Pulse Points

Kasey could only nod, her throat suddenly too tight to speak as she watched Gallain make his way to the unmarked car and get in. In that moment, he reminded her of the bumbling, fumbling Detective Colombo. Sly as a fox and persistent as the devil. And never failing to get the bad guy.

It was after she paid her final condolences to Shirley’s cousins that she saw him. At first she tried to pretend her eyes were playing tricks on her, that the sun’s rays had caused her to misfocus. But when he strode toward her, he filled her vision with solid clarity.

Tanner Hart.

The bottom dropped out of her stomach. She had hoped this day would never come. He was the last person she wanted to see. Ever. But the way her luck had gone these past few days and months, she shouldn’t have been surprised. Still, it was unfair. Two major blows to the heart in a matter of days were too much.

Kasey longed to turn and run like the coward she was. Only it was too late. Also, her dignity was at stake. The fact she hadn’t seen him in almost nineteen years gave her the courage to hold her ground. No longer were they stupid young college students. She certainly wasn’t and from the looks of him, neither was he. Far from it.

He looked the success she knew him to be. It hadn’t escaped her that he was vying for a Texas senate seat, though she refused to read any of the details of his campaign rhetoric. However, if she’d known he resided in Rushmore proper, and not some other county in the district, she might not have been so quick to take Shirley up on her offer.

Once she’d realized he was in town, she had assured herself they wouldn’t run into each other, that their lives were on different tracks, both socially and financially. Apparently she’d been naive or had buried her head in the sand. Or both, because he was in front of her, staring at her out of those dark, probing eyes.

“Hello, Kasey.”

That deep, sexy voice hadn’t changed. It still had the power to jolt her. Actually, very little about him had changed. He was a mature version of the young man she’d known in college. Maybe his angular features had a few more battle lines, but those were an attraction rather than a detraction. His sun-streaked brown hair remained thick and shiny without any hint of gray, despite the fact that he was forty.

“It’s been a long time,” he commented into the growing and somewhat hostile silence.

“Yes, it has.”

“You’re looking well.”

“So are you.” Kasey didn’t know when she’d carried on such a stilted conversation.

“You’re living here now, right?”

“Yes.” His cologne continued to roll over her in waves. She held her breath for a second, then released it. “How did you know?”

“Does it matter?”

“Not really,” she said in a cool tone, not about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had disconcerted her.

“I’m sorry about Mark. I know my condolences are long overdue, but—” He let the rest of his sentence go unsaid.

“Thanks,” she said in a sharper tone than she intended.

If he picked up on that sharpness, he didn’t let on. Instead he continued in that same smooth tone, “How’s your son?”

Her heart wrenched, though she didn’t so much as move. “He’s great.”

“And in college.”

Kasey didn’t know if he’d asked a question or stated a fact. “He just finished his freshman year at Baylor.”

“Good for him.”

Their eyes met for another millisecond, but that was enough to up the already crackling tension between them. Kasey glanced away from his disturbing gaze, then fidgeted under the boiling sun and the intense humidity. Her body seemed on fire, taking a decent breath impossible. In truth, she suspected the climate had little to do with her discomfort.

“How did you know Shirley?” he asked.

“You mean you don’t know?”

Color darkened his face. “No. Regardless of what you think, I haven’t been spying on you, Kasey. I just knew you’d moved back. That’s all.”

She fidgeted silently and didn’t respond.

“So did you know the deceased well?”

“Well enough. She had taken me on as a partner,” she said through tight lips, wanting this conversation to end. She had already told him far too much.

“My God, I’m so sorry. You must be going through a tough time right now.”

“I’ve had better days.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

She quelled her panic and forced her voice to show none of her conflicting emotions. “No, thanks. I’m going to be all right.”

“Are you going to remain here and run the agency?”

Obviously he wasn’t aware that she’d witnessed her partner’s murder. She wasn’t prepared to tell him, either. The less he knew about her and her business, the better.

