The Right Woman

Brooke’s face crumbled. “No.”

“You did nothing but watch. You didn’t participate in—”

“The questions are over,” Sarah broke in. “She’s told you all she knows.”

“Ms. Welch…”

“The questions are over, Detective Devers,” she repeated firmly.

Russ’s eyes narrowed.

“Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Wallace.” Daniel intervened before Russ could do any damage.

“Please catch him.”

“We’ll do our best.”

The trio left the room. In the hall, Russ turned on Daniel. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. I’m the lead detective on this case and you were way out of line taking over the questioning. You’re only here for your expert knowledge, that’s it.”

Daniel held up both hands. “I realize that, but you have as much tact as a telemarketer.”

“Don’t start with me, Daniel, or I’ll report you.”

“Go ahead. I’ve had about all I can stomach of this job.”

Joel stepped between them. “Let’s put the personalities aside and concentrate on what we’ve just learned.”

“Yeah.” Russ jammed his notebook into his pocket. “Now we locate Brian Colley and get a list of everyone at the party. Our rapist was there and I have a feeling Miss Wallace knows him. If Ms. Colder Than Ice hadn’t stuck her two cents in, I’d have gotten it out of her.”

Daniel was stunned at Russ’s insensitivity, but he didn’t say anything. Words would be wasted on Russ.

Russ and Joel started toward the door. Russ turned back. “Daniel, we’re through with your expert knowledge. I’ll inform your lieutenant that we don’t need your help anymore.”

“Fine,” Daniel replied. The two men stared at each other in stony silence. Russ was the first to look away and he hurried toward Joel.

DANIEL LET OUT a long sigh of frustration, trying to get Brooke Wallace’s story out of his head, trying not to see the look in Sarah’s eyes. He was tired. Tired of crime. Tired of dealing with cops like Russ. Tired of the bad guys always winning. He was just tired in general and he knew he was at a point in his career where he had to make a decision.

He raised his head and saw Sarah talking to a couple, obviously Brooke’s parents. When they went inside the room, Sarah sank into one of the chairs in the hall and buried her face in her hands. Daniel’s chest expanded at the defeated picture. He remembered the day he’d pulled her, barely breathing, pale and terrified, out of Rudy Boyd’s closet. He hadn’t known if she’d ever make it back to the real world after what Boyd had done to her. But she’d been a fighter, just as he sensed Brooke Wallace was, and she had rebounded with strength and determination.

Sarah had been the star witness for the prosecution in Boyd’s trial and she had held up beautifully, as she had in the appeal, making sure Boyd paid for Greg’s death. Mentally, though, he wondered how strong she was. Looking at her now, he feared she hadn’t fully recovered.

Unable to stop himself, he headed toward her. He knew he shouldn’t. He was the last person she wanted to speak to and although he didn’t understand why, now he had to talk to her. He’d always thought it best to leave her alone, but tonight he didn’t heed his instincts.

Since Sarah had been a witness at Boyd’s trial, they’d been thrown together numerous times and he’d encountered her on several occasions in the years that had followed. On each encounter she treated him the same, with disguised disdain. They had to talk. He recognized this wasn’t the time or the place, but he was tired of putting it off, just like he was tired of so many things in his life. Tonight Sarah Welch was going to tell him to his face why she hated him.

Then he could forget he’d ever known her.

CHAPTER TWO

SARAH BRACED HERSELF as Daniel sat beside her. What did he want? Why couldn’t he just leave? It had been a horrific night and she didn’t want to talk. If she looked at him, she’d see that expression he always wore when he was around her.

“Are you okay?” Daniel asked softly.

There it was—that worried tone. She restrained herself from gritting her teeth. “Yes, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” She raised her head, but didn’t look at him. She just wanted him to go away and to leave her with her thoughts.

“Well, a young girl’s life has been altered forever and I can see it has affected you.”

This time Sarah gritted her teeth; she couldn’t help herself. Then she calmly answered, “I’m human and what Brooke Wallace has just endured would affect anyone.”

“But for you it’s different.”

She clenched her jaw so tight that it hurt. Go away, Daniel. Please go away.

Daniel could sense that she wanted him to leave and normally he would, but not tonight. Tonight they were going to talk even if those frosty blue eyes chilled him to the bone.

He took a deep breath and clasped his hands between his knees. “Why do you hate me so much?”

“I don’t hate you.”

“You’re stiff as a board and you won’t look at me. That’s not a positive, happy-to-see-you reaction.”

A tangible pause followed.

“Okay, Daniel.” Those cool eyes looked directly at him. “You make me uncomfortable, but it has nothing to do with you personally. You remind me of the past and when I see you, I relive that awful time. I just want to forget it. But you’re always there with your worried glances, asking how I am. I don’t need you to be concerned about me. I’m fine, and I think it would be best if we stayed away from each other.”

He’d asked and he’d gotten his answer. It was the reaction he’d been expecting so he didn’t understand why he couldn’t leave it alone—leave her alone. But he couldn’t wait any longer. Everything had to be brought out into the open then maybe he could let go of whatever the hell was bothering him.

“There’s another reason, isn’t there?”

“Like what?” Her eyes never wavered from his.

“Greg.”

She looked away.

“You blame me for his death.” He said the one thing that had stood between them for the past five years.

She bit her lip. “You were his boss, his leader. Why wasn’t someone there to help him? Why wasn’t someone there to save his life?”

“Greg volunteered to go undercover in the strip clubs to nail Rudy Boyd. A personal bodyguard doesn’t come with undercover work. It’s dangerous. We all know the risks and we gladly take them to get scum like Boyd off the streets.” He took a long breath. “You’re right about one thing, though. Greg’s death is my fault. I should have been on top of his activities, but I didn’t have a clue you were with him. That’s something I’ll never be able to forget.”

When she didn’t say anything, he stood. “So we’ll agree to stay out of each other’s lives. That shouldn’t be too hard because I’m quitting the force.”

Her head jerked up. “You’re quitting the force?”

Daniel hadn’t made his final decision until this very moment. Talking to Sarah, hearing the pain still evident in her voice, he made his choice—one he’d been wrestling with for months.

“Yeah.”