She’s a troubled, closed-mouth teenager. You don’t really
know
her. Not anymore.” As he said it, he didn’t fully believe it. But Emily’s involvement was a possibility. It would be better for Julia if she accepted at least that possibility early on.
Why did he even care about what was good for Julia? Let her heart break.
Julia was angry but controlled it. She was the epitome of control, always keeping her emotions in check. Never rising to the bait. Always right, standing by her oh-so-perfect ethics. Everything was black-and-white in Julia Chandler’s world.
Her next comment surprised him. “You’re right. I saw Emily every week, but I don’t really know her. I should have fought harder for custody. But I’m just her aunt. I know the law. It was stacked against me. Crystal is a bitch, but that doesn’t mean a court will take her only child away from her. Being a bitch isn’t a crime.”
“I don’t know what you think I can do. I’m not a cop anymore, which I’m sure you haven’t forgotten.”
The softness and pain that had crossed Julia’s face when she spoke of Emily disappeared and the hard-nosed prosecutor was back.
“I don’t have to tell
you
that this is a sensitive, politicized investigation and I can’t have my fingers in the pie. But I’ll do anything to protect Emily. She’s my family. My
only
family. I want you to prove she couldn’t have killed Victor. I want not only doubt but innocence.”
“You hired Iris Jones. I’m sure she has investigators on retainer. Use them. Don’t manipulate me.”
“I’m not trying to manipulate you.” She stared at Connor, her dark emerald eyes full of emotion, imploring him. He hadn’t noticed the resemblance to her niece until then, but he saw it now, could almost picture Julia as a young girl, getting what she wanted with that determined look, those piercing green eyes. She wasn’t one to back down. He admired that trait as much as he despised it.
“You have contacts I don’t have, you can go places I can’t go. Please, Connor. You have to help.”
“Shit, Julia,” he whispered under his breath. “You’re a bitch, you know that?”
Her eyes darkened. “That’s what makes me so good at my job,” she snapped.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Think about it at the hospital. Listen to Dillon interview Emily. Maybe that will convince you.”
“Dammit.” He raked a hand through his hair.
“Nine o’clock.”
“That’s twenty minutes from now.”
“I know.”
“Don’t count on it.”
She reddened. “I won’t.”
She turned on her heel and left.
Connor watched her walk down the stairs, head high, the queen in action. Damn, damn, damn. Working with Julia Chandler was the last thing he wanted or needed in his life. He’d finally been able to put aside the crap five years ago that had cost him his job, and she walks back into his life like a nineteen-forties femme fatale. Hot and sexy and too damn smart.
He wanted to say no. He wanted to throttle her. But in the end, could he live with himself if Emily Chandler Montgomery ended up in prison and there was a way he could have prevented it?
Besides, he was sick and tired of working for insurance companies chasing down fraud claims. Boring for one, but more than that, it was intensely disheartening that so many people in the world were out for the easy buck that lying had become second nature.
He went inside his small house and to the bathroom. Maybe a hot shower would clear his mind.
He pictured Julia’s long legs and the body that came with them.
Make it a cold shower.
SEVEN
J ULIA DROVE BACK to the hospital from Connor’s. Never had a man, friend or foe, infuriated her as much as Connor Kincaid did. Arrogant and with a chip on his shoulder a mile wide.
A tickle of guilt reminded her that she was partly responsible for the size of the chip. But five years ago she hadn’t asked him to break the law, she’d only demanded that he do the right thing.
She walked
know
her. Not anymore.” As he said it, he didn’t fully believe it. But Emily’s involvement was a possibility. It would be better for Julia if she accepted at least that possibility early on.
Why did he even care about what was good for Julia? Let her heart break.
Julia was angry but controlled it. She was the epitome of control, always keeping her emotions in check. Never rising to the bait. Always right, standing by her oh-so-perfect ethics. Everything was black-and-white in Julia Chandler’s world.
Her next comment surprised him. “You’re right. I saw Emily every week, but I don’t really know her. I should have fought harder for custody. But I’m just her aunt. I know the law. It was stacked against me. Crystal is a bitch, but that doesn’t mean a court will take her only child away from her. Being a bitch isn’t a crime.”
“I don’t know what you think I can do. I’m not a cop anymore, which I’m sure you haven’t forgotten.”
The softness and pain that had crossed Julia’s face when she spoke of Emily disappeared and the hard-nosed prosecutor was back.
“I don’t have to tell
you
that this is a sensitive, politicized investigation and I can’t have my fingers in the pie. But I’ll do anything to protect Emily. She’s my family. My
only
family. I want you to prove she couldn’t have killed Victor. I want not only doubt but innocence.”
“You hired Iris Jones. I’m sure she has investigators on retainer. Use them. Don’t manipulate me.”
“I’m not trying to manipulate you.” She stared at Connor, her dark emerald eyes full of emotion, imploring him. He hadn’t noticed the resemblance to her niece until then, but he saw it now, could almost picture Julia as a young girl, getting what she wanted with that determined look, those piercing green eyes. She wasn’t one to back down. He admired that trait as much as he despised it.
“You have contacts I don’t have, you can go places I can’t go. Please, Connor. You have to help.”
“Shit, Julia,” he whispered under his breath. “You’re a bitch, you know that?”
Her eyes darkened. “That’s what makes me so good at my job,” she snapped.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Think about it at the hospital. Listen to Dillon interview Emily. Maybe that will convince you.”
“Dammit.” He raked a hand through his hair.
“Nine o’clock.”
“That’s twenty minutes from now.”
“I know.”
“Don’t count on it.”
She reddened. “I won’t.”
She turned on her heel and left.
Connor watched her walk down the stairs, head high, the queen in action. Damn, damn, damn. Working with Julia Chandler was the last thing he wanted or needed in his life. He’d finally been able to put aside the crap five years ago that had cost him his job, and she walks back into his life like a nineteen-forties femme fatale. Hot and sexy and too damn smart.
He wanted to say no. He wanted to throttle her. But in the end, could he live with himself if Emily Chandler Montgomery ended up in prison and there was a way he could have prevented it?
Besides, he was sick and tired of working for insurance companies chasing down fraud claims. Boring for one, but more than that, it was intensely disheartening that so many people in the world were out for the easy buck that lying had become second nature.
He went inside his small house and to the bathroom. Maybe a hot shower would clear his mind.
He pictured Julia’s long legs and the body that came with them.
Make it a cold shower.
SEVEN
J ULIA DROVE BACK to the hospital from Connor’s. Never had a man, friend or foe, infuriated her as much as Connor Kincaid did. Arrogant and with a chip on his shoulder a mile wide.
A tickle of guilt reminded her that she was partly responsible for the size of the chip. But five years ago she hadn’t asked him to break the law, she’d only demanded that he do the right thing.
She walked
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