Legal Heat (13 page)

After a painful hour of watching Katy appear and reappear, Mark joined Steele at the front of the stage. He hadn’t expected such a large turnout, but the legal complexities of pharmaceutical regulation apparently held wide appeal. Or maybe their guests had come for the open bar. He kept one eye on the doorway during the panel discussion and the subsequent Q&A session, waiting for her to reappear.

Aha. Back again. But not smiling
. He desperately wanted to get away, but the questions kept coming. A victim of his own success. After half an hour of torture, he wrapped up the Q&A and invited the crowd to join them at the bar. He headed for the door, only to be accosted by Phillip Keegan, just a few feet short of his goal.

“Nice to see you again. Interesting lecture.”

“Keegan. What are you doing here? I can’t imagine pharma regulation will make a good crime story.” He had known Keegan in first year law school. After a brief stint reporting for the law school newspaper, Keegan realized he had found his true calling. He had dropped out and never looked back.

“I never know where I’ll find a story. Plus, I like to learn new things. Makes me a better reporter.”

“You never liked to learn. I don’t think I ever saw you in class.” Mark tried to focus on the conversation, but his gaze drifted to the doorway.

Keegan affected a desolate expression. “What is it with law types and reporters? We’re on the same side, fighting for justice. We should all be friends.”

Damn. Where was she?
“You don’t care about justice. You care about the story.”

“And you care about the money.”

Mark laughed. “I’ll never tell you what I care about.”

“The girl in the doorway.”

Mark froze. “What?”

“Reporter trick. It’s called being observant. You didn’t take your eyes off her during the entire lecture. And now, even while you’re talking to me, you’re looking for her. You’re wondering how long I’ll keep you here and how you can politely escape before she disappears again.”

So true.

Mark folded his arms and gave Keegan his full, undivided attention. “How did you get in here? The seminar is by invitation only. I didn’t put your name on the list.”

Keegan winked. “Probably the same way she did. I walked. Although I’m sure I didn’t look quite as hot. Damn, that girl can wiggle.”

Mark growled at the spark of interest in Keegan’s eyes.

“Down, boy.” Keegan laughed. “I’d better let you go before you drool all over my new shoes. I have some questions for Mr. Steele and I want to look my best.” He glanced behind him at the doorway and raised an eyebrow. “Oops. I must have delayed you too long. The mysterious lady has disappeared again.”

Katy paced up and down the hallway outside the Fairmont’s conference room. Where could he be? The lecture had finished twenty minutes ago. The wait had done nothing to cool her temper. Poor Martha had called, wanting to drop the case. Someone had threatened her. Katy damn well knew who it was. Good thing Steven had the kids on Tuesday nights. Blood boiling after the call, she had wanted to confront Mark right away, and his secretary had sent her here. She hadn’t expected to see Steele at the lecture, but she wasn’t complaining. After she gave Mark a piece of her mind, Steele would be next.

She chanced another glance at the doorway and almost wished she hadn’t. Dressed in yet another beautifully tailored suit, Mark watched her, the faintest smile softening the planes of his face. Katy experienced a flare of annoyance as her heart slammed against her ribs, her body yet again defying the rational side of her brain. She folded her arms and glared.

His eyes narrowed as he got the message.
Shame
. She loved the way they crinkled when he smiled.

“I was hoping this was a social call.” He crossed the hallway, his muscular legs eating up the distance between them in a heartbeat.

“Business,” she snapped. “Your client threatened my client. I want you to deal with him or we’ll involve the police.” She realized almost immediately she had been too abrupt when his mouth tightened.

“As always, no hello.”

“This is serious, Mark. She’s terrified.” She wanted to stop herself. Wind the clock back. Say hello. But she had jumped on this rollercoaster ride and she couldn’t get off.

Mark knitted his brows. “Who exactly threatened whom?”

Who exactly?
Martha didn’t know. She had assumed the caller was from Hi-Tech, although she couldn’t say with certainty it was Steele.

