Courting Suspicion

by Kimberly Dean

She curled her feet up at her side on the overstuffed easy chair. She was still worried about the challenges they had to face. With the case … with the truth about what she did … thinking about it too much made a hard knot form in her stomach. She drank some wine and moved Andre to second base in her scorebook when he got a double.

  This was nice – nicer than she’d ever considered. Just sitting with someone. Sharing time in the same place. Listening to their breaths and feeling safe letting them close. She’d lived on her own for a long time. She’d made her own rules and done her own thing. She could do it again, if necessary.

  But this was nice.

  She rested her head against the cushions and enjoyed it, for a little while.

  The problems between them weren’t going to go away. He had ethics and ideals that she’d already moved past. She didn’t feel guilty about her choices. Her business might be disreputable, but she’d found ways to do good. She might not have taken the most honourable path to rise above, but she’d assumed her place atop the heap that had tried to hold her down. If that made her a small person, she could accept that.

  She just couldn’t accept it hurting him.

  Her gaze ran over him. His hair was rumpled as he rested against the pillow. The silver at his temples looked soft and touchable. When he rested like his and toned down all that energy, it made her heart swell. He was trusting her as much as she was trusting him.

  Andre was in scoring position, but the Nationals were trailing once again in the bottom of the ninth. When the next batter hit a dribbler to the second baseman, both she and Josh groaned.

  ‘There’s the game,’ he said in tired acceptance.

  He swung his legs off the couch and sat up. He picked up the remote and pushed the controls. He was like a little kid with that thing. He watched in fascination as the TV slid into the cabinet and the doors closed. He pointed at the curtains and found the button to operate them, too. They swished shut as he rose to his feet.

  He held a hand out to her. ‘Bed?’

  She’d never heard anything sound so good. She finished her wine and left the glass on the table with the bouquet of flowers. The blooms were starting to look as tired as she felt. They’d both been operating on only a few hours of sleep. Neither of them had energy to do much more than fall in bed beside one another.

  She rested her head against his arm. ‘We’re going to sleep tonight, the whole night through.’

  ‘Promise?’ He turned off the lights behind them and clicked on the bedside lamp.

  She saw the look in his eyes.

  ‘I’ll be there in a moment.’

  She stepped in her closet and then went into the master bath. When she came out, he was pushing down his jeans. He took one look at her, and his cock swelled beneath his briefs.

  Nina frowned. ‘Sleep.’

  Even to her own ears she didn’t sound a hundred percent convincing, but she was in a nurturing mood. She wanted to take care of him.

  His gaze was hot as it swept down her body, and her nipples peaked hard beneath the bodice of her nightgown.

  ‘That’s what you wear to sleep?’

  She glanced down. ‘Yes.’

  The white Céline gown had a black lace see-through bodice with a neckline that plunged between her breasts. It skimmed her body in soft silk. It was pretty and sexy, all at once. Comfortable to her.

  ‘A clotheshorse to the end,’ he muttered.

  He flipped back the covers for her, but she held back. ‘That really isn’t my side of the bed.’

  He gave her that lazy grin she was beginning to love. ‘If you wear that, you can sleep on whatever side of the bed you want, as long as it’s my bed.’

  He crawled in and held the covers open for her. She slid in and turned off the bedside lamp. His arm wrapped around her, and his chest pressed against her back. He kissed her hair and his semi-hard erection nudged at her, but he made no move to take it any further.

  She would have let him, but she smiled into the darkness as she relaxed back into him. She laced her fingers through his at her stomach and closed her eyes.

  This was personal.

  * * *

  It was personal.

  Nina sat up straight in bed. Sunlight was pushing through the cracks in the curtains, giving a warm glow to her entire bedroom. It was nothing compared to the blinding light that had flashed on inside her head.

  Josh flinched when the mattress moved, and then he was awake. He’d rolled onto his back to take up his half of the bed. He looked at her with those dark eyes sharp and alert, and he touched her back. ‘Are you OK?’

