The P.I. Contest. C.J. Carmichael

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СКАЧАТЬ proposed. She had been walking-on-air happy.

      And so deluded.

      Kate placed both hands over her stomach as it threatened to contract violently. This wasn’t the time to get sick. Not the place, either.

      Max left his desk and went to talk to Conner. Dan Bogart also joined them. The three guys had been buddies since their police academy days. Of the three, Conner was the only one in a serious relationship and sometimes she’d sensed that he missed the good old days of going to bars with his friends and chatting up women. But she’d never thought he would actually—

      Kate bent her head over paperwork that she’d already completed. From the corner of her eye she observed the three friends. She saw Conner wink. Max faked a punch to Conner’s shoulder and Dan laughed.

      It hit her then.

      They know.

      The skin on her face tingled, the way it always did when her intuition kicked in. Pushing aside her reports and dropping her pen, she moved. The guys looked at her like nothing was wrong. Their innocent act didn’t fool her. They’d actually had the nerve to laugh right in front of her.

      How long had they known? Right from the beginning?

      Maybe it was worse than simply knowing. Maybe they had worked as Conner’s spies, letting him know when she was safely out of range so he could—

      A wave of anger washed away her usual prudence. She’d planned to talk to Conner after his shift was over and they were at home.

      But to hell with that. If everyone already knew, then privacy didn’t matter, did it?

      “So, boys, what’s the big joke?”

      “No joke, babe. We were just talking.” Conner leaned in for a kiss, but she took a step away from him.

      “I had a chat with Janet Beaker on my way to work this evening.”

      Right away Conner knew. She saw comprehension flash in his shifty eyes, then his expression grew guarded. “Let’s talk about Janet later, okay? Come on, babe. I’ll treat you to breakfast before you go home.”

      He moved closer, blocking Max and Dan from the conversation. She stepped aside.

      “Max? Dan? You’re part of this, right? I’m sure you want to be included now, as well.”

      The guys looked terrified, shaking their heads with a vehemence that only proved her suspicions.

      Kate was vaguely aware that the room had grown dead quiet. But she was on the attack now. She couldn’t stop.

      “So who is she, Conner?” Kate tried to pin him with her gaze, but the coward would no longer look at her. “From Janet’s description, I’m guessing Emily White in Records.” She looked from Conner, to Max, then to Dan. She could tell by their sheepish expressions that she’d come up with the right woman.

      “I saw the three of you, joking and congratulating yourselves. You seem to be pretty proud, but I’m not sure why anyone would think it’s so great to be a liar and a cheat.”

      “Ouch,” Max said. “Come on, Kate, give the guy a chance.”

      Kate’s hands were fists, and the anger inside her was hot, irrepressible. She had been so crazy about Conner. She’d really thought he cared as much about her as she did about him. Hell, they’d made love just before she went on duty. And only hours later, he’d invited someone else to their bed.

      How could you? she wanted to cry. But years of police training and experience held her in good stead, allowing her to maintain a degree of emotional distance.

      “Kate, you know I love you—”

      She shook her head. “No. You don’t get to say that anymore. Not after what you did.”

      “But—”

      “I guess I’m just lucky I found out before the wedding.” And before she’d had kids. God, what a mess this situation would be if children were involved. Kate drew in a shaky breath, then held her hand over a trash can. Unclenching her fist, she watched as the ring that had been a symbol of her happiness was swallowed up by the remains of somebody’s midnight snack.

      “KATE, STOP. I WANT TO TALK to you.”

      At the sound of her commanding officer’s voice, Kate froze. Damn, she’d almost made it out of the building in one piece. Her legs were shaking. In fact, she thought every part of her body was about to give out on her. “Sir, this isn’t a good time.”

      “No, I guess not. Still…get in here.” He opened the door to a small meeting room and after a brief hesitation, she preceded him inside.

      Lieutenant Rock was very tall with rough features and a deep love of his job. Over the years, Kate had established a good rapport with the man, but right now she wasn’t up to talking to anyone.

      She wrapped her arms around her body, refusing a chair when he suggested they sit.

      Rock rested his hands behind his back and sighed. “I heard what happened and—”

      “Already?”

      “Kate, everyone on the floor heard. As soon as people clued in to what was going down, the whole department could figure out that the shit was about to hit the fan.”

      “They figured that out pretty quickly, then. Maybe because most of them already knew.” Kate wondered how many others had been privy to Conner’s affair. These were supposed to be her colleagues and friends, too, not just his. And yet no one had said a word to her. She’d had to be clued in by a neighbor who had noticed Conner in the laundry room with another woman.

      How sweet that Emily White had helped him wash the sheets and towels after…Oh, God. She blocked the awful images of the man she loved being with a woman who she knew didn’t mean that much to him.

      Why would he have risked everything they’d had—their love, their future—for a silly fling?

      “He’s a bloody fool, but the truth is, he was never good enough for you, Kate.”

      “I appreciate the sentiment, Lieutenant.”

      “It’s sincere. I’ve got your back on this, so let’s make a plan. Want me to transfer Lowery’s butt out of here?”

      “No.” She’d been thinking about what she wanted to do. She’d intended to sleep on it before making a firm decision.

      But nothing else had gone according to plan this morning, so what the hell. “I’m quitting.”

      “Get out, Cooper. You can’t be serious. With your record? I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that you’re coming up for promotion.”

      “It wasn’t just Conner who betrayed me. They all knew what was going on. Even my partner.”

      “You can’t be sure of that.”

      She looked at him skeptically. As if.

      “Kate, СКАЧАТЬ