“I’m not sure yet.” And she wasn’t. Granted, she and Shirley had a binding partnership agreement, and by law the agency should become hers, but that was nothing to brag about. It appeared she had inherited an albatross instead of an asset. However, she saw no reason to share those thoughts with Tanner, either.

All that was important to her was putting distance between the two of them. God forbid that another happenstance meeting should occur. As it was, she was barely keeping her head above water.

“Look, it was good to see you,” she said, anxious to get away. “But I really have to go.” Kasey had taken several steps when he spoke, stopping her.

“Would you mind if I stopped by the agency?”

Her heart took a nosedive before she swung around.

As if he sensed she was about to give him a negative response, he added, “I have a business proposition I’d like to discuss with you.”

Frustration chewed on him.

Richard Gallain cursed under his breath as he sat at his desk, paperwork piled high around him. In fact, his entire office seemed nothing but a mountain of freaking paper. He was working his ass off without any positive results.

The Parker murder had his guts tied in a knot. If he could crack that case, then he just might have a shot at the Chief of Detective position that had recently opened. Passing the written test would be a no brainer, but that wasn’t all that factored into the job. He had to be a damned good detective to make the promotion.

Solving this murder was what he needed to boost him upstairs. In order to do that, he needed Kasey Ellis to come through for him. He couldn’t help but think she knew something vital to the case, though he didn’t think she was holding back on purpose.

She was scared shitless, and he could appreciate that. However, he had reached the conclusion that the killer hadn’t seen her, or he would’ve made a move to silence her. But he wasn’t ready to take Spiller off protective watch, not just yet, anyway. Better to be safe than sorry.

The buzzer on his desk sounded. He scrambled to reach the phone underneath all the clutter. The chief’s line blinked back at him. He groaned, knowing he was about to be called into the inner sanctum. He was right.

Minutes later Gallain was seated in Chief Harold Clayton’s office, eyeing the chief from his position behind his desk. He was a big, meaty man with features to match, including oversized earlobes. When agitated, he had a habit of fingering one or both of them.

“So what’s the latest?” Clayton demanded in his booming voice.

Gallain knew what case he was referring to. For the time being, it seemed the entire department was consumed with the Parker woman’s murder. That was why he felt the urgent need to break the case himself. Now.

“I’m working on it,” Gallain responded, managing to keep his voice even despite his coiled nerves.

“Apparently not hard enough.”

“It was a clean hit.”

“Yeah, yeah, so I’ve been told. But we both know there are no perfect murders.”

Gallain felt the color drain from his face. He didn’t like the idea that he was being called on the carpet for something that wasn’t his fault. And there sure as hell were perfect murders. They were carried out every day and the chief knew that. So what kind of crap was he pulling?

“Are you up to the task, Gallain?”

His stomach clenched, but he didn’t let on. “Of course.”

“Then get results. Someone’s on the mayor’s ass. He in turn is on mine. Therefore I’m on yours. Get the picture?”

Gallain tightened his lips, then nodded.

“Several new industries are looking at our fair city to relocate. Unsolved murders don’t sit well with visiting businessmen. So we need to wrap this up in the win column without further delay.”

Gallain stood. “You got it.”

“What’s the latest with the Ellis woman? Bring me up-to-date on her.”

“I’m pressing her as hard as I dare. Either she didn’t see anything or she saw something and the trauma has forced it into her subconscious.”

“Well, don’t let up on her.” He paused. “How ’bout Parker herself? Have you found any skeletons in her closet?”

“Not yet, although I haven’t talked to her employees yet. Her family didn’t know anything. In fact, they couldn’t wait to bury her and then haul ass.”

“Keep me posted, up close and personal. Like I just said, I don’t like getting leaned on.”

Me, either, Gallain almost said. If he pissed off the chief, that would nix any hope of a promotion, regardless if he solved the case or not. He couldn’t chance that. For the time being, he might have to eat a little shit, but in the end he would prevail.

“You can count on me, Chief.”

Clayton flicked his hand. “Then get out of here and get to work.”

Five

T anner stood at the window of his campaign headquarters and stared down at the morning traffic. Even though it was early, the streets were alive and bustling. Horns were honking and people gathered on various corners waiting for the lights to change. Rushmore was one of the few small cities whose downtown area had maintained its vitality both for business and commerce.

