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Her lips pressed together.Was this another trick?She was so tired of the games.Of the cops always testing her to see if she’d slip up and make a mistake.“I don’t think you’re supposed to be glad when people die.Bad form.Bad karma.Bad something.”
“Yeah, well, in this case, like I saidyouprobably want to be glad.Because, see, we found out that he’d put a hit out on you.”
She whirled to fully face the detective.“Excuse me?”
“A hit.On you.Ivan did it late last night.Found the texts on his phone when we were collecting evidence today.”
When they’d been collecting evidence and just leaving her in holding for ages.
He sniffed.“But, seeing as how dead people can’t pay for hits…probably a good thing for you that he’s gone, am I right?”
Not necessarily.“Does the hitman know that Ivan is dead?”
He rocked onto the balls of his feet.“Guess you’d better hope so, huh?”The words were a taunt and a cold smile tipped up the edges of his lips.
She had to snap her gaping mouth closed.Then, “You are a terrible cop.You get that, don’t you?Like, horrible at this job.You don’t tell grieving widows that hits are on them and that they’d just better go out and…hope for the best.”
His thick brows beetled.“You’re not a grieving widow.”
“And you’re not hoping for the best.”Her mind spun.“Did the hitman have anything to do with my burning home?Am I walking straight into danger when I leave here?”In other words, did she have a giant target painted on her back?Sure felt that way to Naomi.
“The lady in there with your new boyfriend said she’d take care of the hitman.”
The lady who knew Eb so well.His boss.
Naomi had recognized her, of course, because the woman had also been at Hudson’s funeral.Back then, she’d introduced herself only as Madeline.They’d shaken hands.Madeline’s fingers had been so cold, and she’d looked at Naomi the same way everyone else had.As if she’d already judged Naomi and found her guilty.
Naomi had known Madeline was connected to the CIA.She hadn’t asked questions, had just made a point to stay away from Madeline because the last thing she’d wanted to do was attract more attention from that particular direction.
And, now, Madeline had appeared again.At a murder scene.
Naomi’s gaze darted beyond Clark to the one-way mirror.Madeline stood behind Eb.The other woman put her hand on his shoulder.Eb immediately turned toward her.
Naomi swallowed.Her shoulders straightened.
It felt as if Eb had carved her heart right out of her chest.But Naomi would be damned if she let him see her pain.Determination poured through her veins.She wasn’t going to run away.Lick her wounds.Sob and be broken.Oh, hell, no.She hadn’t broken when everyone in town called her a killer.
She wouldn’t break just because one more person thought she was guilty.Or because that one person had lied, betrayed, and seduced her.
He told me to say no.I didn’t.I did have the best orgasm of my life.
Time to confront the treacherous, amazing-orgasm-giving bastard.Time to show him that she would not be broken.Not by him.Not by anyone.She tapped her thigh.“Let’s go, Henry.”
Henry was only too happy to ditch the detective with her.
“Don’t worry about seeing me out,” she tossed over her shoulder.“I more than know my way around this place.”Oh, she definitely did.Only she wasn’t going out…
Instead, Naomi marched down the hallway.
Took a left.
Then another turn.
And…Hello, destination.
“You can’t go in there!”A shout erupted from behind her.“Stop!”
Well, if she shouldn’t be going in, then the door should be blocked.It wasn’t blocked.So…