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  “I know you arrived at the police station with Cambridge. What else should I think?” he snapped.

  Telling him the truth was only going to make things worse at this point, so she told him about the car accident first. Another detail his sources had neglected to pass on.

  “Don’t you think it was a little odd him following you?” Phil asked. “Or was that planned? I saw you leave the party. I saw him follow you. Why else would he—”

  “Oh for pity’s sake, Phil.” He was going to find out sooner or later. It was best to get it out there before he found out from someone else.

  “Maybe you haven’t been approached yet,” he said before she could get a word in edgewise. “But look at it this way. You and Russell have been going for blood in the courtroom. You’re the last person he’d want to be around, unless he had another objective. What better way to eliminate a fierce opponent than to bring her on to their side? Why else would he leave a high-profile party right behind you? And I’m not the only one talking. The two of you had the place buzzing last night wondering how soon you’d come to blows.”

  “He’s my boyfriend, Phil. We’ve been on time-out for the duration of the trial. It hasn’t been easy and—”

  He burst out laughing, not the reaction Valerie expected.

  “That might have been true six months ago,” he said. “But no man likes to put up with the crap you threw at him during that trial. You kicked his ass all over the place. Trust me, a job offer’s coming. It’s the only way for him to win and save face.”

  Valerie clamped her mouth shut on a response. He’d sown enough doubt to make her wonder.

  “Looks like you’re the one who needs to watch her back, Val,” he said. “Sorry I went ape-shit crazy. I don’t want to lose my best asset. Whatever they offer, give me a chance to match it. See you on Monday.”

  And like that she was left staring at the phone again. Valerie warned herself against knee-jerk reactions. Phil was talking from his own selfish perspective. He didn’t know the relationship she and Russell had. No one did. Had, her conscience chided. A lot had happened. Words stabbed deep enough to fester, despite the fact they’d been said in the course of their respective jobs.

  Well, they’d talk it out, that’s all. Lay all the cards out there.

  She rubbed a sudden headache crawling down the back of her skull and returned to the kitchen. Russell sat there, massaging his temples. He looked up when she walked in.

  “About that elephant in the room,” he said.

  Which one? They were multiplying like rabbits.

  “There was a voice mail from Dave. Teri Trent died last night.”

  Her headache before was nothing compared to now. A part of her longed to say this wasn’t her business. Her conscience wouldn’t allow it, not if there was a chance Bev Renard knew something about the attack on Teri. “How do you want to handle this?” She set her phone on the table and started to clear from breakfast.

  Russell’s chair skidded backward. “I don’t know. It’s tricky no matter which way we go.” He took the plates from her. “I’ll get this. You pack up your baking for the sale.”

  She mumbled a thanks and focused on that task. Her mind was still a mish-mash of theories and worry. “It’s a huge coincidence to have Teri attack Estavarez only to wind up a victim in a crime that pointed a finger in his direction.”

  He stacked the dishwasher. “I can see Bev wanting to teach her a lesson, but not to that extent. And why involve Estavarez? There’s a bigger picture here. We’re just not seeing it.”

  “Can any of the previous victims be linked to Teri?” She turned in time to see him shrug.

  “That would be one option to explore. Makes more sense than thinking Bev had anything to do with it. It would explain why Teri went after him. That opened the door to the real perp going after her and framing Estavarez.”

  “Which doesn’t make much sense either,” she said. “Granted, I’m not a profiler but this man has had to lay low all this time while Estavarez went to trial. There’s been no activity in our area of a similar nature. You’d think he’d be chomping at the bit now that Estavarez was free. If only because it allowed him to get back out there while another man could be suspected.”

  “Unless he went outside this jurisdiction to commit his crimes. Or maybe Estavarez—”

  “Don’t even say it,” she snapped.

  Arms crossed, Russell braced against the counter. “Someone wants him back in jail. Someone wants him to go down for this. Maybe Estavarez has enemies closer than he thinks.” His eyebrows arched, both accusing her of jumping to conclusions and daring her to refute his supposition.

