“We can use the office here.”

  He met her gaze. The world stopped. Fire blazed in his eyes, melting her. But neither one of them moved. There seemed to be some sort of force field that held them in place.

  A thousand wants and wishes assailed her. But they were wishes that couldn’t be granted.

  Finally he reached out. Then his hand stopped inches from her face and dropped to his side.

  “I’d better leave.”

  That was the right thing to do.

  He quietly slipped out of the door.

  She locked it behind him, praying this would get easier, because, up to now, it hadn’t.

  Ash stared at the ceiling. The moonlight pouring through the windows bathed the rough surface with shadows and mystery. He remembered the night he and Kelly had counted the cracks in the ceiling of their bedroom. They’d replastered the next weekend he had off.

  Shit. Why was everything suddenly a memory of something they had done together as a couple?

  “Because, fool, until you solve this case you’re going to be with her,” he muttered into the darkness. And the sad fact was, at the rate he was going, things were going to get rough.

  The divorce had been the right thing to do. After Kelly had miscarried, they hadn’t been able to talk. Every time he tried to hold her, comfort her, she would pull away. She’d buried herself in work.

  The miscarriage had hurt him, too, but there didn’t seem to be any words he could say that would help. Instead, he had also turned to his work. As the days passed, they didn’t talk. Didn’t touch. Didn’t make love.

  When Kelly had announced that she thought they should divorce, it had been easier just to go along with the plan. It was the coward’s way, but he hadn’t been ready to deal with that issue, himself.

  Suddenly this miserable case was bringing up all those problems that hadn’t been resolved. So now what did he want to do? Every time he touched Kelly, he wanted to pull her into a dark corner and explore the magic that they knew, and heaven knows he’d had his hands all over her last night.

  Ash glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Three-twenty.

  He could stay in bed, rehash the other things that had gone wrong in his marriage or think about how Kelly felt in his arms. Or he could get out of bed and go to police headquarters and use the department computers to see if he could come up with any leads. There wasn’t any contest.

  He quickly dressed and drove downtown. A few detectives were in at their desks.

  “Hey, Ash, what are you doing here this time of the night?” Barry Forbes asked.

  “I couldn’t sleep. A case was bothering me, so…”

  Barry nodded. “I know. Had a case like that last year.”

  He grabbed a cup of coffee, then sat down at his desk and started looking into the financial status of Andrew Reed and his fiancée, Michelle Graham. He also had to write up a summary of what had happened last night at the fund-raiser.

  He lost himself in the work.

  “You look like hell.”

  Julie’s cheerful observation stopped him. He looked up and saw that most of the detectives for the day shift were here.

  “Thanks, partner. I’m glad to know you don’t hold back your observations.”

  “You don’t want girl observations out of me. You want cop.”

  He grunted.

  “So the date went that well?” she quietly asked.

  Seeing the warning in her eyes, he glanced around the room. Ralph Lee and his partner had paused, listening.

  Ash leaned back in his chair. “You know how chichi functions are. The more money you got, the more you have to show it off. Money was on parade last night. Enough diamonds to choke a horse.”

  “Well, we know that nothing disastrous happened,” Julie added, “because we would’ve heard about it on the evening news.”

  “You’re not talking to the right folks. You need to ask people like my neighbor, Mrs. Schattle. They know all about what’s going on in their neighborhood.”

  Captain Jenkins walked through the room. “Ashcroft, in my office.”

  Julie gave Ash a sympathetic smile. Ash grabbed the report he’d finished and walked into Captain Jenkins’s office. He closed the door behind him and handed the report to his captain.

  Jenkins scanned the sheet. “So, you’re looking into Andrew Reed’s financial records.”

  “And the fiancée, after she jumped on Kelly in the ladies’ bathroom.”

  “And you thought this would be a miserable assignment with no action.”

  Breaking up catfights wasn’t high on his list. Nor was having to keep his arms around his ex-wife. He felt as if he were at the top of a hill and everyone behind him was pushing. “I also want to meet with Catherine Reed’s lawyer to see if she ever talked to him about a divorce.”

  “From this report, it sounds like you’ve turned up several solid leads. Let me know how it pans out.”

  Ash stared at Jenkins. “That’s it?”

  He looked up from his paperwork. “What were you expecting?”

  “After the decree the other day, I expected an interrogation on every bigwig we talked to.”

  Captain Jenkins gave him a don’t-be-a-jerk look. “In spite of recent evidence, you know how to behave yourself. I’m sure the A.D.A. wouldn’t have let you get out of line.”

  That was it?

  “You have several leads to track down, Detective,” Jenkins said in a no-nonsense matter.

  “I’ll need my partner.”

  “So?”

  Ash knew when he was defeated. He opened the door.

  “I’ll expect to be updated after the next fund-raiser, and also if you turn up any more interesting leads.”

  Ash didn’t see a need to respond. He walked to his desk. “C’mon, partner, I’m going to need some help.”

  As they made their way down to the garage, he said, “Who was a close friend of Catherine Reed?”

  “I’m not sure. She was a member of the Houston Arboretum.”

  “Arboretum? As in plants?”

