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.She and Shaun were each so busy with their own lives, it was sometimes difficult to find time for each other.Now, no matter how late she had to work, she knew she could go home to him.At least for a while.She frowned.They hadn't talked about how long she would stay with him.She knew he didn't intend for it to be any more than a short-term arrangement, until she could find something else suitable.A week? A month?She pushed the thought aside and focused on the pretrial memo she was finishing up.At least until Lieutenant Creighton showed up at her office.* * *Chapter 14« ^ »"I assume there's a reason for this visit." Arden forced a smile even though her stomach tightened."There is," Creighton agreed."Preliminary reports indicate that the fire in your building was deliberately set, and that it started in your apartment.In your bedroom, to be precise."She exhaled slowly as his words confirmed her suspicions.Her fears.Someone had to have been inside her apartment to start the fire there.In her bedroom."And you think the fire is related to the letters.""I do," he agreed."We're investigating the owner of the building, of course.Most often, arson is implemented for financial gain, so we're following all leads.But we can't discount the possibility that this attack was directed at you, especially considering the content of the last letter."You've pissed somebody off," he continued, "and it makes sense that this was directed at you.If whoever set the fire knew you were out of the building, it might just have been an attempt to scare you.If he didn't know, he might have been trying to kill you."She felt the color drain from her cheeks.She'd known that she was the target, no matter how hard she tried to deny it, but she'd never thought that someone—some nameless, faceless person that she didn't even know—could want her dead."Sorry to put it so bluntly," he apologized."But I want to make sure you know what's going on here.""I don't know what's going on," she protested, hating the helplessness that threatened to overwhelm her."I have no idea who could be doing this.""You represent a lot of women who are the victims of domestic violence.It isn't a stretch to think that a man who beats his wife would exhibit other forms of deviant behavior.""Men who batter their partners rarely act violently toward third parties.They usually try to hide the darker side of their personality." Everything she'd ever read about domestic violence confirmed this fact."Statistically, you're probably right," Creighton agreed."But you know that not every perpetrator can be slotted into a designated mold."She nodded, but she still couldn't imagine who would target her."If you think of anyone at all who might have reason to threaten you, call me," the lieutenant instructed.Arden nodded."I'll get in touch with you as soon as we have any more information.Where are you staying?""With a … a friend.""McIver?"Arden frowned."How did you know?"Creighton grinned."I am a detective," he reminded her."And I didn't figure he would have hired a P.I.if he didn't have a personal interest in the situation."Arden felt her blood chill.Shaun had hired a private investigator? Why? And why hadn't he told her about it? She shook her head.No, Lieutenant Creighton must have made a mistake.Shaun wouldn't do something like that.Not without her permission.Not without discussing it with her first.She forced her voice to remain casual as she asked, "What makes you think he hired an investigator?""Joel Logan contacted me to get copies of the incident reports.He's a good guy," Creighton assured her."Used to be a cop."Arden nodded.She didn't care about Joel Logan, but she sure as hell intended to find out what Shaun was up to.She sat for a long while after Lieutenant Creighton had gone, thinking about the situation, but she still couldn't believe Shaun would do something like this without first discussing it with her.It was her life that had been threatened, after all.What right did he have to interfere?Fueled by righteous anger and indignation, she pushed through the heavy paneled doors that led into Madison McIver Law Offices."Can I help you?" The pretty young woman behind the front desk asked in a sweet voice.Arden vaguely remembered the receptionist from her first visit to Shaun's office, but she walked straight past the desk
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