  “Someone in his family? A friend?”

  “Or someone close to the other victims who will stop at nothing to put him in jail, even if he didn’t do the crime. Someone who has something to lose by him being found not guilty. And if they’re that determined they won’t stop until they get what they want or are found.”

  “Poor guy exchanged one prison cell for another. At least he’ll be more comfortable at home.” She plated and wrapped the last of the treats, then wiped down the table.

  “He might be more comfortable but I doubt he’d be any safer.”

  “There aren’t any other options. My office won’t pay to put him in a safe house and his family certainly can’t afford it.” Valerie skirted around him to wipe the counter while he stared off into space.

  “Maybe Casey can think of something. She’s got connections with deep pockets.” Still that vacant stare while he puzzled out a solution. It was as good a time as any to trot out the other elephant. Catch Russell unaware.

  Go for the throat. Valerie cringed at the thought, but if Phil was right…hell yeah. She slapped the washcloth into the sink and turned to face him. Instinct made her cross her arms in standard defensive mode. She forced herself to lower them, to appear nonthreatening when she felt anything but.

  “Rumor has it that the DA is courting me for a position in your office. True or false?” She cocked her head, waiting for the answer.

  Russell’s gaze shifted from foggy to locked on to her, then honed to lethal laser-like intensity. “What? Is that what Phil called about? Where did he hear that? Goddamn it.” He smacked his palm against the counter, rattling the dishes that remained nearby.

  Valerie’s heart raced. This was the side of him she’d seen all too often in the courtroom, and she didn’t like it one bit. “His inside sources—”

  “Fuck.” He launched from his position and started to pace, a tiger on the prowl. “This is bullshit and I’m not going to put up with it.”

  “Well, I hardly think it has anything to do with you, now does it?” She waited for guilt to flicker over his face. Anger did so instead.

  “The hell it doesn’t.” He jabbed his finger in his chest. “Deacon’s going to fire me and hire you?” And now that finger pointed her way.

  Valerie didn’t see that one coming. No wonder he was pissed. She’d be livid too. “Just because I’m offered a position doesn’t mean I’ll take it.” Though it would beat the hell out of the public defender’s office. “And it doesn’t mean he’ll be firing you.”

  “Seriously?” Mock humor filled his expression. “I just lost a big case no thanks to you. Someone’s got to take the fall.”

  Phil’s words haunted her. No man likes to put up with the crap you threw at him during that trial. You kicked his ass all over the place… It’s the only way for him to win and save face.

  Valerie assumed that defensive pose. This time it was more to protect her heart than to attack. “You lost the case because you had no evidence. You lost the case because my client wasn’t guilty. You lost the case because the people you depended on let you down.”

  “Remember that when they’re dangling money and promises in front of you.”

  “No worries there. I remember everything. Want a list?”

  That jerked his pacing to a halt. He met her stare for stare, no doubt pi
ecing together past events. She wished she could banish those memories and replace them with the time before.

  “No, I don’t,” he finally said. “Let’s deal with one problem at a time. The priorities now are keeping Estavarez safe, hooking you up with transportation and getting your goodies delivered so we can focus on doing the first two. Agreed?”

  She tilted a nod his way, but when she started to pass he hooked her arm and pulled her to a stop, anchored her to his body and claimed her mouth in a deep kiss she wished she could refuse. It melted her anger, dredged up tears and the emotions that went with them, called to her body in ways only Russell could fulfill. If only her heart didn’t hurt so much.

  Hot hands palmed her ass. That’s when she managed to wedge her hands between them and shove some distance between them.

  “You can’t fix what’s wrong between us with sex, Russell.” She expected him to deny there was a problem. Instead, his shoulders drooped on a long sigh.

  “I know.” He kissed her forehead. “Come on. One priority at a time.”