“Someone called my client and told her to drop the case. He also told her to rein me in and stop meddling in things she didn’t understand.” She lowered her voice as uncertainty crept through her. What if Martha had lied?

Mark steered her away from the main hallway, his hand pressed firmly on her back. “What was the threat?”

Katy looked over at him and frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Have you been threatened before?”

Katy nodded. “Sure. Lots of times. Usually irate husbands who blame me when their wives ask for their fair share in a divorce.”

They stopped at a secluded seating area and Mark motioned for her to sit, but Katy shook her head. She needed to move. Being near Mark only heightened her agitation, and she needed some way to release the energy.

“So you know there is always an
if
and a
then
. For example, if you don’t smile, then I will throw you over my knee and spank you.”

Katy froze when a sliver of need, unexpected and unwanted, shot straight to her core.
Dammit
. He had to know what his words did to her. Heat bloomed in her cheeks, and she looked down at the plush, patterned carpet.

He continued in the same calm, cool tone. “So what did the caller say would happen to Martha if she didn’t drop the case?”

With a shuddering exhalation, she forced herself to focus. “He didn’t say anything else. The threat was implied.”

Mark shook his head and his sable hair gleamed in the soft lighting overhead. “You know as well as I do his statement would not likely meet the legal test for a threat. Maybe someone was just worried about her.”

“Well then, he had a funny way of showing it.” They stood not more than a foot apart. Her hands itched to touch him—to run up the broad expanse of his chest and around his neck. She wanted to pull him close and inhale the scent of soap and sandalwood, of him. God, even after their heated exchange in the courtroom the other day, she wanted to kiss him. She licked her lips, imagining his taste.

“What are you thinking, Katy Sinclair?” His voice dropped to a low growl. “If you keep looking at me like that, I might have to make good my threat.”

Her heart pounded against her ribcage. Afraid she would betray herself, she pressed her lips together and looked away.

“If we were alone…” he whispered.

“What do we have here? If I didn’t know you better, Mark, I’d be worried you were fraternizing with opposing counsel.” Steele’s voice echoed down the hallway, attracting the attention of the last of the seminar attendees making their way to the bar.

Damn
. Mark ripped his gaze away from Katy and spun around as Steele approached the lounge area, his eyes rife with speculation.

“Ms. Sinclair came to see me tonight because someone threatened her client, Ms. Saunders.” Mark didn’t want to put her on the spot, but he needed a moment to collect himself. Far too perceptive, Steele would pick up on even the slightest glance. He needed to stay sharp.

Katy narrowed her eyes and stared at Steele. “I assume it was you.”

Steele laughed. “I wish I had the time to call every one of the hundreds of litigants our company deals with on a daily basis and threaten them. It would save us time and money. But unfortunately, I have a company to run and calling up former employees does not rank high on my list of priorities.”

“I’m not buying it,” she persisted. “No one else benefits from her dropping the case but Hi-Tech. You might not have handled it yourself, but I’m sure you’re involved.”

Steele’s eyes glittered. “Sheathe your claws, kitty, or I’ll do it for you.” He reached out and stroked a long, thick finger along Katy’s cheek. “Or is that why you are provoking me? Are you begging to be tamed?”

Adrenaline swept through Mark’s body, snapping the threads of his control one by one. His hand shot out, but before he could grab Steele’s arm, Katy slapped Steele’s errant finger away.

“You’ve crossed the line, Steele. Even if my client decides to drop the case, I’m going to pursue you. You’ve shown your hand by threatening her. Now I know there is something behind her dismissal and I won’t stop until I find out what it is.” The ice in her tone froze the air around them.

Steele’s eyes hardened. “Don’t threaten me, little kitty. You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

Moments passed. Steele and Katy locked gazes, the tension thick between them. Mark’s body thrummed with pent up anger. If Steele touched her again…

“Hey, guys, why so serious?” Keegan’s voice broke the spell, and Mark turned in relief when the reporter approached them, a beer in one hand and a giggling waitress in the other.