  “Sure.” Julie smiled. “A lot of rich ladies are members.”

  “Then we’re going to look at plants and see if we can find a friend of Catherine Reed.”

  Kelly welcomed the workload. With the high-school jock found guilty and the trial over, she’d been assigned another two cases. Depositions, witnesses to interview and prepare. Maybe she could get pleas from the defendants.

  “Kelly, I want to talk to you.” Jake Thorpe strolled into her office and sat on the corner of her desk. “You and Ash made quite an impression at the fund-raiser last night.”

  She didn’t want to think about it. She hadn’t fallen asleep until the wee hours of the morning, then she’d overslept and was late for court. “I’m glad.”

  “I’ve had several people stop me, telling me how impressed they were with you and Ash, asking when you two were getting married.”

  She gaped at him. “What?”

  “The act you two put on was very good. You even had me believing that there was something going on between you two. I had a couple of ladies, who’d expressed dismay over the Reed investigation, tell me how romantic they found your story.”

  She didn’t want to hear that. “What can I say? We’re good.”

  “And I heard that you turned up several good leads,” he added.

  “From whom?”

  “Captain Jenkins called me. He also was pleased with Ash’s report. He’s out chasing down those sources.” He stood. “Our next event is tomorrow night. This one is a barbecue. If you’ve got western, wear it.”

  Kelly stared at the doorway. Jake had breezed in, told her “good job,” and breezed out as if nothing had happened. She felt as if the world had exploded and nothing was the way it had been before Ash had walked back into her life.

  She worked for another two hours to prepare for tomorrow before driving home.

  When she pulled into her driveway, Ash’s car was parked there. He sat on her porch in the old wooden rocker.

  Her battered heart nearly stopped. She didn’t want to deal with him. Not now. She got out of her car and slowly walked up to the front door. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “I thought you might like to know what I uncovered today.”

  He had a point. “Is Mrs. Schattle watching?”

  “She’s there.” He smiled and stood. Kelly walked into his arms.

  She meant to keep the kiss brief, perfunctory, a show for their audience. But the instant she felt his lips on hers, her mind went blank. Suddenly the lousy day disappeared in the onslaught of heat and excitement.

  His arms slipped around her back and he pulled her close. The warmth and strength of his body seeped into her being, a welcome relief. Her briefcase slipped out of her hand, landing with a loud thud, and she grabbed on to the back of his shirt. His tongue demanded entrance to her mouth. She eagerly opened, tasting the unique quality that was Ash.

  His hand spread wide on the small of her back and he fit her into the contours of his body. He nibbled at the corner of her mouth, then rested his forehead against hers.

  He pulled back and smiled at her. “I think we’ve probably given Mrs. Schattle enough to talk about.”

  Reality slapped her. This was an act.

  She stepped away, picked up her briefcase and unlocked the front door. He followed her down the hall into the kitchen. She put her briefcase on the table and turned to face him. There wasn’t a gloating expression on his face, but one of understanding.

  “What did you learn?”

  He moved into the room and pulled out chair and sat. “We found a friend of Catherine’s at the arboretum. An old high-school friend. She explained that, several months before her death, Catherine had told her she intended to divorce her husband. She’d gone to her old family lawyer to discuss the plan.”

  “You got a name? And did she see this lawyer?”

  “Yes and yes.” He grinned, obviously relishing holding back the information.

  “Am I supposed to psychically know what was said or are you going to tell me?”

  “Catherine’s old family lawyer was Dean Ricker. She had asked him four months before her death to start divorce proceedings. She called him back two weeks later and told him she’d changed her mind.”

  “Didn’t he think the cops needed to know this information?” Kelly asked.

  “Mr. Ricker had a stroke a month before Catherine’s death. He was still in the hospital when she was murdered. Once he recovered, he didn’t see a need to bring up the subject since a man had been convicted for Catherine’s murder.”

  Kelly leaned back against the cabinets. “What do you want to bet that Andrew Reed breathed a whole lot better knowing Dean Ricker had had a stroke.”

  Ash stood and moved to her side. “You’re wondering if Andrew had anything to do with that stroke.”

  After a moment of stunned amazement, she laughed. “How did you know?”

  “I know how your mind works.” And I know a lot of other things that you like.

  He didn’t say it, but Kelly read it in his eyes.

  Her stomach rumbled, breaking into the tension of the moment. “You hungry?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Let me change, then we can get something to eat and discuss what else you discovered today. I also wanted to go over the Reed file again, to see if we’ve missed anything.”

  “You got it.”

  Kelly walked into her bedroom, trying to still her racing heart. She rested both her hands on the dresser and took a deep, steadying breath. To come home to see Ash waiting for her pierced her with longing and sweet memories.

  When she’d kissed him, only because Mrs. Schattle was watching, she assured herself, it completely knocked her senseless.

  “Get hold of yourself, Kelly Whalen,” she whispered. “You’re beyond this. Act like it.” She threw back her head and looked into the mirror.

  She could do this. And she had to remember that Ash’s actions out there on the porch had been simply for show.

  You’re lying, a voice inside her head whispered.

  She might be, but it was the only way she was going to survive.

