantly lost their playfulness. He turned back to choosing his dinner.
    You’ve assessed me in a heartbeat, haven’t you? I’m neither threat nor promise.
A familiar heat climbed up her spine.
You think you have the upper hand. You can discount me and walk away. Go home to your house on the river and have your dinner. Is that what you’re thinking, Eddie?
    Dirkin tossed a bag of frozen ravioli with marinara sauce into his red plastic basket and continued down the aisle. Lydia followed him. Their paths crossed again in the paper supply aisle. Eddie was choosing his toilet paper. He tossed Lydia a dismissive smirk as she reached for a package and brushed her arm against his.
    You stupid fool.
The weight of the gun in her purse heralded her power.
This is death standing next to you. Death. Yet you brush me off like a piece of lint. Would you be this casually reckless in your interaction with me if you knew what I had planned for you?
    Eddie walked