What was happening to him, to be flirting with Kelly like that? Had he lost all his sense? Where was his sense of self-preservation? His captain was just getting back at him by putting him through this torture.

  As he moved through the crowd, he heard snatches of conversation drifting to him.

  “…and Karen discovered Jim red-handed with his secretary…”

  “…the trip to Paris only took four hours on the Concord…”

  “…she won a scholarship to Rice…”

  “…glad that messiness about Catherine is ended. I thought…”

  He paused, intrigued with the conversation.

  “Hello, there.” The greeting had a breathy quality.

  Ash turned to the very well endowed blonde. She had a killer look in her eyes. She was fishing for a conquest and he looked like the next victim.

  “Hello,” he answered.

  “Are you alone?” the woman asked, moving in for the kill. Her perfume penetrated the air. Her tongue came out and wet the corner of her collagen-enhanced lips. That probably wasn’t the only thing that was enhanced.

  “No.” He held out his hand. “Tony Ashcroft.”

  She caressed his hand. “I’m Tanya Summers.”

  When she released his hand, Ash was tempted to glance down and make sure he still had all his fingers. “Are you here by yourself, Tanya?”

  “No. My husband’s over there by the bar.”

  Ash glanced to where she pointed. Standing by the bar were two men. One was in his sixties. The other was in his mid-thirties. Just then, the older man turned and nodded to Tanya.

  She smiled at her husband and waved. When she turned back to Ash, she carefully studied him. “I’m his third wife.”

  Ash nodded. “How long have you been married?”

  “We just celebrated our third anniversary. He flew me to Switzerland. It took my breath away. Those lovely banks have such a wonderful system.”

  If nothing else, Tanya was honest. He smiled.

  She touched his arm. “And who are you here with?”

  Ash pointed to Kelly, who was talking to an older woman. “That’s my date, Kelly Whalen.”

  Tanya looked coyly at him, her fingers walking up his arm. “And what does she do?”

  “She’s an assistant district attorney.”

  Her eyes widened. “Why would you want to date someone like that?”

  “Because I’m a cop.” Ash leaned closer. “And isn’t this a fund-raiser for the current D.A.?”

  Tanya shrugged off the logic. “It’s a party my husband wanted to come to. I don’t pay attention. I just enjoy.” She glanced at Kelly again and frowned. “Isn’t she the one who was involved with that big murder—uh—Catherine Reed? Wasn’t she the prosecutor?”

  Tanya wasn’t as dumb as she appeared. The woman knew what was happening in this city. “Yes.”

  She studied him, then Kelly. “So you like smart women?”

  “Guilty.”

  She bit her bottom lip. She was a good actress. “That’s such a shame.” When he frowned, she added, “Cat’s murder.”

  “I heard that her husband was running around on her,” Ash confided.

  She pulled back and stared at him. “I don’t doubt that.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because the old boy cheated on his mistress with the current female he’s engaged to.” She leaned closer. “It’s rumored that the upcoming Mrs. Reed has more money than his last wife.”

  “I hadn’t heard that.”

  “Then you don’t have your ear to the ground. Her daddy was one of the founders of the software giant, Pegasus.”

  “But what about the woman he was involved with before. Why didn’t he marry her?”

  Tanya’s brow arched. “She was good in the sack, but she was broke. She’s the kind you enjoy but don’t marry.”

  Ash glanced at Tanya.

  “I’m in a different boat. My hubby had the money.” She sighed. “I don’t think Andrew Reed ever forgot who had the purse strings in his marriage. Rumor was that Catherine wanted a divorce. Her death came at the right time for Andrew.”

  “It sure sounds like it.”

  She studied Ash. “What kind of cop are you?”

  “I’m a detective.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Investigating.”

  Rubbing her chin, her gaze roamed over his face. “You’re not interested in a little entertainment, are you?” Tanya asked.

  “Cops tend to be square, Tanya.”

  She shook her head. “That’s a shame.”

