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  “Because I saw you kissing her in the car,” he said through clenched teeth.

  So…that’s what puce looked like.

  “Did you throw the case so your girlfriend would win?”

  Now that pissed him off. “All these years. How in the hell can you even suggest something like that? I do my job, Dave. Sometimes that means working with the crap I was given in this case. It was all circumstantial at best and we both know that. Valerie put together one hell of a case. Hell, even I knew the man was not guilty.”

  Puce faded to just plain red as embarrassment swept over Dave. These were facts he couldn’t dispute. Then he lifted his chin, defiance blaring from his eyes. Russell knew the look well. Dave was determined to have the last word. “Then how do you explain this?”

  “That’s what I’m here to find out. I presume the detectives are ready?”

  “They are.”

  “Good.” Russell bypassed him and headed for the small conference room down the hall.

  Dave hurried after him. “The woman—”

  He snapped up his hand, effectively halting the words. “I’d like to hear it from them first this time.” Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice… That’s what had happened in the Estavarez case. Russell had fed into the bullshit evidence. Once in, he couldn’t back out. Maybe it was true and Estavarez was a rapist. If so, this time Russell was determined to have the evidence to back him up.

  The detectives deigned to glance up when Russell walked in with Dave hot on his heels. Mickey Jacks and Sean O’Connell. The vet and the rookie. At least that’s how Russell always thought of them. One didn’t care about rules and procedures. The other didn’t know enough about them to know any better. One thing they had in common was their superior, know-it-all attitude. Russell wasn’t in the mood for it tonight. Not that he ever had been.

  “What have we got?” He slid his briefcase onto the table, skidded out the metal chair and sat.

  Jacks flipped open the case folder with the tip of his beefy fingers. “Victim is twenty-five-year-old Caucasian female. Roommate called it in. The apartment door was unlocked, bedroom trashed, victim was unconscious.”

  “Photos?” Russell asked.

  “Not yet. Still processing the scene. Rape kit and other possible DNA evidence have been collected and are at the lab. Victim took a hard blow to the back of her head. We don’t know if she fell or someone bashed her. Vaginal and anal tearing. No semen. She’s still out cold. Doctors will call if and when she comes around. Roommate says she encountered Estavarez at a bar. Words were exchanged and victim scratched his face. Others in their parties pulled the two apart. Ten guesses what he said to her to make her go after him.”

  “I don’t want guesses, Detective. I want evidence. Good, solid evidence.”

  Jacks’ lip curled. Russell stared him down. “What’s the victim’s name?” he asked.

  O’Connell shuffled through the papers. “Teri Trent.”

  The name jolted through Russell. He kept a straight face, his emotions in check. What were the odds that the woman causing Valerie so much angst would be the victim? Had Estavarez done this to defend his savior? How would he know? Valerie hadn’t even mentioned her name to Russell. But then, she didn’t have to.

  Did this have Bev’s name written all over it? She didn’t tolerate the shenanigans Teri was trying to pull. Bev’s reputation for privacy and discretion was paramount. Without it they were all at risk. But to go to these lengths? Shit, he hated to think Bev could be that underhanded.

  “You pulled him in based on the altercation at the bar?” This wasn’t going to go well. Russell could see the train wreck coming.

  “Of course we did,” Jacks snapped. “She still had skin and blood under her nails.”

  Russell tapped his fingers on the worn gray table. “Could it possibly be from the rapist and not Estavarez?”

  Jacks slapped the file closed. “One and the same.”

  “Hmm.” Translation, fuck you. They were turning suppositions into fact just as they’d done before. “Where did you pick him up?”

  O’Connell cleared his throat. “His mother’s house.”

  “Why arrest him instead of bring him in for questioning?”

  Jacks’ sneer was back along with a snort. “Isn’t it obvious?”

  Not really. “How did you know he was at his mother’s?”

  More red faces, glances to the side. This answer was obvious. They’d been sitting on him. Which meant they either knew he was guilty or knew he wasn’t and didn’t care. Russell would pick at that thread later.

