“I’m glad you’re a detective. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t have met you.”

He stroked her arm. “Sure you would have. You were mine from the day you were born.”

Darlene rimmed her lips with the tip of her tongue, looked at his mouth and then slowly raised her gaze to meet his. “Oh, really?” she said seductively, all the while moving her mouth closer to his. “I never said I was yours.”

He pulled her into his arms. “You didn’t have to. Actions speak louder than words ever will.”

Before she knew it, his hands were all over her while his magic tongue danced in and out of her mouth, giving her a preview of what she was to receive in the moments to follow. She wrapped her arms around the broadness of his body and held on tight.

“Tell me what you want.” He stared into her eyes as his fingers teased the flesh of her bare arms, and every place he touched seemed to explode into a blaze. “Tell me.”

“I…I want you.”

GWYNNE FORSTER

is a national bestselling author of forty-three works of fiction, thirty-four romance novels and nine mainstream novels, including her latest, When The Sun Goes Down. She has won numerous awards for fiction writing, including a Gold Pen Award, a RT Book Reviews Lifetime Achievement Award, and has been inducted in the Affaire de Coeur Hall of Fame. A demographer by profession, she was formerly a senior officer for the United Nations, where she was chief officer in charge of research in fertility and family planning studies. Gwynne is author of twenty-seven publications in demography. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in economics/demography. As an officer, first for United Nations and later for the International Planned Parenthood Federation in London, England, Gwynne has traveled and/or worked in sixty-three countries. She lives in New York with her husband, who is her true soul mate.

Passion’s Price
Gwynne Forster

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My sincere thanks to my son (my stepson), Peter Forster Acsadi, who is one of my models for what a man should be. He is an accomplished electronic engineer, and I save my computer and other electronic problems for his attention. A professionally serious, good-natured, witty and handsome man with a laugh that is nothing short of uplifting, he is always there for his parents. With a husband who designs and produces my brochures and answers my panic calls when my software is uncooperative, I enjoy strong family support. I AM BLESSED TO HAVE BOTH OF THEM. As always, I thank God for my talent and for the opportunities to use it.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 1

When attorney Darlene Cunningham made up her mind, she rarely ever changed it. And that had created some problems for her and her family. As the youngest partner at Myrtle, Coppersmith & Cunningham LLP, Darlene usually got the least promising and least interesting cases assigned in the three-person law firm.

But her job as a defense attorney meant everything to her. Even the smallest detail of the most mundane case got her professional juices flowing. Take for instance her current case. She had to force herself not to get too excited about it. There was something suspicious about her client. Something wasn’t right about the burglary case, and it was driving her crazy.

And then a witness had come forward and volunteered to testify on her client’s behalf. It all seemed too convenient, she thought. It just didn’t add up, and Darlene was determined to find out why.

That’s why Darlene had decided to fly down to Memphis and reinterview the witness. Though her partners didn’t think it was worthwhile for Darlene to travel all that way just to nail down the facts in the case, Darlene disagreed.

And so here she was in Memphis, trying to locate the alibi witness, the only witness who could testify that her client, Albert Frank, was somewhere else at the time the crime took place. A very convenient witness who had very inconveniently vanished without a trace.

Darlene landed at Memphis International Airport, exhausted after having transferred twice on the trip from Baltimore. Having refused the peanuts and pretzels offered on the plane, she was hungry and a bit on edge. She’d never been to Memphis before, and the intensity of the heat and humidity surprised her, adding to her discomfort.

She checked into the famous Peabody Hotel—known for its duck march through the lobby—and called room service for a pulled-pork sandwich and iced tea. She unpacked while she waited for her food to arrive. After she’d eaten, Darlene once again tried to contact Frank’s alibi witness at the number she’d been given. To her disappointment, she got no answer, not even voice mail.

With no word from her witness, she struck out the next morning to check on her client’s story about where the witness lived. She took a cab to the address he’d given her in an upscale neighborhood in a cul-de-sac bordering Memphis and Collerville. She would have expected just about any neighborhood other than the quiet, pristine homes that screamed old-money wealth and power. Less sure of herself now, she knocked on the door, since she had not seen a doorbell.

“Come in,” a slender gray-haired man in a black suit, white shirt and black tie said with a gracious smile. “Not many people come here these days.” He spoke haltingly, and she decided that he was part of the household staff, a fair assumption given the neighborhood. “Have a seat,” the man said as he gestured toward what she discovered was an elegant living room.

“Thank you. This heat is almost unbearable,” Darlene said to fill the awkward silence. She used a tissue to wipe her forehead.

“Yes, it is,” the man said. “Would you care for some sweetened iced tea? I made it a few minutes ago. If you’re uncomfortable, I can turn up the air conditioner.”

She leaned against the back of a tufted velvet chair and looked at the man. “Thank you, but I don’t care for tea, and the air-conditioning is fine. This is a beautiful house, but it must be very old. No one seems to build these kinds of houses anymore.” Small talk was something she hated, but she had to engage the man in conversation if she was to learn anything about her client.

“Yes, it’s old, all right. My grandfather built it. But I renovated it from roof to cellar about twenty-five years ago. Sure you wouldn’t like some tea or iced coffee?”

“No thank you. I was given this address and was told a young man, an alibi witness, lived here. But I see I was wrong, so I’d better be going,” Darlene said, somewhat surprised that the old man lived in the home. “Thanks for your hospitality.”

“I wish you wouldn’t go,” he said as she reached for the doorknob. “I’ve enjoyed your company. I don’t get much company anymore.”

“I’m sorry,” she said as she opened the door. She turned to leave, only to find her exit blocked. She looked up into the eyes of a six-foot-three-inch boulder.

“Excuse me. I was j-just leaving,” she stammered, taken aback by her sudden encounter with this immovable object.

“You aren’t going anywhere,” he said.

“Would you please get out of my way,” Darlene said, letting him know that she was not easily intimidated.

The man put his hand in the inside pocket of his jacket, took out his badge and flashed it. “I’m Detective Michael Raines of the Memphis Police, and you don’t leave this house until I say so.”

Darlene looked him in the eye. “Really? I thought all the bullies in uniform were in Baltimore. Apparently Tennessee has some, too. How interesting! Now, would you please move aside? I have business to take care of.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Go right ahead. Maybe you can walk through me.”

She stared at him, seeing him as if for the first time. Something flickered in his light brown eyes, and she responded, unable to do otherwise. She told herself to get out of there. But she stood rooted to the spot. His eyes said he would never release her. She shook her head as if to break the spell he had cast over her.

“I’m Attorney Darlene Cunningham, and you have no reason to keep me here. If you don’t let me pass, I’ll sue you, the city of Memphis and the state of Tennessee,” she said, her mild manner dissolving into anger.

His facial expression didn’t change one bit. Realizing that belligerence would get her nowhere with Detective Raines, she decided to switch tactics.

“You haven’t read me my rights, and you have to do that if I’m under arrest.” Her voice took on a taunting tone.

“You are not under arrest, Ms. Cunningham. You are being detained.”

She leaned her head to the side in what she knew he’d take as a challenge. “What’s the difference?” she said, clearly losing patience.