  She didn’t know whether to be sad the highest priority wasn’t their relationship, or proud that he put the welfare of another person before anything else.

  Chapter Eight

  Russell felt like a first-class ass. Nothing was more important than Valerie. Yet all the crap from the case that had torn them apart in the first place kept resurfacing. It was as if the gods defied them. Overly dramatic, but how else was he supposed to feel? The hell of it was, he had only himself to blame for this latest roadblock. Like that he was throwing the trial back in her face when the night before he’d lauded her victory with pride in Dave’s face. The harsh words came from a part of himself Russell wasn’t very proud to own right now.

  They’d never fought before this damn case. Now it seemed they did little else. Both of them too competitive, too stubborn to back down. This latest rumor only added insult to injury. Why couldn’t he treat it like it was? An unsubstantiated rumor with no evidence to support it. He knew that answer—because it made perfect sense and would be the kind of political move for which Dave Deacon was infamous. People up the chain were pissed Russell lost the trial. They didn’t care that he’d never lost a case before. He’d lost this one. They couldn’t care less a guilty verdict would have be unjust. All they wanted was a check in the box to appease the public and to move on.

  “Casey’s going to meet us at the museum.” Valerie dropped her phone in her purse. “She’s got a place in the desert near Twentynine Palms we can use and agrees Estavarez’s safety is paramount. She’ll give us the key then.”

  “Good.” One less thing to worry about. “I’ll drive him up later. I’ll use your rental car. There’ll be less chance of being followed that way. No one would expect him to leave with me.”

  “They will if they’re watching his house and see him leave with you,” she pointed out.

  True. “You or Casey will have to pick him up and take him to a hotel. Then I’ll sneak him out the back door.”

  “It seems you’ve thought of everything.”

  If only that were true. He spared a glance her way at the stoplight. She was dressed in white capris and sandals with a yellow blouse. Bright like a summer day. No, he couldn’t fix their problem with sex, but sex sure as hell couldn’t hurt. He wanted her with an ache that was unrelenting. Like he’d die if he couldn’t have her. That how this rift felt—like a slow death.

  “It’s about a three-hour drive up to Casey’s place. I need a little leeway to get him settled and emotionally secure.”

  Valerie snorted. “Good luck with that.”

  What did… No, he wouldn’t ask. “It could wind up being a late night.”

  “Then I’ll see you in the morning.” He felt the spikes with that barb.

  “You’ll see me tonight. I’ve spent too many nights without you by my side. I’m not going to do it again.” He accelerated slowly through the green light. If only life were that simple. “It has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with needing to be near you.” Now how could he prove that when he couldn’t keep his hands off her?

  Valerie didn’t respond. Glancing over for clues on how she reacted to the demand could be seen as a sign of weakness. Russell couldn’t risk it. He was supposed to be a Dom, for god’s sake. His mouth disagreed.

  “We can’t work things out by being apart.”

  That brought out a soft sigh. “You’re right. Shall I wait on dinner for you? How late do you think you’ll be?”

  Telling her the only thing he wanted to eat was her? Bad move. “It depends on how quickly we can get this plan in motion.”

  “We’ll play that one by ear then. Something quick to warm perhaps.”

  “I’ll have to drop by my place for a few things first.” He drove into the museum’s crowded parking lot. A few heads jerked toward his car when they pulled up, yet each person quickly dismissed their arrival. Men and women alike scurried about to prepare for the event. A white banner proclaimed “First Annual Bake and Craft Sale”.

  Valerie unhooked her seat belt. “I’ll take care of that for you. The sooner you get back…”

  He couldn’t agree more. They exited at the same time only to open the rear doors to retrieve the baked goods. He happened to glance up as she bent over and caught a nice view of her weapons. Willing an erection away had never worked before. It didn’t work now. Essentially he was frozen in place, trying to decide which box could provide the best cover.