  He nodded toward Kelly. “She doesn’t think so.”

  Tanya glanced over her shoulder at Kelly. She turned back to him. “I hope she knows what a winner she has.” She took a step away, then stopped. “If you change you mind, you can find me at Houstonian Club working out every day at ten in the morning.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  “Do.” The invitation rang clearly.

  The sponsor of the fund-raiser, the wife of the owner of the largest car dealership in the city, stepped to the microphone. “Dinner is ready. After we eat, there will be dancing. And please be sure to meet our D.A. and open your checkbooks and give.”

  The crowd moved toward the dining room. Ash slipped in beside Kelly. She glanced up at him.

  “I hope that conversation netted some good information,” she quietly commented as they walked.

  He shook his head. “You sound jealous.”

  “She was all over you. I’m surprised she didn’t drag you off into the bushes.”

  A laugh rumbled in his chest. “She offered, but I told her I was with you.”

  Kelly didn’t look amused.

  Ash pulled her arm through his. “But she gave me a gold mine of information.”

  “That’s not all she gave you.”

  Tanya and her husband filed into the dining room before them.

  “I’m surprised her husband doesn’t drag her home and start divorce proceedings,” Kelly grumbled.

  Ash shook his head. “Not in a million years. That man parades Tanya around in front of his friends, showing off his ability to get a young, beautiful woman.”

  “And it doesn’t bother him that all she’s interested in is his bank account?”

  “There are compensations.”

  “No, Ash, there aren’t.” The militant look in her eyes told Ash it would be useless to argue. Oddly enough, he didn’t want to. She had a point.

  “I think that went very well,” Ash murmured in Kelly’s ear as they swayed to the slow song the band played.

  She looked up. Dinner had been hell as far as she was concerned. “What makes you think so?”

  “You didn’t jump down Samuel Waters’s throat when he said he was relieved that all that nonsense about Catherine’s death had ceased.” His eyes twinkled.

  “The only reason I didn’t say anything is because that fine gentleman was one of the loudest protesters against the investigation.” Ash’s gaze captured hers. “Maybe you ought to look into his relationship with Andrew and Catherine Reed.”

  “You don’t think there was something—”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I don’t think that. But it seems to me there’s something else driving that old man.”

  “What’s driving him is his wife had an affair with Andrew Reed.”

  She jerked back and met his gaze. “How do you know?”

  “I heard it while I was in the crowd. I also learned something very important from the lady who was friendly with me earlier.”

  “What was that?”

  “That the reason Andrew Reed dropped his old mistress was because he caught a new woman who has money. And apparently Catherine Reed didn’t like her husband fooling around on her and was going to divorce him.”

  A light clicked on in Kelly’s gaze. “And Catherine was the one with money, wasn’t she?”

  “Apparently, from what Tanya said. It appears that Andrew Reed’s background needs to be looked into.”

  “So, if you checked with Catherine’s personal lawyer, you might discover whether she’d talked about a divorce.”

  “I can do that.”

  “You turned up a gold mine, Ash.”

  “I don’t know, but we’ll soon see.”

  Chapter 9

  A sh tried to survey the crowd as he danced with Kelly, but it was impossible with her head tucked against his shoulder. He pulled her lush body closer and felt his own respond.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered harshly into his neck.

  Her warm breath on his skin only added to his misery, but in spite of his hormones, he heard the irritation in her voice. Her hand, hidden by his tux jacket, slid to his side and pinched. They might look like lovers, but from her reaction, she wasn’t going along with the plan.

  “I’m trying to study everyone in the room. I want to see their reactions, see if anyone is glaring at us or fuming.” He pulled back and gave her a smile filled with hot passion.

  Her eyes widened, her lips parted and he felt the fine ripple that raced through her body.

  “What—”

  He leaned his head down and whispered, “Andrew Reed just walked into the reception with the next Mrs. Reed.”