“Very funny, Ms. Cunningham, but you may as well have a seat, because you cannot leave this house until I say so.”

Darlene turned to the old man. “You didn’t tell me your name.”

“My name is Boyd Farmer. Have a seat. At least it’s comfortable in here.”

“Is this guy your son? Oh, sorry,” she said before Boyd could respond. “You’re too nice to have such an arrogant, obnoxious son. I really need to go.”

“I’m sorry,” Boyd said. “He isn’t going to let you go.”

She whirled around and glared at Michael Raines, and for her trouble she felt a peculiar thudding in the region of her heart. “At least I deserve to know why I’m being detained,” she said. “What did I do?” Realizing that her tone would only make him more adamant, she switched tactics again. “You’re unlike any detective I’ve ever met.”

“What do you mean by that?” His tone was definitely not friendly.

“Oh,” she said, tossing her hair to the side. “I mean, aren’t police officers supposed to protect and serve?”

Boyd’s laughter filled the room, but she avoided looking in his direction. Instead she focused on Michael Raines.

“Yeah,” he said. “Now, sit down and let’s cut the comedy.”

Darlene did not like taking orders from a stranger, even one with a badge. She didn’t move. “You don’t look stupid,” she told him. “You have to tell me why you’re holding me here. It’s the law. Tell me why I’m being detained, or I’m leaving.” She tried to move past him.

He grabbed her shoulders and glared at her. “What are you doing here?”

She twisted her shoulders and moved away from him. “I’m trying to get information that I hope will help my client’s case.”

“You’ll have to prove that to me. This house has been under surveillance, and neither you nor anyone else can leave here. Get it?”

She’d have to come up with a different excuse. Getting back to her office in Maryland was paramount. The other partners already considered her trip to Memphis little more than a wild-goose chase, and if they discovered her present predicament… She didn’t want to think of their reaction.

“I have to get back to my hotel,” she said.

He folded his arms across his broad chest and smiled, giving evidence that he could be charming when it suited him. “Oh, so I gather you plan to leave Memphis.”

“No, as a matter of fact I’m staying at the Peabody,” she said.

“Really?” he said. “I’m sure it won’t be a problem for you to stay here.”

“Now, look here, you,” she said, with all the softness of a wildcat about to pounce. “You’re going to…” She stopped. His beautiful eyes twinkled like flashing lights, and she could see his difficulty in restraining his laughter.

“You’re not one bit funny, and I’ll have the last laugh.”

At that point, Boyd brought the tea along with a brioche and jam. “This should make you comfortable.” She thanked him. “Detective Raines doesn’t like tea, and I don’t have any more coffee,” he said.

“How long has he been here?” Darlene asked Boyd, pointing to Michael.

“He’s been here two weeks. That’s why I don’t have any more coffee. He’s practically a coffee addict.”

She took a few sips of tea and looked at Michael. “Coffee addict, eh? I’m glad to have at least some evidence that you’re human.”

Something akin to pain flickered in his eyes, and she wished she could retract her words. It wasn’t his fault that she’d stumbled into a house that was under surveillance. He was doing his job. Maybe if she appealed to his decency, he’d let her go.

“If I’m stuck here for any length of time, I’ll lose my case.” She told herself that she wouldn’t beg, but that had sounded very much like a plea. She observed him carefully to see his response.

“But how do I know you’ve told me the truth? You could be the person I’ve spent the last few weeks looking for.”

“Oh, come on,” she said, her attitude inching toward aggressiveness again. “Anybody can look at me and see that I’m not a burglar.”

He looked toward the ceiling as if begging for mercy. “Another statement like that and I’ll have proof that you’re not a lawyer.”

“I am, and I have to be in court Monday morning. If I don’t show up, I’ll be in contempt.”

“I can take care of that. Give me your client’s name and the case number. I’ll take care of the problem right now.”

“No, thank you. I don’t want any help from you.”

His quick shrug let her know what he thought of her response.

“You’re a heartless man.”

“If you say so.”

Darlene was already mad with herself. She decided to switch gears one more time, hoping that a different tactic might soften him up. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself for doing this to an innocent person,” she chided. “You could ruin my life.”

Boyd walked over to where Darlene and Michael stood at loggerheads. “Darlene… I hope you don’t mind if I call you Darlene. Wouldn’t you like to freshen up a bit? There’s a lovely guest room and bath upstairs, and if you’re going to be here for a while, you’re welcome to use it.”

She could see that Boyd wanted to lower the tension between them, so she smiled and patted his arm. “Thanks. That would be lovely.”

“Leave your pocketbook and that briefcase down here,” Michael said. “And don’t think you can use the phone up there. It’s been disconnected. On second thought, I’ll show you where the guest room is. Who knows what you’ll try to do?”

Darlene whirled around and headed for the stairs, intent upon finding the room herself, but he managed to move slightly ahead of her. “This way,” he said, turning left at the top of the stairs.

At the bedroom door, she tossed her head back, sending her hair flying around her face.

A grin spread over his face. “Don’t even think about it. That’s a thirty-foot drop. You’re clever enough to know that if you jumped, you’d hurt yourself. Besides, every window in this house is locked.”

Slouched against the doorjamb, Michael stared down at her. Then his gaze shifted from her eyes down to her lips and stayed there. His light brown eyes darkened. His nostrils flared, and he sucked in his breath.

“I don’t need you to chaperone me while I go to the bathroom,” she challenged.

Not a muscle in his face moved. “Why don’t you say what you really mean? Darlene, I could have you thrashing with passion one minute and handcuff you the next.”

“I don’t believe you,” she said, moving toward him.

He folded his arms across his chest. “You’re reckless, but I’m not. You’re ready to do something stupid right now, and you haven’t given a second thought to the consequences.”

How many times had she heard those very words from her family? As usual, she ignored the advice. “What consequences?” she asked. “You’re a cop, and you’re obligated to behave like one.”

His laugh was barely more than a groan. “I’m also a man. And since I’m a cop, when it’s your word against mine, mine carries more weight. Get in there, wash your face or whatever else you plan to do and stop testing me. If I decide to take you up on your flirtations, you’ll remember it for a long time.”

“Really? I’d love to know what you’d do.”

“What you really want is to experience what I’d do to you,” he said.

Her jaw dropped. She wasn’t used to having anyone be so candid with her. Naturally, she flirted. But it was always harmless. She’d better be careful with this guy, she thought. Still, her mind wondered for a minute if Michael Raines would give her what she’d been missing.

“You’re an open book, Darlene, and that makes you dangerous.”

She looked at him and said, “Please at least go back downstairs. Your standing here is embarrassing.”

“Of course.” To her surprise, he headed down stairs.

Almost immediately after Darlene came back downstairs, the doorbell rang. Michael quickly reached the door to open it. He checked the deliveryman’s identification, accepted the food and reached into his pocket for his wallet.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Darlene said as she rushed to the door and handed the deliveryman a twenty-dollar bill. “Keep the change,” she said.

The man looked first at the money and then at Darlene. “It’s only eleven bucks, ma’am.”

