"You know you can talk to me," Lori ventured, "if you need to."

Jess nodded. "I absolutely do."

But I may not be able to protect you...

That stone cold reality haunted Jess incessantly.

Birmingham Police Department, 12:50 p.m.

"I have a list of Templeton's and Burgess's friends and close acquaintances to interview, Chief." Harper grabbed the ma.s.sive steak and cheese sub sandwich he'd ordered and tore off a bite.

Cook tossed back the last of his soft drink and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "Stacey Jernigan remembered all sorts of things after puking all over the interview room."

Jess nibbled at her sweet potato fries. She had to eat, she knew this, but her appet.i.te apparently wasn't interested. "Anything more than the names of friends and acquaintances?" A couple of scenarios were drifting around in Jess's head but none had anch.o.r.ed just yet.

"A couple details." Cook hopped up and strode over to the case board. He tapped the photo of Alisha Burgess. "She and Templeton were lovers. Jernigan admitted the two women had been keeping the relations.h.i.+p secret."

Evidently not secret enough. Jess sipped her apple juice and shuddered. It was awful. Why would people drink this stuff much less force it on their kids? "Why keep it a secret? She didn't have any family here. Birmingham isn't exactly L.A., but we have our share of non-traditional couples." The bigger question remained, was the other woman in the painting Burgess? "Did she mention the painting?"

"She did not," Cook said.

Photo in hand, Lori scooted back her chair and joined Cook at the case board. "Templeton kept the relations.h.i.+p a secret because she didn't want her boyfriend to find out her roommate was also her one true love." Lori added the photo of a twenty-something male beneath Templeton's and announced, "Meet Rod Slater. He owns the building where Templeton managed the s.e.x toy shop, along with half a dozen other small commercial buildings in the city. Since she lived in the apartment above her shop until two weeks ago, he was also her landlord. Slater and Templeton were in a relations.h.i.+p for about a year. Nothing serious. More like friends with benefits."

Cook pointed to the photo. "Except, this guy wanted to be her only friend. Jernigan says Slater roughed Templeton up a couple of times. He kicked her out of the apartment and threatened to cancel the lease on the shop she managed. The next day Templeton moved into the Homewood house and took Burgess with her."

Jess pushed her lunch aside. "Any witnesses to these violent episodes?"

"Not specifically the ones with Templeton," Harper explained, joining the conversation. "I checked his record. Slater's one of the possessive-aggressive types. He thinks the women he dates belong to him. They have to be faithful even if he's not. His rap sheet confirms Jernigan's allegations. Five counts of intimate partner violence over the past three years."

"Pick him up." Jess had no tolerance for men or women who abused their intimate partners or anyone else. Strength and power were not excuses to be a bully.

Harper grabbed the remains of his lunch. "On my way now, ma'am."

"Detective Wells, why don't you give Sergeant Harper a hand," Jess suggested. If this guy Slater put up a fight, he would need someone to protect him from his bad decision. Harper was typically a quiet man but, like Jess, he had no patience with jerks.

Lori grinned. "Love to." She grabbed her purse.

Harper waited for her at the door. They shared a secret smile. After they were gone Jess stared at the closed door for a long while. Lori and Chet were very lucky. They'd found each other and seemed to be on the right track for making their relations.h.i.+p work. So far, their personal lives hadn't interfered with work. Jess was thankful. She wouldn't want to part with either detective.

Cook cleared his throat and settled at his desk. "I'll just keep going through the reports from the neighbors."

Jess reined in her wandering thoughts. "As soon as I finish my lunch we'll pay a visit to the ME. See how Dr. Baron's coming along with the autopsies."

Cook's face brightened. "Awesome-I mean, yes, ma'am."

What was that all about?

A firm knock on the door drew her attention there. Jess fully expected to see Dan walk through the door just to check up on her. He was keeping extra close tabs. The door opened and the man who strolled in was a stranger. Well dressed and reasonably handsome, but a stranger nonetheless. Before she could stop the automatic reaction, she was reaching for her bag and the Glock tucked there.

Cook was suddenly on his feet and in front of Jess's desk, between her and the potential danger. She appreciated the move. It prevented her from doing something ridiculous like drawing her weapon. What was wrong with her? She was overreacting. This man had pa.s.sed through security. The department's security guards were on alert for trouble. There was no need for melodrama in her own office.

And she worried about Dan overreacting.

"Can I help you?" Cook asked, demanded actually.

"I'm here to see Chief Harris."

While Cook continued his interrogation, Jess moved around her desk. The man looked to be in his early thirties. He had dark hair and eyes and carried himself like a businessman.

So did Spears. Appearance alone was rarely a measure of a man's heart.

"You have a name?" Cook pressed on with his interrogation.

"Lieutenant Clint Hayes," he said to Cook. "I'm here about the vacancy on your team." The last he said to Jess.

