Temptations of Anna Jacobs by Robyn DeHart

convinced her. Not that she needed too much persuasion—she’d been begging Simon for years to allow her to assist with an investigation. She couldn’t very well allow him to see her eagerness, though, so she narrowed her eyes. “Appealing to my sense of loyalty toward my brother? Quite clever, Lord Carrington, I shall grant you that.”
    “Please stop calling me that,” he said.
    “That is the proper way to address you—unless you prefer ‘Inspector’?” she asked.
    “No, I meant, please simply call me Drew. Will you help me?”
    She looked out into the corridor. Several of the other students lingered, no doubt waiting to pry for details. A futile exercise. Anna turned back to Drew. “What all will this entail?” she asked.
    “Going into the morgue with me and inspecting the body,” he said.
    “That’s all?”
    “Well, yes, except we would technically be going in after hours,” he said. “After the police surgeon has already done his examination. The body will be moved tomorrow.”
    “You intend to break into the morgue?” she asked.
    He inclined his head. “If I must. I doubt they’d grant my petition to have a second physician examine the body. I’m barely on this investigation.”
    She eyed him for a moment. “That’s illegal.” Yet she found herself thrilled by the notion. What had got into her? She might be odd compared to most ladies her age, but she’d never before considered illegalities as titillating.
    “Yes, it is. But it is a risk I’m willing to take.” He shook his head. “Will you help me?”
    Her heart beat so quickly she feared it might leap from her chest. But of course she knew that would be a medical impossibility. Drew, with his ridiculously handsome face, was standing there asking for her assistance. She knew in that moment that even if she’d wanted to, she would not be able to say no to him. She nodded. “Very well, I shall help you.”
    “Thank you, Lady Annabelle,” he said.
    “Anna. You may simply call me Anna.”
    “Thank you, Anna. I shall send a carriage to retrieve you tonight,” he said.
    “I shall look forward to it.”

Chapter Five
    Drew knew his brother, the Duke of Carrington, and his new bride had returned from their honeymoon and were back at Alex’s townhome. He suspected that his brother would applaud the recent developments in Drew’s life, since he had been released from prison and had accepted a position with the Scotland Yard while they’d been away from London. Not only that, but he hadn’t had a drink since his arrest.
    The truth of the matter was the first time he’d met his now-sister-in-law, Mia, Drew had been a crude ass. He’d thought her a servant girl and he’d propositioned her. Of course she had suspected him to be the infamous murderer, so he supposed they were even to some extent. But Drew knew he owed both Alex and Mia an apology. His brother had done everything in his power to prevent Drew’s arrest, and Drew hadn’t lifted a finger to help him. He’d merely kept drinking and pretended it would all disappear.
    Losing himself in a bottle had been his primary defense for so long, he hardly knew what to do with himself now that he wasn’t drinking. Even now, when it had been weeks since his last drink, he yearned for it. For the sweet oblivion it provided, but for its ease as well. In all honesty, he’d spent so much of his adult life drunk, he hardly knew how to behave in polite society. Hardly knew how to talk to a proper lady such as Mia.
    Yet converse with her, he must. She was his sister now. She would be in his life a long time. Moreover, she had brought his brother great happiness. Even though he and Alex hadn’t been close since they were boys, and despite the years of tension that lay between them, he was glad his brother had found such joy. His brother’s current happiness gave him a modicum of hope. For if Alex could find peace, then surely there was hope for him to find it as well. Outside of a