  “We can arraign him tonight,” Dave had the balls to say.

  Russell shook his head. “We don’t do a damn thing until I talk to his attorney.”

  “Make sure that’s all you do,” Dave mumbled, but it was loud enough everyone heard.

  Russell watched Jacks’ and O’Connell’s eyes bug out. He quietly damned his boss. His chances of telling Valerie privately about this dwindled by the second. His best bet was to keep the gossipmongers occupied until she was ready. Fortunately, it wasn’t a long wait. Valerie arrived within ten minutes, escorted by one of the uniforms.

  No one stood. Equals and all that. Russell wasn’t fond of that, especially since this was his woman. But he obeyed the protocol. She took the remaining seat beside him and greeted them with a curt nod.

  “Gentlemen.”

  Jacks and O’Connell muttered a response. Their eyes were riveted to her cleavage. Russell let them have their ogle. Valerie did have an impressive set of tits. Anything to distract them. Apparently she thought so too. He caught the extra dip as she sat, giving them a little more show. She even squeezed her breasts together a little more with her upper arms as she settled and kept them that way. He’d never been more proud. His only regret was that Dave was sitting next to him and couldn’t be just as enthralled.

  “Here’s the deal, gentlemen.” She flipped open her steno pad. “At seven o’clock this evening, the victim approached my client at a bar, called him a fucking rapist, then launched herself at him and gouged her fingernails down his face. There are a least twenty witnesses who can verify this plus surveillance video from the bar. That will also show that both parties left immediately thereafter.”

  She let the information sink in, then went on. “I can’t speak for the victim, but my client was then taken to his mother’s home where a surprise party had been planned on his behalf. There are time-stamped photos on multiple devices documenting his presence at the party from the moment he arrived until the two of you arrested him. At what point was he supposed to have committed this crime? Why did you not review the photos prior to his arrest? Or speak to those individuals who were clearly his alibis. Or talk with the bar owner. Look at his surveillance tape. I also have several individuals who saw the two of you outside the Estavarez home for a good portion of the night.”

  That tore their gazes from her chest. Neither had anything to say, not that they could have spit words out through their sealed-tight lips.

  “Let Estavarez go.” Dave shoved to his feet. “Now. And I mean now.”

  “I’m not finished.” Valerie flipped her pad closed. “At his family’s behest, Mr. Estavarez will be filing a civil suit against the department for false arrest and harassment. I’m not sure a stalking charge shouldn’t be added to that. Leave my client alone.”

  Jacks leaned as close as the table allowed. “You’ll be singing a different tune when the lab shows his DNA under her nails.”

  Valerie wasn’t intimidated in the least. She stood and hovered over the grizzled detective. “It’ll show she didn’t bother to wash her hands after she attacked him at the bar. Maybe she was smart enough to do the same with the man who raped her and we can finally find the man responsible for these vicious attacks. We’ve wasted enough time as it is. He’s been lying low all this time, being a good little man while he hoped Estavarez took the fall for him. Well let me tell you, I will not tolerate that happening to my cl
ient again. Neither will Casey Sullivan.”

  Ah, the name to strike fear in the hearts of all. A barracuda in civil lawsuits known to make mincemeat of her opponents.

  Valerie’s smile screamed lethal intent of her own. Hardcore enough to make their balls crawl inside their bellies. She would have made one of hell of a Domme if she swung that way. “She’s in the waiting room now with the Estavarez family.”

  O’Connell snickered. “Now you’re joshing. They couldn’t afford her.”

  Valerie stared him down. “Detective O’Connell, let me assure you I do not josh. Ms. Sullivan loves challenging pro bono work. And she’s oh so anxious to talk to the two of you.” She slid her briefcase off the table, gave them a nod and left the room.

  “Release him,” Dave spit out. Was that sweat on his upper lip?

  “Since we’re done here…” Russell followed Valerie’s exit, hoping to catch up to her.