Hayes. He was the detective Lori had said would make a great addition to their team. Jess had briefly reviewed his personnel file. Her preliminary a.s.sessment was that the man was vastly over qualified for his current a.s.signment. A wasted resource she could certainly use in SPU.

She stepped forward and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you, Lieutenant."

Cook still eyed him warily.

Hayes gave her hand a firm shake. "The pleasure's mine, Chief."

Though she hadn't found the time to set up an interview with Hayes, maybe Lori or Harper had pa.s.sed along the word that Jess was interested in speaking to him. However he'd heard, she was glad he was here. SPU could use the help.

"I'm glad you took the initiative and dropped by, Lieutenant." Jess turned to the youngest member of her team. "This is Officer Chad Cook."

The two men shook hands, visibly sizing each other up.

Jess gestured to the chair in front of her desk. "Have a seat, Lieutenant."

Cook sauntered back to his desk, dragged out his chair and collapsed into it. He was feeling a little outranked and Jess wanted that to change. They had to prepare him for the detective's exam as soon as someone around here could catch their breath.

Hayes waited until Jess was seated before taking his. Manners too. Nice.

Clint Hayes could be a high-powered executive. The suit was no everyday off the rack purchase. Reminded her of Richard Ellis's taste for the finer labels, but Ellis's taste had run more to the eclectic. From the lieutenant's manner of dress to the way he carried himself he seemed the type who would have gone to school with Dan and all his rich friends. Only Clint Hayes hadn't come from a rich family. Based on what Lori had told Jess about him, he'd come from the same side of Birmingham's tracks as she had. He'd worked his way through college as a gigolo. His secret occupation had cost him his chosen career as an attorney.

If the guy was a good cop, Jess could care less how he paid his way through school. He'd cashed in on the one a.s.set readily available.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Something else they had in common.

Hayes cleared his throat. Jess blinked and scolded herself for letting her thoughts drift. She just couldn't stay focused today. "You have uncanny timing, Lieutenant. We're in the middle of a double homicide and we could certainly use some help. Did Detective Wells mention we have a vacancy on our team?"

Hayes smiled, the kind of flirtatious expression that made the ladies sit up and pay attention. "Actually, I heard the rumor and thought I'd get the jump on any official posting."

Ambitious too, Jess admired that in a cop. "You're acquainted with Detective Wells, do you also know Sergeant Harper?"

Hayes dipped his head. "I'm familiar with his reputation. Wells and I have run into each other from time to time socially."

Do tell. Jess would be asking Lori about that one. She never mentioned having socialized with the man. Not that Jess could blame her. "You've been in Admin for years, Lieutenant. Moving directly to a major crimes team could be challenging."

"My marksmans.h.i.+p score is perfect, every time. I have buddies in SWAT and I routinely take part in their training drills. I enjoy a challenge, Chief."

Cook cleared his throat and then coughed. Hayes ignored him.

"Physical prowess can bring down the bad guy," Jess allowed, opting not to permit him to see just how impressed she was even if Cook wasn't, "but it won't provide you with the instincts to find a killer. Close attention to detail and understanding the motives that drive those who commit acts of violence are the skills you need to be a part of this team, Lieutenant."

"I'm a quick study," he pressed. "We all have to begin somewhere."

Well, he had her there. "When can you start?"

"Is now too soon for you?"

His answer surprised her. "Your chief won't have an issue with you leaving without sufficient notice?"

"I cleared the move with him this morning."

Confidence was another admirable trait, but too much was not.

"If you would have me," he said as if reading her mind, or maybe her c.o.c.ked eyebrow, "Chief McCord was agreeable to an immediate move. Admin is a bit overstaffed so a loss in manpower isn't an issue."

Making the decision without having an in-depth look at his personnel file and a proper interview, including a discussion with her team, was not how she'd planned to do this. Lori seemed to think he was a good guy. Harper hadn't mentioned any complaints or misgivings. SPU desperately needed another warm body. He was here and anxious to start.

"Would you be open to a six-month trial period?" Jess offered. "This is a tight group, Lieutenant. The work we do requires a certain level of trust and cohesiveness."

"I have no objections to a probationary period," he a.s.sured her.

"Excellent." She stood and reached across her desk. "Welcome to the team."

Hayes followed suit and gave her hand another hearty shake. "Thank you, Chief. You won't regret the decision."

The obnoxious ringtone Jess despised called out from her bag. Most days she wanted desperately to change the d.a.m.ned thing but it made hers different from everyone else's.

"Officer Cook, show the lieutenant around," Jess suggested. They were crammed into one reasonably good-sized room for now so there wasn't much to see.

While Cook grudgingly gave Hayes a tour, Jess fished around in her bag for her phone. It had stopped ringing by the time she dug past the M&Ms and the other stuff to find it.