  Kelly stiffened. Ash didn’t relax his hold, but continued moving to the old Righteous Brothers’ song. “Is he looking?”

  He rubbed his chin on the top of her head. “He’s looking, murder in his eyes.”

  “It won’t be the first time,” Kelly whispered.

  Ash looked down at her and grinned. “The fiancée went one direction, and he’s moving toward the dance floor.”

  The music about endless love swirled around them.

  “Ah, he’s stopped and is talking to a group of men, Walter Moen among them.”

  The song ended. Ash pulled back. “You ready for this performance?”

  She returned his sultry look. “I am.” She started toward the men.

  Andrew turned and stepped forward as Ash and Kelly walked by his table. “Good evening, Detective Ashcroft.” He nodded to Kelly. “Ms. Whalen.”

  They returned his greeting, then acknowledged the other men standing with Andrew. Walter Moen glared at Kelly. She calmly smiled at him. A spurt of pride raced through Ash.

  Andrew looked down his nose at them. “I’m surprised to find you at this fund-raiser.”

  “Aren’t members of the D.A.’s office allowed to come to these events?” Kelly answered.

  “Of course. Are you going to contribute?”

  Kelly smiled but didn’t answer the rude question.

  Andrew’s gaze moved to Ash. “And does the police department also send representatives?”

  “I’m Kelly’s date,” Ash supplied.

  Andrew frowned. “But weren’t you two—uh—divorced?” He looked at the crowd around them for support. “That’s what I heard.”

  Kelly drew herself up and Ash knew she was fixing to let the miserable little toad have it. They couldn’t afford to blow their cover at this point of the investigation.

  Ash slipped his arm around Kelly’s waist and drew her flush against his side. His hand tightened on her hip. “There was an unexpected benefit that came with the Carlson investigation.”

  Andrew stiffened. Ash had hit the mark.

  “Since Kelly and I had to work together again, it sparked old feelings, and—” He looked down at her with an expression that he hoped resembled love. She smiled back. He didn’t know if she fooled the crowd, but his body believed her. He turned back to the audience. “And we’re seeing each other again.”

  “Congratulations,” Andrew muttered through stiff lips.

  The other men in the group offered their good wishes.

  “Where’s your fiancée?” Ash asked.

  “Michelle’s in the powder room,” Andrew explained.

  After a brief, uncomfortable moment, Ash excused them and they walked to their table.

  “He’s a miserable human being,” Kelly grumbled.

  Ash laughed and leaned close. “Careful, Counselor, your bias is showing.”

  Fire flared in her eyes, then the corner of her mouth turned up. “Quit jerking my chain.”

  “I thought I’d warn you. We’ve made some amazing progress tonight. We want to keep the image up and see what other leads we can uncover.”

  Kelly gathered her dignity. “All right. Let me make a visit to the powder room before we leave. Since the future Mrs. Reed went in that direction, maybe I can corner her and have a chat.”

  She moved through the crowd, grateful to escape the fishbowl atmosphere of the reception. The hall to the powder room was blessedly quiet. She walked into the elegant room and the woman who was powdering her face stopped. She stared at Kelly in the mirror.

  “Why are you after my fiancé?” Michelle Graham, who couldn’t be more than twenty-five, demanded.

  So much for having to come up with an excuse to talk to her. “Are you talking to me?” Kelly asked.

  Michelle turned and her eyes narrowed. “Why do you want to continue to make Andrew’s life miserable? He lost his wife. Wasn’t that enough?”

  “The D.A.’s office isn’t after Mr. Reed. There were just some matters that had to be cleaned up after the state supreme court overturned Carlson’s conviction.”

  “Well, he’s dead now, isn’t he?”

  So much for a kind and sympathetic response. “Yes, he is.”

  “Then all this should be going away and it’s about time. Andrew and I are to be married in two weeks. A big church wedding and this—this mess has ruined everything. The talk at my showers and dinners is only about how awful it is that man got out of prison.”

  “How has Andrew been since the news?” Kelly asked, hoping for an insight into the man.

