Forbidden Temptation. Пола Грейвс

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СКАЧАТЬ had known, Tina Carter’s brother, Frank, was now in his thirties. He’d gone from bony to wellbuilt and, while still not exactly handsome, women would like him, especially with the badge hanging low on his hip.

      Daniel pocketed his binoculars. “Didn’t know you’d become a detective, Frank.” He crossed to the man and held out his hand.

      Frank shook it firmly. “You didn’t know I was on the force at all, Danny.” He shrugged off Daniel’s apologetic expression. “What are you doing here? Nobody called the FBI.”

      “I’m not with the FBI anymore. I teach college now.” Daniel nodded toward the crime scene. “This is number three, isn’t it? Here, at least.”

      Frank glanced toward the scene. “Why would a college professor want to know?”

      “Just looking.”

      Frank’s frown tightened. “I’ve got to get back before my captain realizes I’m not around. I suggest you be gone before she starts trolling the crowd for witnesses. Unless you’re ready to explain why you’re sneaking around her crime scene uninvited.”

      Daniel wasn’t. “Good to see you, Frank.”

      Frank just gave a curt nod and strode back down the shallow incline toward the cordoned-off crime scene.

      Daniel waited until Frank had slipped under the yellow tape before he followed, skirting the crowd again to keep his distance from the cops and technicians still swarming the crime scene. It was possible someone might recognize his face from his TV appearances.

      Daniel wasn’t ready for that to happen. Not yet.

      Not until he knew if these murders really were connected to Tina Carter’s.

      He settled behind the wheel of his Jeep, his attention focused on the police officers on the scene. Sooner or later, detectives would head for the victim’s home, looking for a murder scene that would provide them with more evidence than the carefully staged dumpsite they were scouring at the moment.

      And when they did, Daniel intended to tag along.

      THE BROOKSTONE APARTMENTS on Doberville Road had been built in the twenties, a redbrick Colonial Georgian the owner had partitioned into apartments years ago when apartment housing in Birmingham’s vibrant Southside community had become a hot-ticket item. Alice’s apartment was on the backside of the building, making it easy for Rose to approach from the alley without attracting much attention.

      She climbed the exterior stairs, the memory of the death veil quivering over Alice’s face haunting her. She should have made Alice believe her. Maybe if she’d come across matter-of-fact, less uncertain…

      Maybe, maybe, maybe. Maybe Alice just had a bad hangover and had overslept. No need to give up hope yet.

      But her loud raps on Alice’s door brought no response. “Alice, are you in there?”

      No answer.

      Panic built in her belly, coiling like snakes. “Alice, please come to the door!”

      Rose pressed her ear to the door, listening. She felt the hum of electricity against her cheek and the faint sound of voices coming from other apartments, but from inside Alice’s apartment, all was silent.

      Frustrated, she followed the wraparound balcony to the side of the building. Alice had a corner apartment with a side window; maybe she could see through the curtains.

      As she approached the window, movement at the front of the building distracted her. Two cars, one of them a marked police cruiser, pulled up the drive, heading for the parking lot at the back.

      Rose flattened herself against the side of the building, her heart in her throat. The police were here because of Alice. And not just because the woman at the flower shop had called them, either.

      They would only be here this quickly if they’d already found Alice’s body.

      The police cars disappeared around the building. In a few seconds they’d come back into view. Rose didn’t intend to be here waiting for them. She knew better than to try to explain death veils to the police. She’d tried telling the Willow Grove police about what she’d seen in Dillon’s face when she had reported the Granvilles’ deaths. They’d practically accused her of lying—and those policemen had known her since she was a baby.

      The Birmingham police didn’t know her from Adam. They wouldn’t hesitate to make her their prime suspect.

      She raced for the stairs, making it to the first-floor breezeway unseen. She darted across the lawn and descended the steep driveway to the street. She headed down the sidewalk, keeping her gaze on the road ahead. If she looked back, she’d only attract more attention.

      She should never have told the woman at the flower shop her name. The police would surely speak to Alice’s coworkers and, if the woman on the phone remembered Rose’s name—

      She turned at the corner and headed uphill toward home, her breath coming in short huffs. Ignoring a stitch in her side, she took the concrete steps to her house two at a time.

      “What are you running from?”

      A man’s voice jarred up her spine. She stumbled, grabbing for the iron railing to keep from falling, and whirled around, her muscles bunching, prepared for fight or flight.

      The dark-haired man from the pub the night before stood just feet away, his expression tinged with curiosity. His gaze swept over her, through her, as if he were studying every atom, every cell, every drop of blood coursing through her veins.

      “What do you want?” she asked.

      “Saw you last night. At the Southside Pub.”

      “If you don’t leave now I’m going to call the police.”

      His lips curved. “Should be easy. They’re only a block away.”

      Her heart skipped another beat. “Who are you?”

      “Daniel. Who are you?”

      She pressed her lips together and took a step backward up the stairs. “You’re trespassing on private property.”

      “You were at the home of a murder victim. Why?”

      She tightened her grip on the railing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

      “The police are knocking on her door right now to see if anyone else is home. You ran when you saw them coming. Why?”

      Rather than answer, she turned and started up the steps.

      He followed, his footfalls thudding close behind. “Was she your friend?”

      She made it to the porch and turned to face him from above. “If you don’t leave now, I will call the police.”

      He stopped, gazing up at her, a challenge in his smoky eyes. “Be my guest.”

      She turned and went inside, slamming the door behind her. She flipped the dead bolt and rested her head against the heavy wood door, СКАЧАТЬ