Frowning suddenly, Tanner wiped a gathering of sweat off his forehead. The air-conditioning in the building, or rather the lack of it, left a lot to be desired.

Otherwise, the place was perfect. His campaign manager, Irene Sullivan, had searched long and hard for the right location. The big lofty area had more than ample room for the volunteers to gather, as well as a place to house the loads of campaign materials.

However, his race for the senate wasn’t what dominated his mind today. Since he’d seen Kasey, he had been reveling in his good fortune.

Still, he cautioned himself not to get too confident. Or excited. He hadn’t pulled his plan off yet. Kasey had to cooperate. Considering her circumstances, he felt she would.

But again, he put the brakes on, reminding himself that she’d rather not have anything to do with him. Although she had been polite at the cemetery, she’d held herself as aloof as a block of ice.

His confidence eroded at the same time his stomach rebelled against the amount of coffee he’d put into it. Yet he was charged. He was a man on a mission and ready to get with it. Tanner peered at his watch. Irene was due any moment for a strategy session, then he was off to see Kasey.

His stomach roiled, but for a different reason. He should leave well enough alone. To try and resurrect the past even if it was to right an old wrong was never a good idea.

Yep, he should just sidestep that hornet’s nest. He had enough going on in his life without taking on added responsibility for someone who detested him. A smirk altered his lips. The truth was, she probably didn’t give a damn about him one way or the other.

She hadn’t rebuffed him, though, hadn’t even told him not to show up at her office. But that final look she had given him said it all. For a split second, he had seen the naked vulnerability behind those eyes.

For the most part, though, she had been cool under fire. He’d have to give her credit for that. But he wondered what she’d thought. Was she remembering that night? Even now, he could still smell her sweet skin, taste it, see her moist, swollen lips…

Shit.

Thoughts like that would get him in serious trouble; they would jeopardize any good he attempted to do. But it was going to be hard to keep his distance, pretend they had no past, even if nearly two decades separated them. A lifetime, yet no time at all, now that he’d seen her again.

Time had been most kind to her. She wore her chestnut hair in that just-out-of-bed style men found so appealing. He was no exception. The dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks was still visible and still a turn-on. She now had tiny wrinkles at the corners of her dark blue eyes, giving her heart-shaped face added dimension and character. Her body now had generous curves—the body of a woman who had had a baby.

While not classically beautiful, she had a quality that was more enduring, more enticing. She had class, an asset he felt still eluded him.

Tanner smothered a sigh, reminding himself that winning the senate seat should command his undivided attention, not a woman from his past who was off-limits to him.

“Did you tie one on last night?”

Both Irene’s appearance and raspy voice suddenly grated on his nerves. But when he swung around, he smiled. “Morning to you, too. And no, I didn’t tie one on, though I feel like I did.”

She raised her eyebrows before quipping, “You look it, too.” She walked over to the tiny coffee bar and reached for a cup on the counter.

He watched the swing of her hips in the short, tight skirt that matched her jacket. No doubt, Irene was attractive with auburn hair and brown eyes. But that attraction was in a bold sort of way that was often enhanced by the overzealous use of makeup. She was in her thirties, divorced, and a part-time paralegal. She was smart, ambitious, and like Jack said, ballsy.

Once she had her coffee in hand, she sat down at the glass-topped table and pinned him with her eyes. “Want me to give you a quick massage? Sure would get the kinks out of your shoulders.”

Tanner quirked an eyebrow. “I’ll pass.”

Irene shrugged, but he could tell she didn’t like his rebuff. He swallowed another sigh. He knew she wanted more from him than he was prepared to give. So far, he’d managed to keep the line drawn in the sand. Becoming romantically entangled with her would be hazardous to his career and his emotions. Any day, though, he expected Irene to try to cross that imaginary line. He didn’t know what he’d do, but for now he wasn’t going to worry about it. Other things were far more pressing.