“Are the legal intricacies of pharma regulation really that intense?” He cocked an eyebrow and flicked his gaze to Mark with an unspoken query.

Recovering first, Katy held out her hand. “We haven’t met. I’m Katherine Sinclair, a lawyer with Knight and Frank.”

Keegan winked at Mark. “I see you found her.”

He raised Katy’s hand to his lips in a mock Victorian gesture. “Phillip Keegan. Always a pleasure to meet a beautiful lady.”

Mark and Steele scowled, united for a moment in their disapproval of the smooth reporter’s intrusion on their territory.

“Hey, what about me?” The waitress tugged on Keegan’s arm.

He kissed her on the cheek. “You know you’re beautiful, darling. How about you run off to the bar and get us a round of drinks? I’ve been trying to corner Mr. Steele all evening. I have a sudden interest in drug development and I don’t want him to disappear again.”

Katy pulled her hand away. “I have to go. Nice to meet you, Mr. Keegan. Mr. Steele, I look forward to seeing you in court.”

Mark gave Keegan and Steele a farewell nod before following Katy down the hallway. “It’s late. I’ll walk you to your car.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m fine. I parked at the office so it’s a bit of a hike.”

They rounded the corner and out of view of the seminar attendees.

Mark put a hand on her waist and steered her toward the door. “I’m not asking, sugar.”

Lana snapped a picture of the subject walking down Burrard Street beside a tall man in a tailored suit. She logged the time in her notebook, eight twenty-seven
p.m. She wished she had someone to call. Someone who could share the excitement of her very first case.

She followed close behind the couple, but dodging the crowds meant she couldn’t overhear their conversation. A group of rowdy sports fans approached them and the man deftly switched sides, putting himself between the group and the woman. How gallant. Lana didn’t know any men who would do something like that. In fact, she didn’t know many men. Period. She had only just moved to Vancouver to take the private investigator course and hadn’t had time to make friends. Maybe someday.

The subject leaned toward the mystery man, an almost imperceptible movement, but as a highly trained professional, Lana knew to look for subtle gestures. How sweet. She paused to snap a few pictures and then raced after them.

When they reached Nelson Street, they turned and stopped in the shadow of a tall office building. Lana checked her notebook. The subject worked in the building at Knight & Frank. Twelfth floor. She found a secure position and pulled out her camera to take a few pictures of them staring at each other.

The man stroked a finger along the subject’s jaw, and Lana sighed at the tender gesture. Her first assignment and already she loved her job. If she could live vicariously through other people’s relationships, she wouldn’t long so much for her own.

They exchanged a few words and the subject entered the building and disappeared from view. Hopefully she would go home, and Lana could finish off her report.

She turned to leave and realized the mystery man hadn’t moved. She snapped a few pictures of him, lost in thought, before he finally turned and walked down the street.

Was he a friend? A colleague? A lover? As a PI she had to avoid making assumptions and consider all possibilities. Still, she liked the look of him. Brooding, intense, confident. But a little too clean cut for her taste. She liked her men rough…with an aura of danger. Kinda like the cop who had chased her and then called her up to chastise her over the phone.

Her lips curled in a smile. Damn sexy voice. All rough and gravelly. Turned out he wasn’t immune to her charms. By the end of the call, she’d pulled a chuckle out of him. And he’d pulled one out of her.

She wandered back to the hotel, mentally planning her report. Hopefully, her new employer, Mr. S, would be impressed with her efficiency and give her a bonus. Then she could fix the Jetta. Maybe buy some food and new clothes. An investigator had to blend in with her surroundings, although no one had blinked an eye when she’d wandered around the fancy hotel this evening in her yoga pants and T-shirt. She had some great pictures of the subject with the mystery man, although not once had she been able to capture his face.