LITMIR.BIZ

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not to let down his guard. He moved to the chair in front of her desk and sat.

      Kelly grabbed up the telephone and, with a vengeance, punched in the number of the captain over the detectives. After a couple of rings the captain answered.

      “Captain Jenkins, this is Kelly Whalen of the D.A.’s office. Detective Tony Ashcroft is in my office. He says he’s been assigned to the Carlson case. What can you tell me about it?”

      Captain Jenkins answered in a nonchalant manner. “Yes, I assigned him the case, Ms. Whalen. Is there a problem?”

      Was there a problem? Of course there was a problem. “Could you explain your reasoning to me?”

      “Detective Lee is in Amarillo testifying in a murder case, then scheduled for a vacation. Since your office needed someone immediately, I assigned the case to Ash.”

      “What about Lee’s partner?”

      “He’s retired.”

      Well, wasn’t there another man in the entire department that they could assign this case to? Kelly wanted to yell into the phone, but obviously couldn’t say it with Ash glaring at her. “I see. Was there a particular reason you picked Detective Ashcroft?”

      “Yes. Ash has just closed several high-profile cases and his caseload is light. And he’s very adept at handling the press and the public.”

      Kelly knew when she was being jerked around.

      “Also, Ms. Whalen, you’re going to need someone who can stand up to all the different bickering parties in this case. And the man that came to my mind and that of our department lawyer was Ash. Besides, we don’t want Carlson or his lawyer to complain that the Houston Police Department tried to railroad their client a second time. Do you have an objection to Detective Ashcroft?” he asked, innocence in his voice.

      Jenkins knew exactly what the problem was. She wanted to ask him if he wanted to work with his ex-wife in the glare of the TV cameras and radio microphones. Their divorce had been messy. But she wasn’t going to let police go one up on her. This was a little game that the police and the D.A.’s office played. Unfortunately, both she and Ash were on the short end of this stick.

      “I would’ve appreciated a heads-up on the situation, Captain.” She let her displeasure color her last word.

      “Do you want another detective assigned to the case, Ms. Whalen?” he asked again.

      “No. Detective Ashcroft will be fine.” As she hung up the phone, she gritted her teeth.

      She studied her ex over the desk. She could just imagine the sparks that had flown in Jenkins’s office earlier in the day. “What did you do to make your captain mad at you?”

      Ash clenched his jaw. From his reaction, she’d hit the nail on the head. “Why don’t you just fill me in on the case.”

      Obviously, something had gone down to put him in the doghouse. And although it was a daunting thought to have to work with Ash, she couldn’t complain that Houston PD had sent her a bad officer. She may have personal problems with him, but he was a fine cop. And a fine specimen of manhood.

      Shaking off the errant thought, she sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “Last Friday the state supreme court threw out the Carlson case. Reversed and Rendered and the man is out of jail. Apparently, Carlson got a new lawyer and he discovered that one of the jurors knew the victim’s parents and was persuasive during the deliberations. Also, the lawyer pressed the issue that the cops had searched his apartment before they had a warrant. The clothing was tossed. I have to refile this case, and I need an investigator to flesh out some new leads.

      “My boss is not happy with the court’s decision. Andrew Reed is crying foul and raving how his wife’s murderer was let out to walk the streets. Catherine’s parents, George and Nancy Procter, will probably have everyone on the social register in Houston howling by the day’s end and calling every official they know.” She mentioned the prominent couple to remind Ash of their problems. “I don’t doubt they’ll give interviews to every media outlet in the city.”

      She handed him a copy of her file on the case, then stood and walked around the desk.

      Ash opened it. “Ralph Lee was the lead detective?” Ash’s solemn tone set her nerves on edge. He looked up and studied her face. From the hard planes of his jaw and cheeks, she had no idea what he was thinking.

      “He was, and I’m not happy with the man for doing that search before he got the warrant. He also left several dangling ends. Carlson claimed he was in the Reed house and stole her jewelry, but he didn’t murder her. I know I’m going to need another piece of solid evidence that I can give the jury to connect Carlson with the murder. I’m going to need more evidence now that I don’t have the clothing I can present to the jury.” She didn’t mention that there was something in the file that made her uneasy. Maybe once he’d looked at the file, he could identity it.

      Ash placed the file on the desk, stood and met her eyes. The air between them became charged. The magnetic pull that was always there between her and Ash sprang to life, surprising and unnerving her. Her heart started to pound and her stomach dropped to her feet.

      Why suddenly had the old chemistry that had burned so hotly between them flared to life now? She tried to ignore it, but it was like trying not to see the elephant in the room.

      “When Lee finds out about me taking over his case, there’s going to be hell to pay.”

      “Then Lee should take up the problem with your captain. He’s the one who screwed up.”

      Stepping away, Ash mumbled a curse, then ran his hand through his brown hair. The thick waves flowed over his long fingers. She remembered doing the very same thing—running her hands through his hair. She knew how it felt, the richness, the thickness of his hair and what it usually led to.

      Stop! her mind screamed.

      “Just what I wanted—a fight with Lee and working with my ex-wife on a political hot potato.”

      His comment jerked her out of her fantasies. What was the matter with her? “Since when did it bother you to go against the establishment?” Kelly snapped. “You always enjoyed poking the powers that be in the eye. And I suspect that was the reason you got assigned to this case. But I need that rebel in you, Ash, to find me something new that I can take to court.” She shook her head. “There’s going to be a lot of publicity on this case. I won’t mention what the mayor had to say about that.”

      The meeting she’d attended with the mayor, who’d stressed that Andrew Reed and the Procters were powerful in the city’s political scene and had supported him, could cause them no end of grief. And he didn’t want that headache.

      Ash picked up the file folder. There was a question in his eyes and some fleeting emotion that caused her heart to beat faster.

      “I’ll review this and get back to you.”

      “I’m going to want to refile this case as quickly as I can.”

      His brow arched, then he nodded and walked out of the room.

      Kelly collapsed against her desk and took a deep breath. She felt as if she’d just finished running a marathon, physically and emotionally wrung out.

      She didn’t want to work with Ash. It was bad enough she had to revisit this nightmare. Remembering this case, and what had been going on in her life was painful. Add to that all the political fallout, then Ash being assigned. The captain knew exactly what he’d done by giving this case to Ash.

      Ash’s husky voice had sent goose bumps rushing over her skin. When they were married, he’d whisper the things he wanted to do to her, and she’d melt into a puddle at his feet.

      But that couldn’t happen again. They were only working with each other. Period. End of story. Nothing more.

      Too bad her body didn’t believe that.

      Ash

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