chapter 17

I grabbed my purse and coat off the table behind the door. He held his arm out for me, but I ignored it and raced down the stairs ahead of him. When I saw the uniformed driver parked next to Taylor's front lawn, I paused.

"We can walk," Bernard offered, with a quick nod in the driver's direction. "Johnathan, why don't you take a break? I'll call you when I'm done."

"Of course, Mr. Shaw."

In silence, we settled into a slow walk, with the sun beating down on our backs and the smell of freesias lingering in the air. A few blocks away, the houses gave way to a sprawling complex with a mall, an outdoor cinema, and a few cafes with tables set up on the sidewalks. I made a beeline for the empty one in the corner,with Bernard hot on my heels. He pulled out a chair for me and waited till I was seated before taking the chair opposite me.

After we ordered some drinks and appetizers, I sat back and linked my fingers together over the table. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Bernard folded hi