Read Online Dancing with Detective Danger by Lynn Crandall - Free Book Online Page A

favorite song.
    Walking beside him, Sterling’s nerves fairly screamed recognition of his masculine presence. She swallowed hard. “Did you get the coroner’s report yet?” she asked, stepping into the elevator.
    “Yeah. No surprises there. Of course, the coroner found water in her lungs, but Pamela died of strangulation.”
    Her eyes glued to the little number lights, Sterling watched them count backwards until the elevator reached the first floor. Six-five-four-three-two-one. She could feel Ben’s eyes on her, and her heart beat a loud cadence in her ears.
    “So the perp strangled her — ”
    “With his hands,” Ben interrupted. “Like this.”
    He stepped in front of her and put his brawny hands around her neck. His eyes drew hers upward. The warmth was there, just like she remembered it.
God help me!
    Sterling lifted Ben’s hands from her neck, and felt herself tremble. She hated it. His skin felt so inviting against her fingers. “We’re on the ground floor, Ben.”
    Ben dropped his hands to his sides and stepped off the elevator. Thoughtfully, he rubbed his thumb against his chin. The rasping of his thick beard stubble sounded crisply inside Sterling’s head, drawing her in like a bee to honey.
    “We found Jerry’s fingerprints on a glass in the bathroom,” he said, eyeing her as she stepped out into the night.
    Sterling cleared her throat. “So they were enjoying a little early morning tryst. That would explain why there was no sign of forced entry and why the dog didn’t attack the killer. The dog must have known the killer. It seems pretty open and shut, huh?”
    “Maybe,” hedged Ben.
    “Maybe a little too neat?”
    “Yeah. But then, what’s wrong with neat?”
    “Well, here’s my car,” she said, stepping several feet away from Ben. Sterling pointed her remote key toward her car and put her hand on the door handle. Her hands still trembled, despite her efforts to calm herself. Nervously, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Ben standing on the other side of the lot.
    “You know, it seems like you’re always walking away from me,” he said, his voice low.
    Instantly, Sterling pivoted. “Don’t do that.” She faced him with as much composure as she could muster.
    “Don’t do what?” A few succinct broad strides and he closed the distance between them.
    “Don’t keep referring to the past.”
    “I can’t help it, Sterling. Maybe that’s because what we shared isn’t really in the past.”
    Standing close, he looked down at her with such sorrow, she wished she could reach out and hold him, tell him everything would be the way he wanted it. With strong emotions seething just under her skin, it would be so easy to tell him things could be the way they used to be.
    Instead, she backed away. “Where’s your car?”
    “It’s not here.” With a shirk of his shoulders, Ben shoved his fists into his pockets. “I had a road officer drop me off.”
    “How were you going to give me a ride?” she asked, flabbergasted.
    “Okay, so maybe I didn’t think it through.”
    A smile got out and she started to chuckle. “You nut. Come on, I’ll give you a ride to your apartment.”
    As Sterling pulled out of the parking space, Ben flashed her a wide smile. “Could we have dinner first? I’m famished.”
    “No. Just tell me where you live and I’ll take you home.”
    “I live at the same place on State Street,” he mumbled, settling into the seat.
    Thank God he doesn’t live far. I can’t take much more of this.
It took all of her determination to withstand the overpowering awareness of him charging the air.
    Ben made attempts at small talk, for which Sterling felt grateful. Every time she opened her mouth, she heard herself stammer like a child.
    Silently, she pulled into a parking space outside of his apartment building. It felt like an eternity since she’d been here with him. But parts of her reacted like she was coming home.
    “Maybe there is hope after all,” Ben