Dangerous Attraction Romantic Suspense Boxed Set (221 page)

Before meeting Tyler, Keelin had never considered she might fall in love with someone outside of her country, no less someone outside of her faith. Her Aunt Rose had faced the same dilemma, and her determination to marry the man she loved had caused the initial rift between the McKenna triplets. But Keelin understood exactly how her aunt felt, for she was of the same mind. Tyler was a good man – for herself, she could find none better.

“Two people who love each other can always find a solution,” she said solemnly.

“Like marriage?”

She softened in his arms. “Are you asking me to marry you, Tyler Leighton?”

“I am, Keelin McKenna. Cheryl has already given her approval.”

Keelin’s heart soared and the differences were forgotten. “Then we must hurry. Make plans immediately–”

“Whoa.” Tyler laughed. “I believe the red tape might take more than a few days. And what about your family? Don’t you want to give your parents and siblings enough time to get here?”

Suddenly dreading what Da would have to say on the subject, not wanting to spoil the moment by discussing his possible wrath, Keelin murmured, “Tis nearly a month after my thirty-third birthday now. I cannot wait if I am to accept my grandmother’s legacy.”

“And what legacy would that be? If it’s money you’re worried about–”

“Money is the last thing Moira McKenna would have worried over for her nine grandchildren.” She quoted, “‘I leave you my love and more. Within thirty-three days after your thirty-third birthday – enough time to know what you are about – you will have in your grasp a legacy of which your dreams are made. Dreams are not always tangible things, but more often are born in the heart. Act selflessly in another’s behalf, and my legacy shall be yours.’“

“A lovely thought.”

“Moira was a lovely woman.”

“And has an even lovelier granddaughter.”

With that, Tyler kissed her so lovingly that Keelin realized that the dreams born in her own heart had already come true.

* * * *

Read the next book in The McKenna Legacy,
Tell Me No Lies
, Skelly’s story.

About the Author

With 95 novels and more than seven million books in print, Patricia Rosemoor is fascinated with “dangerous love” – combining romance with danger. She has written various forms of romantic and paranormal romantic thrillers, bringing a different mix of thrills and chills to her stories. An adjunct professor in the Creative Writing Department at Columbia College Chicago, she is happy to say three of her former graduate students are now published in novel-length fiction with works developed in her classes. Patricia has been a winner of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award and of several awards from Romantic Times Bookreviews—Career Achievement Awards in Romantic Suspense and in Romantic Mystery and two wins for Best Harlequin Intrigue of the year. Website:
http://PatriciaRosemoor.com
.

Table of Contents

CATCHING THE BAD GUY

Janet Maple Series

Book 2

Marie Astor

Copyright 2013 Marie Astor

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Overview:

Janet Maple and Dennis Walker make a good team: she is a top-notch white collar crime investigator, and so is he. Both Janet and Dennis are thrown in for a loop when Janet’s treacherous snake of an ex-boyfriend, Alex Kingsley, is appointed as their new boss, and the case that was supposed to be the highlight of their careers is dismissed for lack of evidence.

To make matters worse, Alex is asking Janet to get back together, and the one man she wishes would ask her out sees her as nothing more than a coworker. Janet’s love life soon becomes the least of her worries, as she begins to suspect that Alex’s rekindled interest in her is driven by ulterior motives. She is determined to get to the bottom of things, but she can’t do it alone.

Together, Janet and Dennis team up to solve a tangled white collar crime web that leads to powerful politicians and corporate executives. Armed with their keen instincts and skills, Janet and Dennis are bound to succeed. There is just one glitch: both are attracted to each other, and both refuse to admit it. Will Janet and Dennis solve the biggest case of their careers or will their attraction to each other get in the way?

Heat Level:

Sensual

Chapter One

“There’s my favorite investigator.” Dennis Walker sauntered into Janet Maple’s office without bothering to knock. Dennis Walker never knocked. He simply barged in unannounced, the same way he had barged into Janet’s life a little over a year ago, turning it upside down.

Her fingers tingling from furious typing, Janet looked up from her computer screen. “Today is the big day, huh?” Janet kept her voice cool, making a mental effort not to ogle Dennis’s freshly tanned face. The man would look good even if he were pasty white, not that Dennis’s silky-smooth complexion had ever been pasty white, not even in the dead of winter. But now he looked dangerously handsome. “How was your vacation? Puerto Rico, was it?”

“Turks and Caicos, and it was wonderful.”

Janet nodded. She knew that. She had known the destination of Dennis’s getaway ever since he had posted his vacation schedule on the department calendar two months ago, and she had spent weeks visualizing his trip: Dennis stretched on a lounge chair, sipping one of those resort drinks from a coconut with a dark-eyed lanky brunette lying by his side, or perhaps a blue-eyed blonde. When it came to women, Dennis had only one requirement: they had to be drop-dead gorgeous. Apparently, Janet Maple was not gorgeous enough for Dennis Walker.

“You look like you could use a break, Janet.” Dennis’s comment made Janet conscious of the dark circles under her eyes, which so far were her only reward for burning the midnight oil at work.

“Not everyone has the luxury of taking a week off before the most important case hearing of one’s career.”