  Unfortunately, Dave was right behind him. Jacks and O’Connell behind him. They trooped toward the business end of the station and parted ways once they got there. With Dave here, Russell didn’t need to ride herd over the detectives to see they released Estavarez in a timely fashion. Though he was tempted to hang around to hear what other bullshit they could come up with. Forewarned was forearmed. But if Dave decided to start running his mouth about Russell and Valerie… He didn’t want her caught off guard.

  He went to the waiting room first. No Valerie. But Casey Sullivan held court with the Estavarez family, just as Valerie had said. Strikingly beautiful as always, never a single strand of her long dark hair out of place. Never rattled. Never dressed in less than perfection. Had to be an android.

  He smiled at that, gave Casey a nod in greeting, which she returned, and went to the interrogation rooms in search of Valerie. The officer posted as guard pointed him in the right direction. Russell knocked on the door, then opened it a crack.

  Valerie’s frown deepened when she saw him. He knew she’d automatically think something had gone wrong with Estavarez’s release. Estavarez’s tear-ravaged eyes watched him. His hiccups were the only way Russell knew Estavarez wasn’t holding his breath.

  “I need a word,” Russell told her.

  She patted her client’s hand. “I’ll be right back. Don’t worry.” She gathered her things rather than leave them in place. Always cautious, his Valerie. So was Russell.

  “Problems?” she asked when she closed the door behind her.

  He cut right to it. “The victim is Teri Trent.”

  Confusion flickered in her eyes. She’d be processing possibilities the way he had. “That’s odd.”

  “We can dissect that coincidence later. Deacon saw us kissing.”

  Her shoulders drooped.

  “I didn’t confirm or deny,” he said. “I wanted us on the same page first. He accused me of throwing the case for my girlfriend.”

  That brought the fire back to her eyes.

  Russell smiled. “I set him straight…with both barrels.”

  A grin lifted one corner of her mouth.

  “How do you want to handle this one?”

  She thought a bit, then slowly shook her head. “We’ve done nothing wrong. Nothing unethical, really. We each presented our cases and the court decided. We had no interaction during that time. But…” She pressed her lips together, sighed and nodded. “I’m not running to my boss like a naughty little girl to confess all. We let this play out. Deal with it as it comes.”

  “They could crucify us,” he pointed out.

  “They could try.” Valerie chewed the inside of her cheek and stared at the floor. “All right.” She looked up. “We tell our bosses on Monday. No sense in them being blindsided.”

  “Agreed. I’ll let you get back to your client. I’ll be in the waiting room.”

  “Good god, Russell, they’ll eat you alive in there.”

  He grinned. “They could try.”

  She smothered a giggle behind her hand. “Hopefully I won’t be much longer. I doubt they’ll want to drag their heels on this one.”

  “Agreed.” Russell took a step away as she curled her hand around the doorknob. “By the way, nice to see the girls in action.” He waved his finger toward her breasts.

  Valerie grinned. “They don’t get to come out and play like that very often.”

  “Weapons of mass destruction are always best used with discretion. I only regret they weren’t turned on Dave.”

  “Ah, but the night is young. The girls are primed for action.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Good to know.”

  She edged close, pressing those beauties against his chest. If anyone walked by now, the news would be all over the station. They were lucky enough as it was that budget restraints hadn’t allowed for cameras in this area. “Don’t worry. You’re licensed and trained to use these weapons.”

  He glanced into the depths of her cleavage, thinking of how great it was going to feel later when his cock was between them. “I’ll see if I can’t hurry things along for you.”

  “Thank you.” She walked her fingers up his tie. “My gratitude would be undying.” The whispered word coiled around him.

  “You’re killing me. You know that, don’t you?”

  Valerie grinned and moved back. “Softly, I hope.”

  Now Russell leaned into her space. “Sweetheart, there’s nothing soft about it.”

  “Then my work here is done.” She dropped her gaze to his crotch. “For now.” After a flirty wink, she squared her shoulders, slipped her professional mask in place and returned to her client.