  Chapter 10

  A sh moved closer to Kelly as she pointed to a notation in the original file of the Reed murder investigation. Their dinner had been fajitas and black beans at a small Mexican restaurant around the corner.

  “It says that Andrew claimed he went to the Coffee Cup after he dropped his wife off, but—” She turned to him, her mouth inches from his. Their gazes locked.

  Ash fought his instincts. He’d stepped over the line earlier tonight when they gave the performance for Mrs. Schattle. He determined not to do that again. He was here only because they wanted to find the evidence to catch Catherine Reed’s murderer.

  “Yes?”

  She swallowed. “Uh, his alibi was never checked out.”

  He looked down at the file. He thumbed through the different pages and reports. “You’re right. There was never a follow-up.”

  “And why do you suppose that is?”

  “Maybe Ralph didn’t think he needed to once they caught Carlson.” He wouldn’t have let that point slip, but he wanted to give the other detective the benefit of the doubt. “I’ve been sloppy.”

  “No. Not like that. You, Ash, are a royal pain, going off on tangents, doing things that make the D.A.’s office crazy, but you don’t leave loose ends dangling like that, especially since Andrew was a suspect.” She pushed away from the desk, stood and paced. “You said yourself that this crime was one of passion—no, anger. Carlson didn’t fit the profile. Have you asked Andrew’s old mistress if he hit her?”

  “No, Julie and I didn’t ask her about his violent tendencies, but I think a repeat visit is warranted. I also want to visit the museum where that sword is hanging.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I want to talk to the curator, ask about the effort it takes to hack apart a body like what was done to Catherine.” He stood.

  “You could ask the coroner.”

  “But a historian might be able to give me a better picture. He would be more familiar with the use of swords.”

  “You’re right. I never thought of it in that way.”

  The smile she gave him nearly melted him. If Kelly didn’t want to continue what they had started out on the porch, then he had better beat a hasty exit. “I need to get going.”

  “Sure.” She seemed startled at his abruptness.

  He folded the sheet he’d made notes on and tucked it into the pocket of his sport coat.

  “Jake reminded me earlier about the next fund-raiser that we’re scheduled to attend.” She fiddled with papers on the desk. “It’s tomorrow night. A barbecue.”

  “I assume you want me to dress accordingly.”

  “At least you don’t have to wear a tux.”

  “Just boots and a hat.” As he walked down the hall, he glanced at the closed door. He wanted to ask Kelly if she ever went into that room but kept his mouth shut.

  He paused at the front door. “What time tomorrow night?”

  “Six-thirty.”

  Get out before you do something stupid, his mind yelled. “I’ll see you then.” He walked to his car without looking back.

  As he drove off, he waved at Mrs. Schattle.

  “If you turn at the next street, the Coffee Cup should be on the corner,” Julie instructed Ash.

  Ash eyed his partner. The store was located at the end of the long block where Reed’s home stood.

  “I’ve stopped a couple of times to get a cup of coffee. It makes the late night interesting.”

  “So, I should let you take over the questioning?” Ash asked.

  “I’m not that familiar with anyone. But they might respond to me since I’ve been in there before and I’m a little less intimidating.”

  “My ass,” Ash grumbled. He pulled up into the parking lot of the trendy little coffee shop. The rich aroma of roasting coffee beans filled the place.

  “May I help you?” the teenage girl asked around her gum.

  “I need to talk to your manager,” Julie told the girl. When she hesitated, Julie added, “We’re the police and need to talk to him.”

  The girl disappeared into the back room. Moments later a man in the late thirties walked up. “What can I do for you?”

  After the introductions were made, Julie asked, “Is there someone here who would’ve worked here five years ago?”

  “No. I started managing this location four years ago.”

  “None of your employees were here then?” Julie followed up.

  “I’m lucky if I can keep my employees five months, let alone five years.”

  “Is there anyone we might talk to who could tell us about this store that long ago?” Ash questioned.

  “Exactly what dates are you looking at?”

  “July 20,” Ash replied.

  The man held up his finger. “Wait a minute. Let me go and check something.” He disappeared into the back room. Within five minutes he reappeared, a log in his hands. “On that date, this store was closed. There was an electrical fire and it was shut down for three days, the seventeenth through the twentieth.”

  Ash and Julie smiled at each other.

  “Thank you,” Julie said. “You’ve been a big help.”

  “No problem.”

  The main door opened and Andrew Reed waltzed in. He stopped when he spotted Ash.

  “Detective Ashcroft, what are you doing here?”

  “Just checking out a lead,” Ash casually replied.

  “On what?” Andrew asked.

  Ash smiled pleasantly. “Yours was not the only case that HPD was working on.”

  The manager looked from Ash to Andrew. He disappeared into the back room.

  Andrew Reed stiffened. “Of course.” He walked to the counter to order.

  When they were in the car, Ash shook his head. “So our lead suspect doesn’t have an alibi. Why do you suppose Ralph didn’t check it out?”

  “Why don’t you ask Detective Lee?” Julie replied.

  Ash put the car in gear. “I think I’ll do just that.”

  Ash walked into Captain Jenkins’s office and closed the door. Jenkins raised his brow.