Dennis’s eyes locked on Janet’s, his glance acknowledging their never-ending game of verbal tennis. “As I told my boss, I had scheduled my vacation months in advance; the case hearing had been moved three times. I have a life, you know, and I can’t be at the Enforcement Division’s beck and call.”

“Can you believe the momentum the case has gained?” Janet steered the conversation away from the alarming subject of Dennis’s private life, the details of which, despite all the hours she had spent pondering the subject, she wanted to know as little as possible.

“I know. We did all the groundwork and then every single regulator jumped on the bandwagon, including your former alma mater, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.”

Janet felt the usual sting of chagrin that the mention of her former employer never failed to trigger. Yes, her legal career had begun with a position of assistant district attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, but her promising start fizzled to a disappointing conclusion after she was downsized from the DA’s office in the middle of an important case.

As if reading her thoughts, or more likely her expression, Dennis cleared his throat. “David Muller has wreaked enough havoc. It’s high time he was brought to justice.”

“I sure hope that’s going to be the case.”

Dennis frowned. “Why the hesitation?”

“For the very same reason you just mentioned: the case hearing has been postponed three times already.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door of Janet’s office. The head of the Investigations department, Hamilton Kirk, stood in the doorway. “Dennis, Janet, may I speak to you a minute?” As always, Ham’s facial expression was inscrutable, but the serendipity of his appearance made Janet look at her watch. It was after three p.m.: the Emperial case decision had to have been reached by now, and if the news were good even Hamilton Kirk would not have been able to resist the joy of announcing it.

“Of course, Ham.” Dennis’s tone was smooth, but not smooth enough for Janet to miss the hidden notes of apprehension in his voice.

Together, Janet and Dennis followed Ham into his office. Just why Ham had to insist on going to his office was beyond Janet. Although much smaller in size, her office would have provided sufficient privacy for their discussion, but then she had gotten used to not questioning Ham’s idiosyncrasies.

The moment they reached Ham’s office, Janet understood her boss’s request. Hamilton Kirk had worked for various departments of the Treasury for over twenty years, during which he had acquired vast office paraphernalia—certifications and commendatory plaques, reference guides, and never-ending stacks of bulging folders that contained case materials—but now all of these items were neatly packed in cardboard boxes that lined the floor of Ham’s office.

Both Janet and Dennis looked questioningly at Ham.

“I’m sorry, team,” Ham paused to swallow. “As of today I’m retired.”

“Retired? And you are springing this on us now, when you’re already packed?” Dennis eyed Ham reproachfully.

Ham patted Dennis’s shoulder. “I only found out this morning myself.”

Janet had to make an effort to keep her jaw from dropping. “What do you mean?”

With a sigh, Ham stepped over the row of boxes and sat behind his desk. “Sit down, you two.”

Mechanically, Janet and Dennis sank into the chairs opposite Ham’s desk.

“I know that our job is not easy: we try to do what’s right the best way we can with the few resources we have, and, let’s admit it, on measly pay. I have worked in this place for over twenty years, and until this morning I still believed in such a thing as justice. But now I know that I have been a naïve fool.” Ham shook his head. “They are kicking me out—”

“Who’s kicking you out, Ham?” Dennis cut in.

Ham went on, ignoring Dennis’s question. “Although I must say that the severance package is quite generous. Finally, my long-awaited dream of retirement has come true—the only funny thing is, is that now that it’s here it doesn’t feel nearly as good as I thought it would. In fact, it feels like being thrown out into a dumpster.”

“Who is kicking you out, Ham?” Dennis repeated.

“My boss,” Ham replied simply. “I’ve worked for the man for over ten years. This morning he calls me up from Washington. ‘Ham,’ he says, ‘it’s been wonderful to have you with us. In recognition of your stellar service, the most notable of which was your work on the Emperial case, your pension is now fully vested. Your retirement starts today.’” Ham shook his head. “He didn’t even have the decency to give it to me straight.”

“Give what to you straight?” Dennis demanded.

“Oh, come on, Dennis. If you plan to stay in this trade you’ve got to wise up or you’ll end up an old fool like me. David Muller has friends in high places. As of this morning, the Emperial case has been dismissed by our Enforcement Division for lack of evidence. I am now retired, and next week your new boss will be coming in. His name is Alex Kingsley. He’s some young hot shot from the DA’s office.”

“Alex Kingsley?!” Janet exclaimed.

Dennis shot Janet a sharp look. “Why, you know him?”

“Briefly,” Janet replied, cursing her cracked voice and flushed face for betraying her agitation. “We’ve worked together,” she added noncommittally. After all, she could not very well admit that Alex had been much more than her coworker at the DA’s office. Janet had known Alex since they had met at Columbia Law, from which they had graduated in the same class. Alex had been her boyfriend for almost five years; he had been the man she had thought would be the one. And last but not least, not only had Alex taken credit for Janet’s work on most of the cases that the two of them had been assigned to at the DA’s office, he got a promotion that should have been Janet’s. Then he put the icing on the cake by breaking up with her and suggesting that they remain friends. Needless to say, Janet had refused, and several weeks later she had been downsized.