“So what’s on your mind?” Irene asked, angling her head. “A change in today’s plans, I’m guessing. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”

“I’d forgotten how well you know me.”

“Not as well as I’d like.”

Tanner shot her a warning glance.

She laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m not about to jump your bones.”

“I fail to see the humor in that.” His tone was short.

“Lighten up, okay?” Her eyes sparked. “Until you come around, I’m happy jumping someone else’s bones.”

He ignored that last statement, though he fought the urge to throttle her. If she wasn’t so good at her job, he might have fired her on the spot. But she was good and without her strategy expertise, he doubted he would cross the finish line a winner.

“So again, what’s up?” Irene peered at her watch. “I should be on my way to Dallas even as we speak. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m due at Randolph’s at noon.”

“You won’t be going.”

“I won’t?”

“The Randolph Agency is no longer working for me.”

Her jaw went slack. “Why not?”

“I fired them.”

“You what?” she demanded on a gasp.

“You heard me. I fired them.”

“But…but that’s crazy, especially when the election’s only three months away.”

“I’ve made up my mind.”

“Well, minds can be changed,” she said in a harsh tone.

That raised his ire, possibly because that was what Jack had pointed out. Dammit, he knew what he was doing. They would just have to trust him. “Don’t push your luck, Irene.”

The color deserted her face, but her tone remained sharp. “So what do you propose to do?”

“Hire another agency, of course.”

“Here?”

“Yes.”

She opened her mouth only to snap it shut, clearly at a loss as to how to deal with this latest turn of events.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

“You have no idea,” she responded with unveiled sarcasm.

He ignored that. “I’m hoping to hire the Parker Agency.”

She lunged to her feet. “What’s the matter with you, Tanner? The owner just got popped, for God’s sake.”

“I realize that,” he said, struggling to hang on to his patience and his temper.

Irene merely looked at him.

“Shirley has a partner.”

“Which doesn’t mean shit. Clients have been deserting the Parker firm like rats on a sinking ship for a long time now, and you know that. Granted, there seems to be no reasonable explanation, but that shouldn’t matter.” Irene paused as though to get a breath. “The fact that it’s happening should be enough to stay away.”

“The partner’s husband was an old friend of mine.”

“So?”

“So, I’m going to hire her.” Tanner’s eyes narrowed on her. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“You’re damn right I do.”

He hadn’t consulted her first. Tanner suspected that was what fueled her anger. She wanted to micromanage everything that concerned him. Mainly his life. Not going to happen.

“So where does that leave us?” he asked.

Irene tapped her foot. “I’m not sure.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Maybe.” Irene walked to the door, then turned. “Screw it. I’ll talk to you later when we’re both calmer.”

Once she was gone, Tanner plopped down in his chair and put his head in his hands.

The tearoom was hopping. But then it usually was at noon. Hectic or not, Kasey loved eating there because it was also a gift shop with lots of pretties. Today, however, she wasn’t in the mood to meander and finger the goods. Instead she was taking advantage of her cousin’s company as they sat at a table for two.

“I’m sorry about Shirley,” Ginger Davenport said, once the waitress had taken their orders.

Ginger was not only her first cousin but a dear friend whose company had moved her here from Houston several years ago. At thirty-eight she was one year older than Kasey, and in the process of getting a divorce. Tall and willowy, she had wide-set hazel eyes and a thin mouth that she made more generous with a lip pencil.

The fact that Ginger lived in Rushmore had been another reason why leaving Dallas after so many years hadn’t been so overwhelming to Kasey.

Yet they didn’t see each other as often as Kasey would’ve liked. Ginger worked for a high-powered investment firm and traveled often. When they did get together, however, they made the most of it.

“I’m devastated,” Kasey responded, “for more reasons than one.”

“I’m sure.” Ginger leaned closer and lowered her voice. “It scares the hell out of me to think that someone you worked with got murdered. I’m guessing you don’t have a clue as to why.”

“You’re right, I don’t.” Kasey’s voice shook. “I saw her get shot.” She hadn’t planned on blurting out that shocking piece of news. It seemed to have just rolled off her tongue.