“And I said keep the change,” she replied to the astonished deliveryman. He looked at the money again, shook his head from side to side, smiled and left.

Michael did nothing to restrain the grin that spread over his face. “I don’t like you, Detective Raines,” she said.

He laughed harder, then looked her in the eye. “That may be the biggest lie you ever told. Say you’re irritated or even furious with me, and I’ll believe you. But, damn it, you like me. And another thing. Nobody calls me Detective Raines except my mother. If you want a response from me, call me Mike.”

“But that’s what you said your name is,” she told him.

A scowl altered the elegant contours of his face. “It’s on my official title, but that doesn’t mean I like it. Call me Mike!”

“Since we all have to be here together, can’t we be friends?” Boyd asked in his soft, gentle voice.

“That would require civility on all of our parts,” Darlene said, mainly to annoy the detective. “I’m not sure that Michael is capable of that.”

“Oh, no,” Boyd began. “He’s always kind to me. If you don’t upset him, he’s very gentle.”

“Thanks, Boyd. You’re right,” Darlene said. “I’ve learned that you can calm a rambunctious child by tiptoeing around the little brat.”

He knew she was deliberately goading him, and he could give as good as he got, but he’d be damned if he’d let her know that she was getting to him. “I’m surprised that you have any children,” he said, disappointed at the possibility that she was married. “It seems a bit too much for you to have gotten a law degree, pursued a career as an attorney, hooked a husband and had children.”

From the change in her demeanor, he could see that he had hit a nerve. “What are you suggesting?”

He wasn’t sure, but it sounded like she was grinding her teeth. “What’s the matter?” He didn’t bother to suppress a roguish grin. “In over your head?”

“Michael, I’m twenty-nine. I have two degrees and no children.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Does that mean you’ve got a man? When does a busybody like you have time for a man?”

He’d upset her with that crack. It was over the line, and he wished he hadn’t said it. Her beautiful face seemed to lose its elegance, and even as he looked at her, her dark eyes lost their luster. He wanted to put his arms around her and…

“You’re trying to take my mind off the fact that you’re unlawfully detaining me.” She looked at her watch. “Damn! I should have taken my medicine an hour ago. It’s in my hotel room, and if I don’t take it soon, I could have a seizure.”

He threw up his hands. “Sure, and the Mississippi River runs right through Washington, D.C. I’m not falling for that. Besides, if it were true, you’d carry your medication with you. Try another tactic.”

“Aren’t you going to eat?” she asked him. “No food, no feelings and no fun?” She grinned. He tried to ignore her. He was trying to protect her, as well as Boyd Farmer. If she walked out of that house alone, she’d likely walk into trouble.

“Before this is over, you may need my help.”

“Let’s all try to get along,” Boyd said. He looked at Mike, who didn’t seem interested. “Oh, by the way, would you please ask your relief to bring a can or two of deep-roasted Columbian coffee and a gallon of milk?”

Mike walked to the window, looked out and turned to Boyd. “I’ll bring the coffee and milk when I come tomorrow morning.”

Mike noticed Darlene’s sudden interest and figured that as soon as his replacement arrived, she’d try to escape.

“Don’t even think about it, Darlene. Cody Johnson won’t be half as nice to you as I am. If you try to pull a stunt, or even if you give him any lip, he’ll take you down to the station and let you cool off in the lockup.”

“But I haven’t done anything,” she said, her big eyes clouding with the threat of tears. Quickly, he turned his back to avoid feeling any sympathy if she began to cry.

“Then I suggest you cooperate.”

“Look. I’m tired.” She placed the tray that contained the remains of her lunch—hardly touched—on the coffee table and got up. “It’s been one long day.”

“If you need anything, let me know,” Boyd said. “I usually eat dinner around seven, so I’ll wake you up about six, and we can order takeout.”

“Thanks, Boyd.” She reached for her pocketbook.

“That stays right there,” Mike said. “Right where I can keep an eye on it.”

“Why does knowing my pocketbook is in your care make me unhappy?”

“It’s a pity that she has to stay here, Mike,” Boyd said. “She’s such a lovely young lady.”

He couldn’t deny that. As she walked up the stairs, the sway of her hips showed Boyd and Mike how a master choreographer perfected a dance. Mike uttered an expletive under his breath.

“Do you think she’ll go to sleep?” Boyd asked Mike.

Mike threw up his hands. “Trust me, she won’t do anything that sensible. I’ll sleep on that sofa over there tonight, in case she tries something foolish.”

“I like her,” Boyd said.

“What man wouldn’t,” Mike retorted. “That doesn’t mean you can let your guard down. Many a crook has sent a beautiful woman to do his work for him.”

Darlene did not have rest in mind. She quietly walked up the stairs, paused at the guest room, turned and looked toward the stairs to see if Mike had followed her. When she saw that he hadn’t, she opened and then closed the door to give the impression that she’d gone inside the room. Then she tiptoed down the hall and peeped in what she assumed was the master bedroom, a very masculine setting with a big mahogany sleigh bed, a Bokhara rug and wood blinds. She stepped in, looked in the bathroom and shook her head. No possibility there. She left the master and looked in the next room. The room next door didn’t offer an opportunity for escape, either. Even if she managed to get out, the window was at the front of the house, and she’d be caught.

She saw a door slightly ajar at the end of the hall, peeped in and saw a spa bath. Figuring that if she stepped into the Jacuzzi, she could stand on the edge of it to reach the window, which did not seem to be locked, she decided to risk it. She sat on the edge of the treadmill, pulled off her four-inch heels and stepped into the tub. After an exhausting struggle balancing precariously on the edge of the Jacuzzi, she managed to raise the window about eight inches. She grabbed the windowsill, pushed her body upward, closed her eyes and got as much as her shoulders out of the window.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, woman? Are you trying to kill yourself? Not even a fool would deliberately plunge headfirst into a rock garden!”

She didn’t realize that her skirt hem had crawled nearly to her waist until she felt his strong fingers clasp her thighs. As scared as she was, the feeling of his hands, gentle but firm, sent shock waves through her body. With one hand just below her buttocks and the other under her armpits, he pulled her body inch by inch back into the room.

“This window won’t open any farther,” he said, “and I don’t want to hurt you. Try to move your head to the side so that I can get you in here without bruising you.”

“Nobody asked you to do this,” she said, fuming at having been caught. “Take your hands off me.”

“Now you listen to me, Darlene. If you’d been successful, you’d be dead by now. Jumping feetfirst would have rewarded you with a broken leg and maybe a severely injured spine, but headfirst…” He pulled her in a bit more. “I’ve tried to protect you, but you don’t believe you’re in jeopardy. If I open that front door and give you permission to leave, I guarantee that you wouldn’t reach the end of this block without being followed. If you were lucky enough to get to your hotel, you’d be a sitting duck there.”

“Nobody would bother me in that hotel.”

His left hand cradled the back of her head as he eased her feet to the bottom of the Jacuzzi.

“Don’t ever do anything like that again,” he said, still holding her in his arms.