  “How do you think he’s been? Upset and distracted. Talking to his lawyers. Talking to the police. Numerous time. We haven’t made—” She glared at Kelly as if it were her fault for the status of Michelle’s love life. “I’m so glad it’s over.”

  Apparently Michelle didn’t see beyond herself. “I wish you well,” Kelly offered.

  The woman nodded, put her compact in her purse and walked out of the room.

  Kelly breathed deeply. She quickly took care of her needs, washed her hands, then walked back into the reception. Glancing around, she found Michelle hanging on Andrew’s arm.

  Ash appeared at Kelly’s side, her shawl in his hand. “What happened?” he asked, settling the light fabric around her shoulders.

  “I didn’t have to work too hard to engage Andrew Reed’s fiancée. She came at me with both barrels.” She nodded to the woman.

  He looked at the couple across the room. “She came at you?”

  Kelly slipped her arm through his and started toward the door. “Let’s go home.”

  The word home gave her pause, but he didn’t behave as if he were waylaid by her comment.

  They didn’t speak again until they were driving away.

  “What happened with Michelle Graham?”

  “Michelle is upset that our investigation is screwing up her marriage plans. Clouding the magic of the time. How can you enjoy being the center of attention, your every whim catered to, when your fiancé is being asked about the brutal slaying of his last wife?”

  Kelly took a deep breath. “Maybe she wasn’t that crass, but she wanted to know when it was going to stop. The Texas Supreme Court mucked up her wedding. And her love life.”

  “What did you tell her?” Amusement laced his voice.

  “This isn’t funny, Ash.” Kelly folded her arms over her chest.

  “No, it isn’t. It’s just that I find it fascinating the little girl jumped you.”

  Kelly laid her head on the seat back. “I wanted to tell her that she didn’t want to get hitched to that monster. Didn’t she know what a two-timing bastard he was.” She rolled her head to the side to see his reaction.

  A broad smile curved his mouth. A mouth that had been so close while they were dancing. A mouth that seduced and beckoned. If she wasn’t careful, she would find herself in a world of hurt.

  “Of course, Carlson’s death solved all her problems. And she didn’t seem that broken up about his demise.”

  “Did you expect she would?”

  It was an ugly truth. “No.”

  “Good, a realistic answer. I intend to investigate Michelle’s financial status tomorrow. And Andrew’s.”

  “I’ll be in court tomorrow morning, but let me know what you uncover.”

  He pulled up into the driveway of her house. Kelly didn’t wait for him to come around and open the door. Instantly she grabbed the file he’d given her earlier and opened the car door. She met him in front of the car.

  “You should’ve waited,” he quietly reproved.

  She didn’t answer him. He pulled her arm through his. She hesitated.

  “C’mon, Kel, let’s see this thing through. Mrs. Schattle is watching.”

  She prayed the older woman wasn’t using her binoculars, because she’d see Kelly’s rebellious expression. After a long moment, she nodded and allowed him to walk her to the door, knowing it would look suspicious if he didn’t.

  She paused after she unlocked the door, and looked into his face. From the shadows cast by the porch light, she couldn’t see his eyes.

  “Why don’t we step inside for a moment? We want to leave Mrs. Schattle to wonder about whether I give you a good-night kiss, that is unless you want me to give you one in front of her and all the neighbors?”

  “Inside.”

  “I thought so.”

  He quietly walked in behind her, then closed the door.

  “How long do you suppose I should wait?”

  “Since this is the first time she’s seen us together, a couple of minutes is all.”

  His solemn gaze met hers.

  “I’ll read over the file you gave me.”

  “We need a place where we can meet on a regular basis to work on the case—somewhere out of the public eye.” He glanced into the living room. There was an office just off that room.

  There was no help for it. The office here in the house was the most logical place for them to meet. It would also give them cover. To the outside world, it would look like he was coming to spend time with her and the romantic angle would explain his presence.