  ‘It was personal!’

  Nina scooted off the bed and rushed to the door. She didn’t even stop to put on her dressing robe. She hurried past the entryway to her apartment and across the living room. She stopped so suddenly at the far hall table that Josh nearly bumped into her.

  He was hot on her trail.

  ‘Nina,’ he said more forcefully. ‘What’s wrong?’

  The flowers had been thinned out as they wilted, and the ones that remained were starting to shrivel. She hadn’t liked who had sent them, but she liked flowers. She patted the table, searching for something that only the recesses of her brain had remembered.

  ‘Gunderson sent me these,’ she said. Had she thrown it away? She remembered crumpling it.

  She found the card hidden behind the vase, tucked up against the wall. Josh was alternating between watching her in confusion and glaring at the sickly blooms.

  ‘I don’t understand,’ he said.

  She finally got the envelope flattened enough that she could pull out the tiny note. She held it up so he could read it. ‘Senator Samuel Gunderson sent this to me, but does this look like a man’s handwriting?’

  His brow furrowed. ‘No, it doesn’t.’

  She put the card on the table where they could both see it. ‘That was written by a woman. He might have paid for them, but she ordered them. She wrote the note that he obviously dictated.’

  Her detective caught on quickly. ‘His aide. The woman he works too much.’

  ‘The woman who dressed up pretty to attend the Capitol gathering with him …’

  ‘The woman who was so ready to comfort him when he told reporters he’d broken up with Genieve …’

  Nina caught Josh’s hand and squeezed. ‘It’s his assistant. That’s who’s been behind all of this. It was personal!’

  Chapter Thirteen

  With a lead as promising as the one Nina offered, Josh got to work fast. Contrary to what the movies and television shows portrayed, though, things didn’t automatically fall into place. It required work. He needed more than a strong suspicion.

  He had to find proof.

  He opened the case file on his desk and pulled out the business card the senator had given him. He flicked it with his finger. One tiny piece of paper had set off such an avalanche when Luxxor’s card had dropped out with it. Good things had come tumbling down with the bad …

  It had made him go after Nina, and he’d caught her. But not for a crime. Not yet, anyway. A familiar tightness pulled at his chest. That would always be hanging out there between them, wouldn’t it?

  He punched the number into his phone and waited.

  ‘Senator Samuel Gunderson’s office.’

  Josh eased up. The call had been answered by a man, not the woman he was slowly circling. ‘Detective Morgan from DC Metro Police. I need to talk with the senator.’

  ‘Of course, sir. The senator said to forward any calls from you. He’s in the office. One moment, please.’

  It didn’t take long for Gunderson to answer. ‘Detective, good to hear from you. I assume you’re calling with progress on my case?’

  ‘Not exactly.’ The last newscast Josh had seen, Gunderson had finally gotten rid of all the bandages. ‘There’s been a new development that may or may not be connected. Genieve Hart’s house was broken into last night.’

  ‘Genieve? Oh, my word. Is she all right?�
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  Josh cocked his head. The guy actually sounded concerned. Maybe there had been more to the couple’s relationship than he’d thought. ‘She’s fine. She wasn’t there when it happened.’

  ‘Thank goodness. Have you caught the person responsible? Was it those two reporters again? I heard they’re out on bail. Do I need to increase my security detail?’

  Josh frowned. It wasn’t all that plausible. Hoodie and Bieber hadn’t had burglary on their minds when they’d broken into the Emissary Hotel; they’d been after a story. But the story had included the escort. If they’d done enough homework, could they have found out what items the senator had bought for her? He wrote himself a note. ‘I’ll check into that, but right now I’m looking down another trail.’

  ‘How can I assist?’

  It hadn’t taken Josh long to find the names of Gunderson’s staff and’ to give a better contextual link. Josh drew a square around Margaret Harris’s name on his notepad. ‘Most of the items stolen were gifts that you gave to Genieve.’

  The senator sucked in a breath. ‘Why are the two of us being targeted like this?’