Embarrassed, frustrated and flustered, intending to give him one of her razor-sharp barbs, she looked up at him and gasped. Every inch of her skin, every nerve in her body responded to the fiery turbulence in his eyes. She couldn’t move and didn’t want to.

“You…uh…you can put me down now.”

With his hand at the back of her head, he stared down into her eyes. “That isn’t what you want, and it is definitely not what I want.” His lips were an inch from hers.

“Open your mouth and take me in.”

“P-put m-me down. I…” His lips parted, and his masculine aura enveloped her until, nearly out of her mind with a strange, peculiar need for him, her hands went behind his head and brought his mouth to hers.

“Kiss me, baby.” The hoarseness of his voice communicated a sense of urgency. She pulled him into her mouth and tasted him as if she’d never had anything so good. His tongue began to dip and sample every crevice of her mouth, teasing and tantalizing her until the heat at her core made her thighs tremble. He didn’t spare her, and when his hand went to her breast, she clasped the back of it, pressing it to her flesh. He rubbed her nipple until she was ready to beg him to take it into his mouth. But when his other hand went to her buttocks, she came to herself and moved back. He released her at once.

But he brought her back to him in a gentle hug that heightened her desire. “You didn’t intend for it to go that far, and neither did I, but don’t tell me you’re sorry.”

“I’m not in the habit of lying, Detective—I mean Mike.”

“So you’re not sorry?”

She stepped out of his embrace and put on her shoes. “A lot of good being sorry would do. I just want to get back home.”

He began to readjust his clothing, revealing taut muscular abs. He was the epitome of the kind of man she’d dreamed of.

“Some people kiss and tell. It seems you kiss and run.”

Without thinking, she threw her left shoe at him. “You know exactly how to get on my last nerve.”

“I don’t get on your nerves, Darlene. I remind you that you’re a woman, and you don’t want to think about that.” He picked up the shoe and handed it to her.

Darlene jumped up. With her body inches from his, she wagged her finger in his face. “If you say something like that to me again, I’ll…I’ll…”

He grabbed the moving finger. “You’ll what? Come, let’s go downstairs. Boyd probably thinks I’ve killed you.”

“You’re probably right,” she said. “I suspect he’s not dealing with a full deck, but he’s such a sweet man. I like him.”

He took her hand and then dropped it. “Yeah. I like him, too. A lot, and as long as I have this job, nobody’s going to harm him.”

A frown creased her face. Did Mike think her capable of harming Boyd, or anyone else? She left his side and rushed down the stairs ahead of him, annoyed with herself for having what, until that moment, had been for her a tender, sweet and memorable kiss.

He bounded down the stairs behind Darlene and stepped in front of her. “What tripped your trigger this time?”

With a toss of her head, she walked around him. “You do that more easily than anybody I ever knew.”

“I don’t doubt it. Let me know when you figure out why.”

“Are you all right, Darlene?” Boyd asked her. “What happened? I don’t think you had time to get a little rest.”

“No, I didn’t. But Michael, I mean Mike, wanted to be certain that I stayed in line, so he came up to check on me. I think I’ll stay down here so that he can keep an eye on me.”

“She means I caught her trying to escape out of the window. Tonight, she sleeps down here on the couch.”

“Oh, my,” Boyd said. “I do wish the two of you would be friends.”

“Thanks, Boyd, but try being friends with an angry lion and see where you end up. I should be allowed to make a call.”

“Stop worrying. I called your brother Clark, and he said you’re getting precisely what you deserve, because you’re nosy and you’re always getting into things that aren’t your business.”

She glared at him. “You telephoned my brother? How’d you find him, and who told you I have a brother?”

Mike lifted his right shoulder in a quick and dismissive shrug. “It appears that the Cunninghams of Frederick, Maryland, are well-known. I’m a police detective. There isn’t much I can’t find out.”

“I could dislike you a lot.”

She wanted to wipe the smug expression off his face.

“But you won’t. You’re a smart lawyer, and that means you have a good memory. I’m betting you won’t be able to forget what happened upstairs for a long time.”

She opened her mouth to deny it, but she was a good lawyer, and she couldn’t lie. Without saying a word, she sat down and looked away from him.

Chapter 2

The doorbell rang. Mike started toward the front door, stopped and turned to Darlene. “Stay put and don’t say a word. It could be anybody, and you could be in danger.” He put his right hand under the left side of his jacket and went to the door.

“Hey, man, am I glad to see you,” he said after slipping the chain and opening the door. “I need to pick up a few things. There isn’t a bit of coffee in this house.”

Mike led another man into the room.

“You can bring some when you come tomorrow morning,” the other man said.

“I’m thinking of changing things here. You have a family, and I don’t. This is a four-bedroom house, so I can bunk here,” Mike said as he led the other man, presumably his replacement, into the living room. “Come on in, and I’ll introduce you to the latest addition to our problem. Detective Cody Johnson, this is attorney Darlene Cunningham.” Cody walked over to Darlene and looked at her, though he didn’t offer to shake hands.

“How’d you get involved in this?”

“I rang the doorbell, Boyd let me in and his honor over there detained me. I’m grateful that I’m not in handcuffs.”

“I see you’re full of attitude. You’ve got a mouth on you, too.” Cody turned to Mike. “How’d she get past you?”

“That’s one of the things that’s bothering me, Cody. A green Jaguar cruised slowly past here three times yesterday. This morning, it came by again, slowing almost to a crawl when it passed this house, so I followed it until it turned into Route 61 and headed toward Mississippi. That took me away for about fifteen minutes. When I got back here, Ms. Cunningham was about to leave. I’m not certain that her arrival at precisely that time wasn’t planned.”

Cody rubbed his chin with his right thumb and index finger. “I see.” He walked over to Boyd. “How’s it going, man?”

“Wonderful, Cody. Darlene is a lovely woman and so pleasant.”

“I guess you or any other man would say that after weeks of only Mike and me for company.”

Cody Johnson had spent a quarter of a century in the Memphis police force. He’d worked his way up to the job of detective, which he’d held for the past six years. At fifty years of age, he was a hardened lawman, though fair and honest. He walked back to Darlene. “Detective Raines is in charge of this operation, but when it comes to dealing with criminals, I take a backseat to no man. So, if you haven’t committed a crime, be sure to maintain that record on my watch. If you do, I’ll handcuff you and take you to jail.”

“What kind of crime can I commit with you watching my every move?”

“Resisting an officer is a crime.”

“I’m a practicing attorney. Thanks for educating me.”

Mike watched the interplay between Darlene and Cody and concluded that Darlene wouldn’t last five hours in the house with Cody. She couldn’t resist being a smartass, and Cody wouldn’t tolerate it.

“I’ll go home, pack a bag and pick up some food for Boyd. I should be back here in about two and a half hours. So call Gail and tell her you’ll be home for dinner.”

“Works for me, man. I’d hate to have to arrest Ms. Cunningham, but with her mouth, she’ll be in that jail on Haley Road before it gets dark,” Cody said.

Mike walked over to Boyd. “Since I’m going to the supermarket for coffee and milk, what else do you need?

“Thanks for asking, Mike. We need bread, some more brioche, butter and…” He looked at Darlene. “What do you like to eat for breakfast?”