"Dammit." The call was from Virginia but it wasn't Gant. Patricia Lanier, her realtor. Antic.i.p.ation had Jess's nerves jumping as she returned the call. This could be the news on her house she'd been waiting for.

Jess needed the sale on her house in Stafford closed and any equity after all was said and done in her bank account. The last she'd heard the only glitch was narrowing down a workable closing date for both parties. "Hey, Patricia, this is Jess Harris returning your call."

"Thank you for calling back so quickly, Jess. All is in order and I'm just trying to coordinate the buyer's schedule with yours. Would Thursday, September thirtieth, or Friday, October first, work for you?"

Jess checked her calendar. Since most crimes weren't scheduled with the police in advance, the dates appeared to be clear. "Either one works for me. Can we do this in the early afternoon?" Flying to Virginia and back in the same day would be optimal.

"I'm certain we can arrange an afternoon closing. I'll confirm with you soon."

The call ended and Jess was grateful she could check that one off her need-to-do list. Though she was in no hurry to buy another house, it would be a relief not to be paying for a place where she no longer lived.

Her apartment here pretty much fell into that same category at the moment.

As much as she appreciated Dan wanting her at his house with him, she missed her little garage apartment. She even missed Mr. Louis. He was a bit strange but a very attentive landlord. Jess liked him. The poor man had to be wondering what the heck was going on with his tenant. She really should stop by today or tomorrow.

There were a million things she needed to do. Like go shopping. The same five suitable work outfits wouldn't do forever. Her hand went to her belly. How long would it be before she would need maternity clothing? She bit her lip. Her sister would have all kinds of ideas about that. Jess cringed. Their styles were totally different. Lil was happiest in comfortable flats and cotton dresses with lovely flowers. She hated high heels. Jess loved them. She'd kicked them off more than once to chase down a bad guy. Not that the need to give chase happened very often in her current position or in her last decade with the Bureau.

Still, she stared at her shoes. How much longer would she feel comfortable in her beloved Mary Jane pumps? A lot was going to have to change.

Her cell vibrated and she checked the screen. A text from Wells. Jess opened it.

On the way with Slater. He's a little banged up but he was that way when we found him.

A photo of Rod Slater followed the text.

"Ouch," Jess muttered. Apparently, Mr. Slater had been up to no good. Whatever he'd gotten himself into, it looked very much like he'd come out on the losing end. He had a nasty black eye, a bruised and swollen jaw, and a split lip. With all those injuries maybe he'd behave himself in the interview and Jess wouldn't have to unleash Harper's bad cop side.

Her gaze drifted across the room to the newest member of their team. Taking Hayes on without due consideration was out of the ordinary for her. Like buying a pig in a poke. She wondered if Hayes had a bad side. Certainly he'd had a colorful one in the past.

Time would tell.

7.

Interview Room 2, 1:59 p.m.

"Mr. Slater, you have a history of domestic violence." Jess gave the man a moment to think about her statement. "I'd be remiss in my duties in this case if I didn't consider you a suspect, wouldn't you agree?"

"I have an alibi." He might have pulled off the look of insolence to go along with the tone if not for the one eye being swollen shut. "That's why I don't need a lawyer. I got nothing to hide."

Rodney Slater sat directly across the worn table from Jess. He looked like h.e.l.l, smelled like cigarettes and cheap bourbon. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair was mussed. Evidently, the bender he'd started over the weekend had continued into the workweek. One of the perks of being self-employed, Jess supposed. He was his own boss, as he'd so proudly proclaimed when the interview started.

Unfortunately, daddy had entrusted his only son with the family business. Dear old Rod hadn't worked for a single thing he owned. It gave him a bad att.i.tude, in Jess's opinion. The ent.i.tlement mentality was not attractive on anyone over the age of five.

Harper sat next to her. He silently stared at Slater. Didn't seem to faze the c.o.c.ky guy. He was one self-centered piece of work.

"You claim you were at Chasers, a pool hall, from eight Sunday night until the manager locked the doors just after midnight," Jess read from her notes.

"That's right. Ask my friends if you don't believe me."

"I most certainly will." Jess tapped her pencil against her pad. "There's just one thing that keeps bugging me, Mr. Slater. I'm having trouble believing your story about how you came to have all those nasty bruises. Why didn't you call the police after two Hispanic males attempted to rob you? They didn't take your cell phone, did they?"

"They didn't get anything. Like I told you," he ran his fingers through his tousled hair, "I beat the c.r.a.p out of 'em and they ran. Calling the cops wasn't necessary. Don't you have better things to do, like hang out at the donut shop?"

The joys of interviewing idiots. Jess adapted an expression of concern that was about as fake as the story he'd just confirmed. "You must be in serious pain, Mr. Slater. Your hands and forearms are all scratched up. Men don't usually fight openhanded. You use your fists." She balled her fingers. "Makes me wonder if you had a physical altercation with your girlfriend."