  ‘That’s what I’m trying to figure out.’ The box around Margaret’s name was becoming darker and darker. ‘Genieve put together a list of items, but we’re not sure if it’s complete. She thought you might be able to help.’

  ‘You’ll need to speak with my assistant, Margaret. She’s the one who actually made the purchases.’

  Bingo.

  ‘Would you like me to include her on the call?’

  ‘No, no,’ Josh said quickly. ‘We have quite a comprehensive list. It’s been sent out to pawn shops around the area so they can be on the lookout. I just wanted to confirm that Margaret might have receipts or credit-card statements of the purchases if we find anything.’

  ‘I’m sure she does.’ The silver-haired politician chuckled. ‘I don’t have a good memory for that type of thing. Margaret handles all of that for me. If Genieve needs help for insurance claims, I’m sure Maggie would be glad to help.’

  Probably not as happy as the senator thought.

  ‘Good to know,’ Josh said, adding an exclamation point behind the box. ‘Thank you for your time, Senator.’

  ‘Of course, Detective. Always happy to help out our first responders. I hope you know how much I appreciate your service to our fair city.’

  Josh’s lip curled. The political insincerity was practically dripping. ‘I’ll be in touch.’

  He hung up before the phone could slip out of his hand.

  ‘Progress?’ Alvarez asked, stopping by his desk with a fresh mocha in his hand.

  ‘Progress.’ But he was just getting started.

  Josh’s next stop was Forensic Sciences. The techies hadn’t had time to go through the evidence collected at the crime scene, and their glowers told him they didn’t appreciate him pushing. The state-of-the-art laboratory was still relatively new, but in a city as big as DC they were kept busy.

  Things changed when he asked them to check for one match in particular. He’d finally caught a break in the case. All federal employees were required to undergo background checks and be fingerprinted – including Margaret Harris.

  He had one half of the puzzle; he just needed the matching piece.

  Looking for a fingerprint in a home the size of Genieve’s could be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but they concentrated on the point of entry. The landscaping stone would have been ideal, but it had been too porous to pick up good prints. The deadbolt lock or handle inside the back door, though, had potential. When they got a match, Josh knew he had the right person.

  ‘Gotcha,’ he said as he held up the report. Margaret Harris had been in that rowhouse, and he sincerely doubted that Genieve had invited her.

  Nina was right. Jealousy was a powerful motivator.

  Josh’s blood began to pump like it always did when he was on the hunt. A prudish, overworked, lovesick aide. It made sense on a lot of levels.

  It was time to pick her up. Getting the arrest warrant wasn’t a problem, but he ran into another issue. The work day was in full swing – and his suspect worked in another department’s jurisdiction.

  He stood beside his desk, thinking through his options. ‘Should I wait until she comes home for the day?’ he asked Alvarez.

  ‘I wouldn’t,’ the other detective said.

  Josh agreed. He’d had that conversation with the senator. If Gunderson had ignored him and gotten proactive, Miss Maggie might already be worried he was coming for her.

  He couldn’t wait. He needed to co-ordinate with Capitol Police to carry out the arrest on Capitol grounds.

  ‘Good thing I just volunteered some after-hours security work for them.’

  All it took to get things moving was a phone call and the sharing of some paperwork. Soon, he was walking with a uniformed Capitol Police officer into the Russell Senate Office Building.

  The Capitol wasn’t big enough to house offices for all senators and congressmen, so buildings had gone up around Capitol Hill within walking distance. The Senate had three of its own for the daily workings of its members, including this one.

  They passed through a rotunda that was nearly as impressive as the one in the Capitol, though smaller, with columns encircling it. There were tourists here, too, visiting their state officials. Josh felt the attention he and the uniformed officer drew as their footsteps rang out amongst all the marble and limestone, but he was concentrating on his destination.

  From the office numbers on the walls, Senator Gunderson’s office suite was close.