“I’ll eat whatever you have, but I love any kind of berries, scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.”

Boyd looked at Mike.

“Okay. Okay. I get the message,” Mike said. “See you later.” He headed to the door. Then, as in an afterthought, he went back to Darlene. “Darlene, please obey Detective Johnson. I wouldn’t want you to spend a night in a Shelby County jail. But if he takes you there, I’ll know you deserved it.”

He didn’t feel any better for having warned her again, since he knew that being a smartmouth was as much a part of her as breathing. He knew he’d better get back there in a hurry.

He could have released her at once, and perhaps he should have, because he didn’t believe she knew anything about the case involving Boyd. But she went there seeking information—according to her—and hadn’t told him what she was looking for or why. He’d acted according to the law, and he wouldn’t allow his physical attraction to her to lure him into doubting his professional judgment.

He put his key into the door of his apartment, but the door opened before he could open it. “Mr. Raines, I didn’t know you’d be here this evening,” Jessie, his housekeeper, said. “This whole place is torn up. The carpets, bedding and cushions have to be aired out and cleaned every so often. Ain’t no place for you to sit down.”

He patted her shoulder. “Not to worry. I’m on stakeout tonight and for how long I don’t know, maybe two nights, maybe a month.”

She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him. “You be careful now. You hear?”

“I’ll do that, Jessie. What kind of coffee do you buy for me?”

“Any deep-roasted Columbian coffee is good.” She wrote down the brand that she bought and handed him the note. “I think this is the best around here.”

“Thanks.” He went to his room, packed what he’d need for three days and came back to the den, where Jessie was polishing furniture. “You have my private number in case you need me. I’ll be in touch.”

“Yes, sir. I sure hope it’s air-conditioned where you gonna be.”

“I’ll be comfortable. See you.” After he got behind the wheel of his silvery gray SUV, he wished he’d remembered to ask Jessie which supermarket she usually went to. He stopped at the first big supermarket he saw, bought the items on his list along with two six-packs of beer, two bags of Cajun-style corn chips and a bag of his favorite candy bars.

“If I’m gonna be held hostage by temptation, I may as well have something to divert my attention,” he said aloud while storing his purchases in the trunk of his car.

“That was pretty fast,” Cody said when Mike returned after less than two hours.

“Stay for a cup of coffee, Cody. Mike makes wonderful coffee,” Boyd said. He looked at Mike. “I hope you remembered what Darlene likes for breakfast.”

He didn’t like being put on the spot in Cody’s presence, so he shrugged to give the appearance of disinterest. “I bought what you asked me to buy.”

“Good,” Boyd said. “Will you make us some coffee?”

Mike wondered, not for the first time, if Boyd was really mentally challenged or very shrewd. He could tell Boyd to make the coffee himself, but he’d hate the taste of it. “Sure. As soon as I put this stuff away,” he said. He quickly stored his stuff in one of the spare bedrooms, then made the coffee. Boyd relieved him of the job of serving it.

“If I have to have police protection, I hope Mike stays with me, because he is such a kind and considerate gentleman,” Boyd said to Darlene.

Cody cleared his throat. “Yeah, he is that, provided you don’t break the law or otherwise get on the wrong side of him.”

Mike knew Darlene was deliberately refusing to look at him. What had happened to her rambunctious behavior? Was this show purely for Cody’s benefit? Mike wondered if Darlene the hellion would reappear the moment his partner walked out the door.

“This is really good coffee,” Darlene said to Mike, interrupting his thoughts.

“Thanks. All I did was put coffee in the filter, put it over a coffeepot and pour boiling water over it. No sweat involved.”

“It’s good,” she said, looking at Boyd.

Just then, Cody emptied his cup and stood. “Good stuff, man. If you need me, you have my number.”

“Is he coming back?” Darlene asked Mike.

“Not tonight. I’ll be here tonight.” He looked at Boyd. “We’ve decided to stay inside for a while, instead of outside in the car. If the people who are after you don’t see one of us sitting out there, they may decide to show their hand.

“Nothing’s stopping them now. They could walk in just as Darlene did,” Boyd responded. “By the way, won’t they see your car out there? They’ll know you’re still here, won’t they?”

“I changed cars. They won’t recognize this one.” He looked at his watch. “It’s six twenty-five. Why don’t we watch the evening news?”

“When do we eat dinner?” Darlene asked them. “I’m getting hungry.”

“I guess you are,” Mike retorted. “You barely touched that stuff you ordered for lunch. Are you on a diet?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m not.”

“And you’re not taking any medicine, either?” When she shook her head, he became concerned. “I suspected that.” He softened his voice so as not to annoy her. “You seem subdued, and I’m not sure I like that. You’re a fighter. What happened while I was gone?”

“I’m tired,” she said, but he didn’t believe her. He went into the kitchen, ostensibly for more coffee, and called Boyd in for a private conference. “Did Cody and Darlene have a problem while I was gone?”

“Well, she managed to tell him that she didn’t like cops, and he told her he wasn’t going to babysit a smart-mouthed woman and that if she said anything else to him, she’d be in jail before you got back here. Then he took out the handcuffs and put them on the coffee table. I think she got the message.”

Mike couldn’t help feeling her pain, but he knew that, if pushed, he would do the same. He poured a second mug of coffee, added milk and took it to her.

She looked up at him, and smiled. “Thanks so much. I wanted some, but I didn’t feel that I should ask.”

In other words, the weight of her predicament had settled on her. “I hope this will soon be over, Darlene, and you can get on with your life.”

“There was no way that I could have avoided this, Mike. I need to verify my client’s alibi if I’m going to clear him. The information I have led me here. What was I supposed to do but come here?”

“I always check things out first. You should have done that before you came to Memphis. Develop a good relationship with a first-class detective and talk to him or her. Investigations require special training and experience, without which you can walk right into a trap.”

“I don’t know any detectives in Frederick.”

“There must be someone in Baltimore. This business is too dangerous for a neophyte.”

He saw that she took in every word he’d said and told himself to back off. Her safety was not his concern. In truth, he shouldn’t have cared whether she was in danger or not. But he might as well admit it: he didn’t want anything to happen to her, he thought to himself.

“Thanks, Mike,” she said. “I’m the youngest in a three-person firm. How can anyone develop professionally in that environment? I work there, because being a partner in the firm is worth ten times the experience I’d get as a lawyer working alone.

For some reason he had an overwhelming desire to protect Darlene, but that wasn’t his job. He was there to protect Boyd. “I suggest we order dinner. It’ll be nearly an hour before it arrives.” He looked at Darlene and winked. “I take it you don’t want what you had for lunch.”

He could see that she bristled. “Don’t remind me of that. I want a soup and salad.”

“Okay,” Mike said.

“What are you having?” Darlene asked Mike.

So she wanted to be friendly. Fine with him. “Probably a burger and fries.”

“I’ll have what Mike’s having,” Boyd said.

Mike paid careful attention to Boyd. He wanted to make sure Boyd, who was a witness in a high-profile drug case and in protective custody, made it to trial.