Ginger’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth as if to stifle a cry. After a moment, she wheezed, “You were the witness the paper mentioned?”

Kasey nodded, emotion tightening her throat.

“Oh, my God, you poor thing.”

“It was awful, Ginger. I’ve nearly lost my sanity over it, though I didn’t see who pulled the trigger.”

“But did he see you? That’s what’s important.”

“I’m convinced he didn’t and so are the police. Otherwise, he would’ve already made a move to…silence me. But just to be on the safe side, I’ve been placed under protective watch.”

“You have?” Ginger’s head turned to the right, then left.

Kasey smiled. “He’s lurking around here somewhere.”

“This is all too mind-boggling,” Ginger said, shaking her head. “I know you have to be scared out of your wits. Want to move in with me for a while?”

“No, but thanks. I guess I’m still in shock.”

“You’ve told Brock, right?”

She gave Ginger the gist of that conversation.

“God, what a mess.” Ginger’s features were pinched. “I wish your mother and brother weren’t in Wyoming. On second thought, maybe I don’t. You and your mother are like oil and water—you don’t mix.”

“Since she’s been in the nursing home, things have gotten better between us. Still, I wouldn’t think of telling either of them since there’s nothing they can do.”

“What are you going to do about the agency?” Ginger asked, changing the subject.

Kasey sighed. “I’m assuming the partnership’s still intact. Even so, I’m not sure I can get it solvent again, especially now, though I might be offered a reprieve of sorts.”

Ginger didn’t respond right off as the waitress brought their salads. Kasey stared down at hers, and though it looked yummy, she wasn’t sure she could eat a bite.

“Eat, cuz,” Ginger ordered. “You need nourishment.”

“I’ll try, but I’m not hungry.”

For several minutes, they munched in silence. Then Kasey pushed her plate away. “I can’t eat another morsel, or I’ll be sick.”

“I understand. I feel the same. Imagine that? Me turning down food.”

“Sorry I ruined your appetite.”

“Under the circumstances, that’s not important. Besides, I should skip a lot of meals and drop some of this weight.” Ginger paused, then changed the subject. “You mentioned you might be offered a reprieve. I sure hope so. I don’t want you going back to Dallas.”

“Do you know Tanner Hart?”

“Do you?” Ginger’s eyes were wide.

Color stung Kasey’s cheeks. “Yes. He’s from Rushmore and was one of Mark’s best friends in college.”

“All I know about him,” Ginger said, “is that he’s running for the Texas Senate against that prick Buck Butler—”

“Why, Ginger,” Kasey exclaimed with a chuckle.

“Well, that’s what he is. I know because he does business with our firm. And Matt, my soon to be ex, works for his campaign. But that aside for now, what’s the deal with Hart?”

Kasey explained about Tanner approaching her at the cemetery.

“You think he might want to hire you?”

“I’m assuming so, since he mentioned business. Still, I find that hard to believe with the election a little over three months away.”

“If that is the case, it would certainly be a windfall for you. It would keep the agency open a while longer and keep you here.” Ginger’s features shadowed. “But for some reason, I get the idea you’re not that excited about the prospect.”

Actually, Kasey was terrified by the idea that she was even considering such a thing. It was tantamount to playing Russian roulette with the rest of her life. Tanner Hart would be the last person she would depend on, desperate or not. She should have stressed that she wasn’t interested in anything he had to offer.

“Why is that?” Ginger pressed before widening her eyes as she peered beyond Kasey’s shoulder. “Oops.”

“Oops what?” Kasey demanded.

“Speak of the devil. Tanner Hart just walked in the door.”

Six

K asey couldn’t concentrate. Her mind kept wandering.

Following her lunch with Ginger, she had returned to the empty agency. After locking the front door that remained adorned with a wreath in Shirley’s memory, she had headed straight to her partner’s office and locked the door behind her.

Lately she had become cautious to a fault.

Her plan was to go through Shirley’s desk, to see if she could find anything that would give her a clue as to who had taken her life. Too, she wanted to see if she could find any evidence as to why the agency had taken such a downward spiral financially.