  They entered without knocking. Josh spotted Bowtie Boy first, working at a desk along the wall. He must have been the one to take his call. Margaret Harris was just a few feet away, squashed into the corner. Bowtie Boy started to get up, but the Capitol policeman gestured that he stand down.

  Margaret froze in her chair as Josh approached her desk. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Her hair was pulled back into a tight, no-nonsense bun, and she wore minimal makeup. What colour was in her cheeks drained, to the point where he worried about her fainting.

  Damn. An arrest on Capitol Hill always attracted attention, but he didn’t want her carted out on a gurney. ‘Margaret Harris?’ he asked.

  Her lips worked nervously. ‘Yes?’

  He held up his badge. ‘Detective Morgan from DC Metro Police.’

  Her eyes rounded to the size of saucers, and she clutched a pile of paperwork to her chest as if that would ward him off.

  ‘I’m here to arrest you for breaking and entering and burglary. Please stand and show me your hands.’

  ‘Burglary?’ Bowtie Boy blurted. ‘Are you insane? Senator!’

  The senator appeared from the main office and stood in the doorway, watching. He shook his head. ‘Margaret,’ he said in disappointment.

  His aide’s eyes filled with tears.

  Josh approached her, ready for any unexpected moves. For someone who’d thrown a brick through another woman’s window, she seemed awfully timid. You never could tell with people. Sometimes it just took the right trigger. ‘Turn around and put your hands behind your head.’

  She didn’t argue and she didn’t protest. She just looked at him forlornly.

  She was younger than he’d thought, and more innocent-looking.

  Josh paused. There was no recognition of him in her expression as she faced him. None at all. His brow furrowed. If she’d sent that picture of him and Nina to the station, shouldn’t she know who he was? Shouldn’t she be raging against him?

  It threw him off for a moment, but he twirled his finger, indicating that she needed to follow his instructions. In slow motion, she put down the paperwork and turned. He put the handcuffs on her, and her shoulders began to shake.

  He sighed. Now the tears would start.

  ‘I’m going to read you your rights now, do you understand?’

  She nodded and turned around. Her head hung so low, he couldn’t see her face.


  ‘You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I’ve just read to you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?’

  ‘I … I just … I was just so angry.’

  Everyone was staring at her. Everyone was listening.

  ‘Mm hm.’ Josh took her arm and guided her towards the door. He wasn’t going to get much out of her in this environment.

  The senator stepped forward to stop them, and Josh paused. Then again …

  ‘Why, Margaret?’ Gunderson asked. ‘Why would you do something like that to me?’

  Josh’s eyebrows lifted. To him?

  The aide’s head finally lifted. The expression on her face was one of dismay. ‘I didn’t do it to you. I did it to help you – to help you see how she was using you.’

  The senator’s hands fisted at his sides. ‘What did Genieve ever do to you? You know that if you hurt her, you hurt me.’

  ‘She’s not your girlfriend. She never was.’ Venom lit the aide’s eyes. ‘She’s just a gold-digging whore.’

  Whoa. Josh tightened his hold on her. Her trigger had just been found. He shot a look at the Capitol officer, but he was dealing with the traffic of lookey-loos that were gathering around in the hallway.

  ‘I take care of everything for you,’ Margaret cried, ‘but she waltzed into this place like she owned it.’

  Bowtie Boy sent his coworker a stunned look. ‘Genieve was the one good thing about this job,’ he hissed.

  ‘She was not!’ The words came out in rapid-fire shots, yet when the aide faced the senator, her voice turned wheedling. ‘You are, Samuel.’

  Josh’s eyes narrowed. Oh, boy.

  The plain young woman looked at the senator with his red silk tie and perfectly cut silver hair.

  ‘I read the bills and condense them for you. I manage your schedule. I pick up your dry cleaning. I work late and then get up and bring your newspaper in the morning. Why couldn’t you notice me?’

  Gunderson looked uncomfortable and impatient. He raked a hand through his hair, and the cufflinks at his wrists glinted. ‘Margaret, this is very unbecoming. You damaged her house. You stole her things.’