Darlene had realized that Cody Johnson wasn’t as accommodating as Detective Raines. She had prayed that Mike would soon return. She decided to refrain from annoying Mike so that he wouldn’t call in a replacement.

“Do you mind if I go to the bathroom and freshen up?” she asked Mike. “I wish I could change. I’m sick of these clothes.”

“You’ll find a white terry-cloth robe in the guest-room closet,” Boyd said. “Why don’t you take off your shoes and let your feet rest? You won’t mind, will you, Mike?”

“Check out the guest room,” Mike said to Darlene. “You might be surprised by what you find?”

She slowly went up the stairs, suspicious that Mike didn’t follow her. In the guest-room closet, she found the terry-cloth robe and a pair of white furry slippers. Unfortunately, they were too small for her feet. In the bathroom, which was painted and tiled in gray, she found the makings of a luxurious bath. She wrapped her hair in a towel, filled the tub, sprinkled the bath salts in the water and stepped in. Enormous bubbles covered her body, and she closed her eyes as the scent of one of her favorite perfumes filled the room. Within minutes, she fantasized that Mike Raines’s strong fingers were stroking her legs. Then they moved boldly to her thighs. She parted them, and his fingers went into her, gently massaging her. She wet her lips and a moan escaped her lips, bringing her to her senses.

“My Lord!” she exclaimed aloud. “Have I lost my mind?”

She got out of the tub, dried off, washed her face and dried it with a plush gray towel. She examined the silver hairbrush on the dressing-room table, decided that it was clean and its bristles strong. She tamed her hair with it, then dressed again in the clothes she had been wearing earlier. She started down the stairs and saw Mike coming up.

“It hasn’t been forty minutes,” she said when they stood side-by-side on the same step.

“”I know that.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“Oddly enough, I do.”

“Then—”

Without a word he pulled her closer and bent toward her lips. Still hot from her lovemaking fantasy, tremors shot through her and her breath caught short. When she wet her lips, he picked her up and carried her back to the guest room and closed the door.

“This doesn’t make a bit of sense to me, Darlene, but I want you.”

“I hoped that you’d come back. I don’t know what I’d have done if it had been someone else for the rest of the stakeout.”

“Because of Cody?”

“No. Because I wanted you. I can still feel your hands on my body easing me through that window. I can—”

His tongue slid along the seams of her lips and frolicked there for a second before she opened her mouth and sucked him in. He tasted and tested every crevice and every centimeter of her mouth, until she felt the warmth ease down her leg as she undulated her body against him. He pulled her closer, and she feasted on him as more heat plowed through her. She rocked against him. Frantic for more of him, she grabbed his hand and rubbed it against her aching nipple. Mike plunged his hand into the neckline of her blouse and tortured her nipple. When she moaned aloud, he lifted her, braced himself against the doorjamb and sucked her nipple into his greedy mouth. She held his head to her and let him feast until the feel of his arousal brought her to her senses.

She pushed against his chest. “Oh, no. I’m sorry, Mike. I didn’t mean for this to happen, but I was still… I mean I’d been thinking… Oh, I don’t know what I mean.”

He set her on her feet, adjusted her blouse and caressed her cheek.

“I can’t believe I went crazy like that, Mike. I’ve never in my whole life felt like that. I’m—”

“When were you thinking of me? Just before you met me on the steps,” he whispered.

She could lie or she could get mad at him. She did neither. “A few minutes before you met me on the stairs. How did you know?”

“Because your face blushed with color, and you wouldn’t look me in the eye. What do you mean you never felt that way before?”

“I haven’t.”

“I see. Is there a man in your life now?”

She buried her face in the curve of his neck. “No one.”

“There’s a strong physical attraction between us, Darlene, and I think we ought to see where it takes us. What about it?”

“I don’t know. I live in Maryland, and you’re here. Besides, I’m not sure I want a guy who can make me do what I just did.”

He stepped back and stared at her. “I hope you’re kidding. You want to be with a man who can’t fire your passion? That makes no sense to me.”

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go downstairs before Boyd decides we’re up to something. Besides, won’t he sneak out?”

“No. He’s afraid to do that. You never answered my question.”

“But we don’t know each other, Mike.”

“Right. And I’m asking that you give us a chance to get to know each other. I want to know what makes you happy, what ticks you off, angers you, saddens you, your hobbies, your joys, secrets, likes and dislikes. Are you a Republican or a Democrat?”

“Don’t insult me by even suggesting that I could be a Republican.”

“At least I know that much.” He put an arm around her. “Our food should be here any minute. Come on.”

He paid for the food, and she neither objected nor questioned him about it. The three of them ate before sitting down to watch a movie. At about nine o’clock, Boyd announced that he was going to bed.

“You take the guest room, Darlene, and Mike—” said Boyd.

“I’m sleeping down here on the sofa.”

“Sure,” Boyd said. “The sofa opens into a double bed. See you tomorrow morning. Good night, Darlene. I’m sorry you have to be here, but in a way, I’m glad you came. You brighten the place.”

Darlene watched as he climbed the stairs—almost jauntily, she thought.

“He seems happy,” Darlene said to Mike when they were alone.

“I think he is. He likes you a lot. You’re gracious and…well, gentle with him.”

“So are you.”

“I’m just being myself. A woman expresses gentleness quite differently than a man. Besides, he doesn’t want me fussing over him, but your little pats on his arms and his shoulders make him feel cherished.”

She walked over to Mike and gave his shoulder a soft caress. “Did that make you feel cherished?”

His eyes darkened, and his nostrils flared. “Unless you want to spend the night on this sofa with me, get up those stairs.”

She cocked her head to the side and exhaled deeply. “Nobody orders me around, Mike. I’ll go up the stairs when I get ready.”

“If you’re trying to see what I’m made of, you’re moving in the right direction. I want to make love to you, and if you don’t get up those stairs now, I will.”

“Don’t be so sure.”

“I know the music that makes you dance, and I’m skilled at playing it.” He walked toward her, but she stepped backward until her back touched the arm of the sofa. The next minute she was lying on her back, and he was standing over her. “What will it be, Darlene? This isn’t a time for teasing.”

She raised her right hand to him. “Please help me up. I want to kiss you good-night, but I’m scared to.”

He helped her up and wrapped her in his arms, but before she could return the caress, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips and released her. “Sleep well, baby. By the way, I forgot to give you this travel-size toiletry pack. I bought it at the supermarket.”

Her arms went around him. “You’re so sweet. It’s just what I needed. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, his voice rough and shaky. “Now, go on upstairs.”

She parted her lips over his and took his tongue into her mouth. “Night.” She ran up the stairs. He didn’t know it, but, as mad as he made her sometimes, she didn’t see herself ever forgetting about him.

Mike opened the sofa bed and smiled. He had expected to have a miserable night’s sleep on a sofa with his feet hanging off it, but the large mattress guaranteed comfort. He took a shower and headed back downstairs as quickly as possible, carefully avoiding the room in which Darlene slept. For whatever reason the woman was temptation personified. But not even the thoughts of her soft and willing body tight in his arms was going to make him violate his official oath—to serve and protect. Bad enough that he’d kissed her while on duty, but he was not going further than that.

