Touching the Past Read Online Free PDF Page B

away. What was she thinking? Of course Kim Gerson was on Zac’s mind. It was his job. He was trying to find the missing woman. That was why she was here. It was the only reason she was here. To help Zac find Kim and the others. What was wrong with her that she needed Zac’s attention focused on her?
    Mallory huddled in her sweater. It was cooler than she’d expected and the wind, with the taste of rain on it, didn’t help.
    “You’re cold.” Zac caught her by the shoulders. Mallory could feel the warmth of his hands through the thin sweater. “Why didn’t you say something?” He herded her toward the car.
    Mallory let him. It felt good to have someone who cared.
    She stumbled at the thought, righting herself and waving Zac off before he could help. There it was again. That strange desire to want Zac to feel something for her. Zac needed her help. That was as far as his interest went.
    She slid into the car and fastened the seatbelt with awkward, trembling fingers. It’s just the cold, she told herself. I’m cold, that’s all.
    Zac slipped in beside her, started the engine, and adjusted the heater. Warm air filled the car. For a few seconds the only sound was that of the fan blasting hot air out of the vents.
    “Better?” Zac turned the fan down a notch.
    “Yes.” Mallory relaxed her hunched shoulders and wiggled her toes in her shoes. The warm air at her feet felt good. “Thanks.”
    “I didn’t think.” Zac’s hands rested on the steering wheel. They were strong-looking, with short, wiry black hairs curling at the knuckles and on the backs. “I should have remembered.”
    Mallory lifted her gaze to his face. He was staring straight ahead. “Remembered what?”
    He gave her a quick look, then glanced away. “You were always cold. It would be seventy-something in the study, and you’d have a sweater on. The pink and white one.”
    Mallory studied his profile. “You remember that sweater?”
    Zac turned his head. “I remember every—” He broke off, looking away. He cleared his throat. “Are you up to taking a look at those personal objects you asked for? Or do you want to do it some other time?”
    “I’m all right. I can do it now.”
    Without a word Zac nodded and put the car in gear.
    Mallory settled back in the seat, feeling a warmth inside her that had nothing to do with the air coming out of the heater.

Chapter 5
    Zac watched Mallory’s slim fingers turn over the items from Kim Gerson’s purse. It had been in the woman’s car when they found it. It was a pitiable collection of objects to try and draw a portrait from. A woman’s pink faux-leather wallet studded with rhinestones, full of plastic and a few crisp bills. An organic piña colada lip balm. A couple of pens. Her Kindle. Her keys were missing. As was her phone. His working theory was that she was just stepping out of the car, keys in her hand, phone in her pocket, when she was taken. But why? And where?
    Mallory’s hands stilled on the wallet. She opened it.
    Zac bit back the question he wanted to ask. He hadn’t said a word except to answer her brief questions about the missing people ever since he’d brought the evidence boxes to his office for her to examine. He’d forced himself to sit and wait, not wanting to distract her.
    Distract her. He stifled a sudden snort of laughter. He’d been the one distracted. His thoughts kept going back to that moment when he’d held her in his arms. When she’d stepped into that car’s path.
    Zac closed his eyes. He’d thought he was going to lose her. That she was going to be killed right in front of him.
    The helplessness he’d felt. Just remembering made his gut clench. If he’d lost her—
    What? What would it mean to him if he’d lost her?
    She was—
    What was she to him? A friend? Yes. Well, they had been friends. Of a sort. But what were they now?
    He was attracted to her. But how did she feel?
    “Did you see this?”
    Mallory’s soft question brought his attention