  Russell adjusted his erection to a more comfortable position, thanking the clothing gods for the second time tonight for the jacket that would obscure his predicament from those in the waiting room. He smiled as he ran the byplay of words through his mind. The woman could make him steel hard without even trying. Although, evidence of her own intrigue peaked from behind the barriers of bra and dress.

  A chill ran through him. His erection wilted. And he’d let her walk into that room with a suspected rapist.

  Fuck, he was no better than Jacks and O’Connell. Estavarez had been found not guilty. Not guilty doesn’t mean he’s innocent.

  Russell scrubbed his hand over his mouth, fighting the urge to barge into the room. No, he wouldn’t do it. He had to trust. He did an about-face and walked away.

  Trust. He could do this. But if Estavarez laid one finger on her he’d—

  Russell forced those thoughts out of his head too.

  Chapter Six

  Ricardo Estavarez had the maturity of a thirteen-year-old. There was more than one time Valerie considered having him examined to see if there wasn’t something wrong with him. Not that pleading insanity or incompetence would have mattered to the case. She didn’t need those defenses. That man, and she always used that term loosely, wasn’t guilty of these crimes.

  He sat across from her, bawling his eyes out, head buried in his hands. A puddle of tears lay on the table beneath him. She’d never known anyone to cry as much as he did. He wanted his momma. As always. He’d barely survived the six months in jail while his case was being heard. His family couldn’t afford bail and there’d been no choice. She’d held her breath the whole time, praying nothing happened to him while he was there. If something did, word never got back to her. On the surface it seemed he fared better behind bars than he would have at home and on the streets. Out less than twenty-four hours and look what happened. And it wouldn’t end here.

  God, this was what her life was going to be like—constantly babysitting Estavarez. She hoped Casey Sullivan took up the civil suit. It might scare the cops away and give Valerie some much-needed breathing room.

  She let Estavarez cry it out. God only knew why he was sobbing now. They were letting him go. All the hand-holding in the world wasn’t going to help. It never did. Still, she refused to leave him alone. She didn’t trust the detectives as far as she could throw them and wouldn’t put it past Jacks and O’C
onnell to drop by in her absence to chat. They’d have Estavarez all twisted up in next to no time, which was how he got into this whole mess to begin with.

  Valerie let her mind skip around to any of the other hundreds of things dancing a constant circuit in her head. Foremost was Russell. Tonight hadn’t turned out as she’d expected. Rather than finding themselves at odds again, it seemed they were finally on the same page. And the night to come promised…

  She shut those thoughts down. No tingling with delight allowed at work. That left her with dissecting the mystery of how Teri Trent wound up crossing paths with Estavarez, then finding herself a rape victim in a coma. Valerie believed in coincidence. This wasn’t it. Someone planned for this particular woman to do this particular thing. The questions were who and why? Logical suspect—Bev Renard. Well…logical suspect was herself, followed by Russell since Teri tried to drive a wedge between them with her gossip about how fine Russell was with Teri. But since they were together that left Bev.

  If that were the case it left the why easy enough to explain. Bev had a lot to lose by Teri running her mouth. If she’d blabbed to Valerie about having time with Russell, what else had she talked about and to whom? Valerie wasn’t privy to Bev’s full list of guests. Not everyone was comfortable in group play. She and Russell engaged less and less once they’d become a couple. The fact he’d returned to group play…

  Another thought shut down. It’d only dredge upset when they’d rediscovered their happy place.

  The bottom line was that Bev had a lot to lose. So did her clientele. What would she do to protect them? How far would she go to teach someone a lesson? And how in the world could Valerie and Russell find out? Or should they even try? Best-case scenario would be that Teri woke up and told the police who’d done this to her. Worst-case scenario would be that all hell would break lose if the assailant was Bev or someone connected to Bev. They’d all be toast then.

  Valerie laughed to herself. She and Russell were going to be toast come Monday anyway when word got out they were a couple. No win-win there. They could both be pounding the streets on Tuesday looking for work. Oh well, at least they’d be doing it together. There’s your win.