He checked the front and back doors, turned off the lights and slipped between the sheets, irritated that for modesty’s sake, and in the event of an emergency, he had to sleep in pajama bottoms. He loved the feel of his naked flesh against cool, clean sheets. He closed his eyes and told himself to sleep—a routine that usually guaranteed he’d doze off quickly. But instead of sleeping, he spent the next two hours tossing and turning, half-awake. Exhausted, he sat up and turned on a light. He knew the symptoms had to do with Darlene and his sexual frustration. What had caused him to think such a thing? After drinking a glass of warm milk, he got back in bed and was soon asleep.

He awakened, groggy and tired. “Wake up, Mike. I brought you a cup of coffee,” Boyd said. “It’s not as good as yours, but it will wake you up.”

“Thanks, Boyd. What time is it?”

“Seven-thirty, and I just heard Darlene upstairs, so you’d better get dressed.”

He sipped the coffee. “You’re improving. This is good.” He got up, dressed, made the bed, closed the sofa bed and drank the remainder of the coffee. What had Boyd Farmer been like before his life was turned upside down by the witness protection program? The question had begun to bother him. Boyd was no different than any other person minding their own business only to have their life turned upside down after witnessing a murder. After washing up, Mike walked into the kitchen, where Boyd stood peeling a pineapple.

“Mind if I ask you a question or two, Boyd?”

“Nope. I may not answer, though,” he replied, continuing to cut the fruit.

“Who are your close relatives—for example, people you would want to be contacted if you got sick?”

Boyd stopped peeling the pineapple and looked directly at Mike. “I have two nieces, a nephew and a cousin, and I don’t want any of those vultures near me.”

Mike’s mouth dropped. “What? But—”

“Surprised you, didn’t I?”

“Absolutely. You mean if you died, you wouldn’t want your relatives to know?”

“Right. They wouldn’t care. Do you know how to make pancakes?”

“Yeah. I take ’em out of the box and pop ’em in a toaster.”

He hadn’t heard Boyd laugh before, and the sound of it surprised him. “I was hoping for some homemade.”

“I wondered where you two were. Good morning,” Darlene said.

“Good morning,” Mike responded. “Did you sleep well?”

“You bet I did. That bed is pure luxury. How’d you sleep down here?”

I fought the sheets half the night trying to deal with my passion for you, he said to himself. “Fine,” he said, and made himself grin.

“Have you ever made pancakes, Darlene?” Boyd asked. “I’d love to have some.”

Darlene rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. “Give me flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, salt, butter and fifteen minutes.”

Mike stared at her. “I wouldn’t have thought you could boil water.”

“I’ve been known to burn it,” she shot back. “Boyd, do you have any maple syrup?”

“Oh, yes. I’ll fry some bacon.”

Darlene looked at Mike, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Think you can set the table, Detective Raines?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Half an hour later, the three of them sat down to a breakfast of fresh pineapple, pancakes and bacon. “These pancakes are delicious,” Mike said.

“Oh, yes. They’re real good,” Boyd said. “I hate not going out, but having company for breakfast and dinner is better than going out by myself.”

Mike glanced at Boyd in time to see Darlene stroke his arm in a gesture of comfort. He could use some of that himself.

A loud crash interrupted this thoughts. He pushed away from the table. “Get under the table, both of you,” he said. He grabbed his revolver and ran to the hallway that led to the rear of the house. The sound came from the direction of the back of the house. The shattered windowpane told him that he’d guessed right. He unlocked the door and stepped outside just as a man attempted to scale the high fence and escape.

“Drop or I’ll shoot! I said drop!” The man fell to the ground. “And don’t move an inch.”

“My leg hurts.”

“Too bad. Get up, face that wall and don’t turn around unless you want a bullet.” He dialed the detective’s squad room. “This is Raines. I caught a guy scaling the wall after he tried to break in the back door at Boyd’s place.” He dialed Boyd’s number.

“Hello.”

“Boyd, this is Mike. I’m holding a guy out back here. If two policemen come to the door, let them in and show them the way to the back of the house.”

“Okay, but you be careful.”

“I’ve got it covered, Boyd.”

Within ten minutes, Cody Johnson and another officer arrived. “Good work, Mike,” Cody said. “We’ll take him off your hands.”

“But I have to file my report, so—”

“You’ve been up all night, man. It can wait until tomorrow. Breaking and entering will get him a nice rest, so one extra day won’t matter,” Cody said. “By the way, please give my regards to Miss Hellraiser.”

Although he winced at the dig about Darlene, Mike forced a grin. “I’ll do that. Thanks, buddy.”

Darlene held Boyd’s hand. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Whatever it is, I know Mike can take care of it.”

“You’re right,” Boyd said. “Ever since I met him, I wished I’d had a son like him.” He cleared his throat. “Darlene, I think I ought to tell you something. You’ve been so nice to me that I feel badly for not having been straight with you. I haven’t been straight with Mike, either.”

“What is it?” she asked cautiously.

“I’m under house arrest until I testify in a big case. That’s why I appreciate Detective Raines,” he said. “But after I testify I’m on my own or it’s the witness protection program.”

“What will you do?”

“I don’t know. I think that’s what’s behind these attempted break-ins. Pretty soon, Mike’s going to release you, but I want you to stay in touch and come visit me. I never married, so I don’t have any children. You’ll always be welcome here.” He was quiet for a moment. “You and Mike, work things out. He’s a good man, and you won’t find one like him every day. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, I hear you, and I’m sure that you’re going to be all right. Thank you for everything, Boyd.”

“Something serious seems to be developing between you two. Don’t ignore it.”

They both walked to the front of the house. Darlene followed Boyd to the front door. “Detective Johnson, what’s happened? Is Mike…Detective Raines all right?”

“You bet. We came to arrest the intruder.”

She let out a long sigh. “Thank God.” Cody regarded her suspiciously, wondering if anything was going on between his partner and her. Even so, it could have been that she was relieved nothing serious had happened to Mike.

“Come with me,” Boyd said. At that, Cody’s eyebrows shot up, and he looked around as if assuring himself that he was in the right place. Boyd was not behaving like a man who was under house arrest.

Darlene followed them down the hall to the door that led to the rock garden, stepped outside and satisfied herself that Mike was indeed safe. Later, after Cody and his partner left with the assailant, Mike sat down with Darlene and Boyd.

“The officers at the station will be arraigning the suspect, Darlene, and if they can detain him, you’ll be free to leave. Until then, I’m still on duty here. However, if you or Boyd would like to get some fresh air in the garden back here, I’ll be glad to go with you. I think he’s the guy I’ve seen driving past here, but I want to wait for the police report.”

“Let’s order some lunch,” Boyd said. “By the time it gets here, I’ll be hungry.” Once it was delivered, the three of them sat on benches in the rock garden enjoying the fountains and the birds that came to use the birdbath. After a while, Boyd decided to go into the house to get some bird feed.

