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Authors: Lisa Renee Jones
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adding, “That
about sums it up. I’m screwed. I don’t see how I can tell her
anything until I find out what’s behind the letters and the phone
calls. And at this point, I’ve already written my death wish with
Lauren. I don’t plan to let someone else write hers. She’s spooked
and she’s not telling me why. When I know she’s safe, I’ll step
onto the plank, tell the truth, and wait for her to push me over
the edge.”
Luke studied him a long moment.
“Well hell. I guess I’m going out on the plank with you. Give me a
quick rundown of the facts and tell me what you want me to do.”
“We have the blackmail
possibility,” he said.
“Which is a logical
consideration.”
“But Lauren’s not only in a role
to make enemies, she’s working a death penalty case right now
that’s getting a lot of attention.”
“Yeah, I know,” Luke said. “I’ve
read about it in the paper.”
“Then you know how much
attention the case is getting.”
“If this was about her case, why
send the letters to the senator?”
“Scare the father into
protecting the daughter,” he said. “Get her off the case.”
“And the calls?”
“Scare her into listening to
him.”
“I like the blackmail angle
better,” Luke said. “I assume you’ve sent the letters to your buddy
at the FBI lab?”
“Yesterday,” he said, pushing to
his feet. “And I’m hoping he can give me something to make this
fast and easy to put to rest. But I don’t want to count on that and
have it not happen.”
“Understood,” Luke said,
standing with him. “I’ll get out my magnifying glass and start
looking, with a little extra attention on the senator’s personal
activities. And I’ll get surveillance on her office, home, and
likewise for the senator, while I’m at it.”
Royce gave him a sharp,
approving nod, before he headed back to his apartment and inched
his way closer to the end of that plank.
Chapter Six
Royce found Lauren sitting on
his living room floor with photo albums spread around her. She
turned to face him, smiling. “Oh my God, for a guy, you have so
many pictures.”
Royce wasn’t sure how to take
that. “For a guy?” He moved toward her, sitting down after
shuffling a couple albums to the side.
Her smile widened. “Maybe you’re
not the ‘bad boy’ your reputation says you are.” And then before he
could ask about that comment, she pointed to a picture of him
hugging his dog when he was a kid. “And you love animals.”
He squatted down beside her and
looked at the picture, grinning at the sight of his Golden
Retriever wearing a pointed hat. “That was Scooter’s second
birthday.”
Lauren giggled, pointing at the
picture. “You mean you made the cake for the dog?”
“My mom did, but I asked her to.
Scooter was my best friend.” He frowned. “He got really sick after
eating that cake. My mom later informed me the bone was for him and
the cake was for us.”
Lauren almost choked, laughter
bubbling from her throat. “How much did he eat?”
His frown deepened at the
memory. “The whole thing.”
Lauren tumbled over to her side
in a laughing fit. Royce watched her, and any other time, he would
have laughed right along with her. But every second he was with
Lauren, he wanted another, and another.
He liked her, and damn it, he
was taking advantage of her, hiding things from her for her
father’s benefit. She thought he was a nice guy when he was nothing
but a lying bastard. And God, what a bastard he was. She was making
him crazy. She was adorable right now, and adorable had never been
so sexy. He was hard as a rock, ready to rip her clothes off and
make love to her. That he knew she’d blow off her lunch and let
him, only made the temptation all the greater.
He moved toward her, where she
lay on her back, and lowered his body over hers, resting his arms
on either side of her head. Lauren stopped laughing, suddenly
serious. She stared up at him, her eyes simmering with
about sums it up. I’m screwed. I don’t see how I can tell her
anything until I find out what’s behind the letters and the phone
calls. And at this point, I’ve already written my death wish with
Lauren. I don’t plan to let someone else write hers. She’s spooked
and she’s not telling me why. When I know she’s safe, I’ll step
onto the plank, tell the truth, and wait for her to push me over
the edge.”
Luke studied him a long moment.
“Well hell. I guess I’m going out on the plank with you. Give me a
quick rundown of the facts and tell me what you want me to do.”
“We have the blackmail
possibility,” he said.
“Which is a logical
consideration.”
“But Lauren’s not only in a role
to make enemies, she’s working a death penalty case right now
that’s getting a lot of attention.”
“Yeah, I know,” Luke said. “I’ve
read about it in the paper.”
“Then you know how much
attention the case is getting.”
“If this was about her case, why
send the letters to the senator?”
“Scare the father into
protecting the daughter,” he said. “Get her off the case.”
“And the calls?”
“Scare her into listening to
him.”
“I like the blackmail angle
better,” Luke said. “I assume you’ve sent the letters to your buddy
at the FBI lab?”
“Yesterday,” he said, pushing to
his feet. “And I’m hoping he can give me something to make this
fast and easy to put to rest. But I don’t want to count on that and
have it not happen.”
“Understood,” Luke said,
standing with him. “I’ll get out my magnifying glass and start
looking, with a little extra attention on the senator’s personal
activities. And I’ll get surveillance on her office, home, and
likewise for the senator, while I’m at it.”
Royce gave him a sharp,
approving nod, before he headed back to his apartment and inched
his way closer to the end of that plank.
Chapter Six
Royce found Lauren sitting on
his living room floor with photo albums spread around her. She
turned to face him, smiling. “Oh my God, for a guy, you have so
many pictures.”
Royce wasn’t sure how to take
that. “For a guy?” He moved toward her, sitting down after
shuffling a couple albums to the side.
Her smile widened. “Maybe you’re
not the ‘bad boy’ your reputation says you are.” And then before he
could ask about that comment, she pointed to a picture of him
hugging his dog when he was a kid. “And you love animals.”
He squatted down beside her and
looked at the picture, grinning at the sight of his Golden
Retriever wearing a pointed hat. “That was Scooter’s second
birthday.”
Lauren giggled, pointing at the
picture. “You mean you made the cake for the dog?”
“My mom did, but I asked her to.
Scooter was my best friend.” He frowned. “He got really sick after
eating that cake. My mom later informed me the bone was for him and
the cake was for us.”
Lauren almost choked, laughter
bubbling from her throat. “How much did he eat?”
His frown deepened at the
memory. “The whole thing.”
Lauren tumbled over to her side
in a laughing fit. Royce watched her, and any other time, he would
have laughed right along with her. But every second he was with
Lauren, he wanted another, and another.
He liked her, and damn it, he
was taking advantage of her, hiding things from her for her
father’s benefit. She thought he was a nice guy when he was nothing
but a lying bastard. And God, what a bastard he was. She was making
him crazy. She was adorable right now, and adorable had never been
so sexy. He was hard as a rock, ready to rip her clothes off and
make love to her. That he knew she’d blow off her lunch and let
him, only made the temptation all the greater.
He moved toward her, where she
lay on her back, and lowered his body over hers, resting his arms
on either side of her head. Lauren stopped laughing, suddenly
serious. She stared up at him, her eyes simmering with
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