  “I’ll take care of that for you too.” Her voice was smooth as silk, whiskey deep and laden with sex.

  “Tease,” he muttered.

  “Never.” She smiled, leaned closer and kissed him. “Okay, so sex can’t fix things but it sure doesn’t hurt, right?”

  Russell grinned. “Only if you want it to.”

  “Oooo.” She left giggles in her wake as she drew back, taking one small cardboard box with her. “I’ll leave the big one for you, seeing how you’ve got the big muscles to handle it.”

  “Woman, when I get you alone…”

  She was behind him before he realized she’d moved. “Alden Baker is here.”

  That took the joy out of the moment. It also helped deflate his problem child. Scowling, Russell studied the crowd. Sure enough the judge who’d presided over the Estavarez case barreled their way. A Lakers ball cap covered his bald head. Sunglasses hid his eyes. But there was no mistaking the rage in his clenched jaw. Russell had seen that look more times than he could count.

  “My guess would be that he saw us kissing,” Valerie said. “We really have to stop doing that in public.”

  “Over my dead body.” He was done hiding.

  “Considering how fast he’s moving, that might be imminent,” she said. “I’d suggest we try to head him off to avoid a confrontation, but somehow I doubt that would work.”

  Not with a bull-headed man like that. Still, they went through the motions—gathering the boxes, locking the car and starting in the general direction of the tables. Baker cut them off before they got twenty feet.

  “What the fuck was that?” Though kept low, there was a definite shout in the demand. Sweat trickled down from beneath his ball cap. Anger reddened his face. “Well, that makes sense now, doesn’t it? I always thought she was a looker but she must be one damn fine piece of ass for you to throw a case for her.”

  Russell shoved between him and Valerie. “With all due respect, Your Honor, that was uncalled for. She fought the good fight. She presented her case well. She defended her client with facts and evidence. I had shit to work with and we all know that. Give defense counsel her due.”

  Baker’s lip curled in a sneer. “Looks like you’re already doing that.” He butted Russell’s shoulder as he walked up. It took every ounce of willpower Russell possessed to not call the man out.

  Valerie shifted her box to one hip and pressed her hand to Russell’s back. “I don’t think we need to worry about any job offer for me. Come Monday we’ll both b
e looking for work.”

  He snickered. “Fuck them all. We’ll start our own practice.”

  “I don’t know whether to be scared or excited.”

  “Me either. One problem at a time.” He lifted his box. “Lead the way.”

  Considering all the press they’d gotten over the last six months, introductions weren’t necessary. Neither of them addressed the odd looks that flashed their way. People had eyes. They would have caught the kiss just like Alden Baker did. Just like Dave had the night before. For all they knew their kiss last night could have made the morning news. So be it.

  Casey’s arrival helped diffuse the gawkers, who merely scattered to gossip amongst themselves. Russell hated that behind-the-back crap. Valerie had worked hard for this museum. She didn’t deserve to be treated with anything less than respect. If it wouldn’t have made things worse, he would have told them that too.

  “All set?” Casey placed her baked goods contribution on the nearest table.

  “Ready whenever you are,” Valerie replied.

  It took a bit more chatting among the volunteers before they aimed toward the parking lot.

  “What burr does Baker have up his ass this time?” Casey asked when they were out of earshot of the group.

  “Us.” Valerie’s stride lengthened. “You talk to Estavarez?”

  “Shortly after you did. He’s on the fence. I have a room reserved at the Suites in my name just in case. But it’s going to take some convincing.”

  Valerie shook her head. “He doesn’t want to leave his family, specifically his mother. Jail was very hard on him.”

  “Bringing her along isn’t going to work.” Considering this information, Russell wasn’t sure how hiding Estavarez was going to work either. How long before he called his mother or some other family member for company? “We’re going to have to appeal to her to keep him safe.”

  “Good. Very good.” Valerie gave a nod with each word. “She’s a strong woman dedicated to her family. They do what she says.”