“I guess this the end for us, Darlene. I was hoping that somehow you’d stay a little longer. I want a chance to know you and to show you who I am. Though since I’ve met you, I’m no longer certain that I know myself.”

She stroked the back of his hand. “I guess the biggest surprise has been my reaction to you, Mike.”

He took both of her hands. “Don’t you want to get to know me?”

“Yes, but you scare me, because I don’t know what you’ll do.”

“If you’re talking about the Mike who kissed you last night, trust me, the better you get to know him, the happier you’ll be…that is, if I’m the guy who teaches you.”

“But what about the distance between Maryland and Memphis?”

“If the planes don’t fly, I can always drive. If you tell me I can see you, believe me, I’ll be there.”

“Why, Mike? We hardly know each other.”

“Darlene, this is something you should know about a man and a woman—it only takes a moment. For me, that moment was when I opened that door as you were about to leave.” He stared hard at her.

Chapter 3

Darlene had hoped that Mike would not receive the call from the police station for at least another day. But shortly after lunch—about three hours after Mike had apprehended the suspect—Mike got the news that the man would be arraigned and that he no longer needed to detain Darlene.

“You’re free to leave here whenever you like, Darlene,” Mike told her. She sat still, looking at him, unaware of the disheartened expression on her face. “You don’t seem happy about the prospect of leaving,” Mike said. “If you’d like, I’ll drive you to the Peabody Hotel.” There was an officer outside who would continue to watch Boyd.

“I’ve been in another world for two days,” she said, “and I realize now that it’s been pleasant and I…I feel as if I’m leaving friends.”

Mike narrowed his eyes, spread his knees and clasped them with the palms of his hands. “Friends, eh?”

Neither of them was prepared for Boyd’s laughter. “That’s what I was thinking,” he said.

Darlene got up and walked toward Boyd, who stood as she approached. “I don’t have anything to pack,” she said to no one in particular. She smiled and hugged the older man. “I’m glad I met you. I wouldn’t have missed knowing you for anything.” She kissed his cheek. “Before I leave Memphis, I’ll be in touch.” Then she picked up her handbag and turned to Mike. “I’m ready.”

Once they were settled, he started the car, turned on the air-conditioning and pulled away from the curb. “I don’t feel like driving you to the hotel and leaving you there,” he said.

She hadn’t thought that Mike would feel anxious about her leaving, or that he would feel as uneasy as she felt. I’ve learned more about myself in the past two days than in the past ten years, she thought to herself. “I told you that I’ll stay in touch, Mike. If it’s at all humanly possible, I keep my word,” she said. She could almost feel him relax.

“When are you returning to Maryland, and what will you do for the remainder of your stay?”

“After I look over my notes, I’m going to get the information that I came here to get, and I hope that won’t take more than an additional day.”

“Be careful. If I can help, let me know.”

He stopped the car in front of the hotel and put his official police ID against the windshield. He wrote something on the back of his card and handed it to her. “Don’t lose that. For obvious reasons, my phone number is unlisted.” He got out of the car and went around to open her door. “I know it’s old-fashioned, but I like to open doors for women when they’re special to me,” he said.

“How many women are special to you?”

He tweaked her nose. “You are. I’ll walk you to your room.”

She appreciated his courtesy, but she also wanted to work. And she didn’t think that she would accomplish much if he were in her room with her.

At the desk, she asked for another room key and got a knowing look from the desk clerk, who handed her the card key along with a handful of messages. Once they reached her door, she tried to avoid looking at him.

“Why can’t you look at me?” he asked, as he closed the door behind them.

She looked up at him and breathed deeply. She didn’t see the fiery passion that had burned in his eyes the night before, but rather a tenderness, a sweetness that she had never before seen in any man’s eyes. She automatically moved toward him and welcomed the loving warmth of his arms around her and the feel of his hands on her body.

“Darlene, I’d like to have dinner with you tonight,” he whispered, hugging her.

“You’ve practically guaranteed that I’ll say yes. I’m no match for you.”

He moved back an inch and stared into her face until her blood began to warm her veins in a mad race to her loins. As if he read her reaction to him, he brushed her lips with his, and she opened to him. Then he plundered her lips and possessed her until her body slumped against him.

“If I don’t get out of here… I’ll never be able to leave.” He kissed her quickly and left without waiting for her response. Shaken, she quickly drank two glasses of cool water to calm herself.

She read the messages left at the front desk from her brother and sister and her law partners, and sent a text message to each of them. Then she studied her notes. Satisfied that the trip wasn’t a total loss, she contacted some of the others on her list and arranged to meet them. She had most of the information she needed to confirm her client’s alibi with just a few phone calls.

Darlene was excited as she contemplated dinner with Mike. She decided to wear an off-the-shoulder chiffon dress that fit her body like a glove. She added pearl earrings, lipstick that was the same rose color of her dress, and a dab of perfume to complete her ensemble. Her hair hung in soft curls below her shoulders.

Darlene jumped when the phone rang a few minutes before seven. It was the front desk. She had a visitor. Darlene could barely contain her excitement. “I’ll be right down,” she said.

Mike stood facing the elevator when she stepped out of it, and his eyes shone like brilliant stars. He handed her a bouquet of tea roses and kissed her cheek. “You are beautiful,” he said.

“You look wonderful, Mike. I’m glad to be with you.”

“Hey, that’s my line.” He walked with her to the desk and handed the bouquet to the clerk. “Please have someone put these in Ms. Cunningham’s room.”

“Yes, sir,” the man said.

“We’re going to Equestria. I like the atmosphere there, and you’re so lovely you deserve a restaurant that is as beautiful as you.”

“Thank you.” She wanted to let him know how much his thoughtfulness had touched her, but no other words came.

He reached over and pressed her body to him. “Why are you nervous? I want to know where that sassy, rambunctious woman is hiding.”

“I can’t help you,” she said, “because I don’t know anyone like that.”

He listed some of the smart-mouthed comments she’d made, adding, “Please don’t do away with her. That woman whets my appetite.” She wasn’t about to reply to that.

He drove along Forest Hill Irene Road and stopped at a gray-and-red one-story building, surrounded by trees and shrubs. She knew before they reached the door that he was taking her to a special place.

“I’m sorry they don’t have live music here,” he said as they followed the maître d’ to their table. “We can go dancing afterward if you like.”

“It’s a beautiful place,” she said. “I could sit here with you all evening.”

“I hope you’re trying to make me feel like a king, because that’s what you’re doing.”

“Why not? Every woman wants a king.”

“I think I’ll stay on the safe side and not touch that one. What time does your flight leave tomorrow?”

“Three-twenty, which means I won’t get to say good bye to Boyd. I hate that.”

“You want to stop by after dinner and spend half an hour with him? Then we can drop by the Cappricio, which is in the Peabody, catch some jazz and dance. What do you say?”

“I’d love that. Won’t Boyd be about ready to go to bed when we finish here?”

“Hardly. He plays solitaire on his computer until midnight. Then he gets a book and starts reading. He’s a very interesting man.”

“I know,” she said. “He’s such a sweet man. There ought to be a lot of people like him.”

“I gather he’s under police protection.”

“Please make sure nothing happens to him.”

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