Read Online Old Flames Never Die (Valentine Mystery) by Jenna Harte - Free Book Online

was a bad idea,”
Lauren said.
    Jack grabbed his coat. “I think you
forget that I don't need this deal. You do. If you have a problem with me, I'm
happy to take my money and my team and leave.”
    “Now, now, don't get upset. We're just
concerned about how this will affect Worthington Media,” the Senator said.
    “You don't have to worry about
Worthington's image.” Jack headed out the door.
    “Where are you going?” Lauren demanded.
    Jack ignored her. He was barely out of
the building when his cell phone rang. “What do you need, Brad?”
    “Just checking in,” Brad said. “I'm
wondering if you enjoy bringing excitement to this corporate empire I've built
for you. I have to say, the board liked it better when you weren't so involved.”
    “I see you read the paper.”
    “Internet. How do you do it? Two murder
investigations in a few months?”
    Jack didn't want to get into it with
Brad. “I'm on it. Tell everyone not to worry.”
    “I already did that. I just wanted to
know if I was lying.”
    “No, you weren't.”
    Jack got into his car and headed to the
police station.
     
    ~~~~
     
    “You just missed Tess,” Daniel said as
Jack stalked to his desk.
    “My business is with you.”
    Daniel pointed to a chair. “What's on
your mind?”
    “Are you purposefully feeding the media
biased information about me?”
    Daniel looked surprised and then amused.
“You're not really going to blame me for your actions, are you? Surely Tess
warned you that you'd be watched.”
    “By the police, yes. So who here is
telling the media?”
    “The Danforth murder is news. I'm sure
the media is staked out anywhere Mrs. Danforth goes. Probably more now after
last night's escapade.”
    Jack's jaw clenched. “I just dropped her
off. The police know it and the media knows it, but no one seems to care about
the truth.”
    “I don't really care about your personal
life.”
    “The hell you don't! You'll take any
advantage to get Tess. But here's a news flash, Daniel. Even if I were out of
the picture, she still wouldn't fall in love with you.”
    Daniel's eyes narrowed and Jack was glad
to have wiped the smug look off his face. “I know where I stand with Tess. My
interest now is in protecting her.”
    “Fine. While you're working on ruining
my reputation and relationship, take this into consideration. I love her. And
you will watch her become my wife.”
    “If you love her so much, why are you
running to a former lover in the middle of the night?”
    “She was afraid to stay in the house.
The home her husband was murdered in and that you ransacked.”
    “Why you?”
    “Look. I'm not here to answer police
questions. I just want you to know that I won't tolerate misleading news
stories about me nor will I let you hurt my relationship with Tess.”
    A woman approached Daniel's desk. “I'm
sorry to interrupt, Detective Showalter, but you told me to deliver these
directly to you when they were finished.”
    “Yes, thank you, Karen,” Daniel said
taking the pile of folders from her. He set them on his desk and retrieved his
jacket. “If you have problems with the media, you need to take it to them. I
don't feed them information.”
    “Whoever is sharing information should
at least get it right. I wonder if they'd be interested in how a certain police
detective was immediately at Tess’ boyfriend's home to tattle on him yesterday.
How his personal feelings are clouding a murder investigation.”
    “There is no proof of that.”
    “That's one thing I learned from Tess.
Except in court, it doesn't matter what can be proven. I can cast the same
shadows on your character and I will if I have to.”
    “You don't scare me, Valentine. She
asked to work with me. And I won't back off this investigation.”
    “I'm not telling you to back off the
investigation. I'm telling you to stop using your personal agenda in this
investigation. Do your job.”
    “I am.”
    Jack scoffed. “Not very well.”
    “Let me give you a piece of