Without You

“I need your answer now,” Jackson said before she could break the heavy silence.

Chocolate-brown eyes met blue ones, and for a moment, Hallie couldn’t find her next breath. Jackson must have experienced the same smothering reaction, for his features darkened even more and he shifted his gaze.

“Why are you a suspect, Jackson?”

He rubbed his chin, which was beginning to show a slight stubble, further enhancing his sex appeal. “I was with Roberta last night.” His voice was brusque.

Hallie didn’t know why that blunt admission still had the power to prick her heart, but it did. She should feel bitterness and contempt. Instead, her response was far more personal. Ignoring those thoughts, she said, “You need to be more specific. With her could mean a number of things.”

Jackson’s eyes were bleak. “It’s not what you think.”

“You have no idea what I think,” she countered with quiet dignity. She was determined to keep this conversation professional and impersonal, until she could convince him that Nathan was the lawyer who could best serve him.

“You hate me, don’t you,” he said out of the blue.

Her stomach dropped, but she didn’t let on that his tortured words got to her. “Of course I don’t hate you.”

She didn’t hate him, but she did hate every second of his presence and this conversation. She didn’t want to know why he had been with Roberta and what they did. Two years ago, that woman had been a bone of contention between them, and now she was again, even in death.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I didn’t mean to make this personal.”

“About Roberta,” she pressed, ignoring his apology.

“She showed up at the club after a long absence. She was in a mess.”

“A mess, how?”

“A mental and emotional wreck.”

“And you felt sorry for her.” Hallie paused. “Again.”

“Okay, so I felt like I owed—” His jaw stiffened, cutting off his sentence.

“I know how you feel about that,” Hallie said, “so there’s no use repeating it.”

Jackson flushed but he didn’t comment. Instead, he said, “I took her to dinner to try and calm her down.”

“Seems like I’ve heard that before.”

This time, Jackson’s face drained of color. She had struck a nerve and it showed. Hallie reminded herself of the reason for her question. All she wanted was to get enough information from him to warrant calling the firm’s heaviest criminal gun. Nathan didn’t take kindly to having his time wasted. Perhaps Jackson wasn’t in as much trouble as he thought. Once she proved or disproved that, then she’d know where to go from there.

“Sorry, I was out of line.” Her tone was much huskier than she would’ve liked.

“In hindsight,” Jackson said, “I know that taking her out was not a smart move. After dinner, she seemed calmer, and I took her back to her hotel. That was the last time I saw her.”

Hallie remained silent, battling a dull roar in her head.

“You know me, Hallie. I could never have done such a heinous thing.” His eyes were dark and pleading.

“I know, Jackson. That’s why you’re still in my office.”

“But I want to explain about Roberta, especially if—”

She held up her hand, cutting him off again. “Your personal relationship with her is no longer my concern.” He was free to boff anyone he wanted, including Roberta Klein.

“It’s your concern if you’re going to represent me.”

“I haven’t said I’d represent you.”

They stared at each other hard and long.

“Please,” he said, stopping just short of begging.

She heard the break in his voice and it got to her. Again. Jackson might be many things—he was a liar, for sure—but a murderer, no. A man with such a capacity for giving and loving could never bring bodily harm to a woman. So did that mean her resolve to not get involved was weakening? Heaven help her if it was. But when he looked at her like that, she couldn’t deny him anything.

“Look, I’ll take over for now, but only if you agree to meet with Nathan.”

“Fine. I’ll do whatever you say.”

“I’m not finished yet. If it looks like there’s going to be a trial, Nathan will have to take my place in the pecking order.”

At the word trial, he blanched, then asked, “Why?”

“That’s the deal, Jackson. Take it or leave it. I’m not about to jeopardize your life by my lack of experience.”

“I’ll take it.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “What choice do I have?” A tinge of bitterness had crept into his tone.

“Plenty. For starters, you can go to another firm.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Hallie Hunter.” He paused, sighing deeply, though his features seemed to have become less gaunt since he’d won the first round.

“I told Detective Gomez I’d avail myself for questioning.”

“Are you talking about today? Now?”

Jackson grimaced. “I’d like to get it over with—if you can spare the time, that is.”

She couldn’t, but she would just have to make the time. He was right; to postpone the trek to the police station wouldn’t make it any less palatable for either of them.

“What’s this detective like?” she asked, unfamiliar with Gomez.

“He’s cocky and self-assured.”

During her court appointments on criminal cases, she’d gotten to know many of the ranking detectives and for the most part had developed a good rapport with them. But since she’d been out of the criminal loop for a while, she’d lost her contacts. This Gomez must be a new kid on the block or a transfer.

“Then, we’ll just have to un-cock him,” she said with her usual self-assurance.

For the first time since she’d walked into the room, Jackson smiled. The change was as sudden as it was shocking. Her breath caught as the flush of unwanted heat swept through her.