Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (interesting books to read for teens TXT) 📕

get to the bottom of his conviction, and who the force was behind it, I’ll not only get justice for him, but upend the drug cartel that’s done its best to decimate Grave Gulch.”

“Again, it’s imperative to leave the law enforcement to the experts. I’m not discrediting your investigative abilities or saying that your reporting doesn’t have serious purpose. On the contrary, everyone needs to be able to understand what we’ve all been up against since fentanyl hit our streets. A good portion of my business has been protecting people waiting to go into the witness protection program or who don’t want to have to lose their identity but the threat level doesn’t warrant government-paid protection.” He leaned his hands on the counter, his shirtsleeves rolled up and leaving his muscular forearms exposed. “I’m on your side, Dominique. At least as far as getting to the truth is concerned.”

“But you’re not going to support me going for the jugular. Putting myself back out there, making myself a target.”

“There has to be a way to do your job virtually. Can’t you call your interview subjects on the phone?”

“Absolutely not. I have to verify all of my sources, and I certainly have to speak face-to-face with the man whose testimony put Charlie behind bars in the first place. Only he can tell me who ordered him to lie on the stand. I have a feeling it’ll lead me to the same person who ordered Charlie’s murder.”

“If indeed the prison fight wasn’t incidental.”

She shook her head, needing Stanton to believe her, to trust her judgment. “It wasn’t like Charlie to get himself in any kind of altercation. He’d had a clean record the entire two years he was in jail. His dream was an early release, on good behavior.”

Stanton’s cell phone buzzed and he picked it up from the cocktail table, his thumb flicking across the screen. The play of light across his chiseled face mesmerized her. Her stomach flipped and she quickly reminded herself that he was off-limits. Failed previous relationship with him being reason number one, followed by the line of work he was in, and hers. Both were all-consuming, and his was particularly dangerous. Losing him once, no matter that it had been her decision, had been enough. It would be catastrophic to let herself get lost in him again, only for him to be taken out by a madman. Plus, Stanton made it clear that he had zero interest in picking back up with her. Even if he hadn’t, she wasn’t in the right place or frame of mind for any kind of romantic entanglement with anyone.

A soft groan escaped her bruised lips and she sucked in a breath, hoping he hadn’t sensed her subconscious plea for attention from him. His immediate glance in her direction proved he had. Humiliation rushed heat into her face and she pointedly looked out the window, unable to meet his gaze.

“It’s a text from Troy. He’s on his way over to take your statement.” Either Stanton didn’t notice her discomfort or chose to ignore it. Instead of relief, disbelief at his words doused her embarrassment.

“Wha—wait a minute! I didn’t agree to talk to the police.” Anger fired through her veins, giving her a sense of purpose she hadn’t felt since being so brutally assaulted.

Stanton stood up, paced to the panoramic window. It was what he always did when they’d argued. Gave himself space to think.

“You were attacked. I called my cousin the detective when you were getting your X-rays. He agreed to meet you privately, so that you don’t have to go into the station. I thought you’d appreciate not facing down every cop in Grave Gulch right now. It’s not like you’re their favorite reporter at the moment.”

“You think I can’t take it? I don’t care if all of GGPD hates the press. That’s not my problem in the least.”

“All of GGPD doesn’t dislike the Gazette, and it’s unfair to say that. You have to admit that it’s hard to do your job when you’re constantly being scrutinized. The Gazette hasn’t let off GGPD—ever. And it’s only gotten worse recently.”

“If GGPD would keep the public informed about their internal investigation of Randall Bowe, it might ease a lot of the perceived tensions.”

“It’s called ‘internal’ for a reason.” He stopped pacing, hands on slim hips, and glared at her. “The world isn’t yours to exploit, Dominique.”

“Exploit? Excuse me?” She stood up and said a silent thanks that she was able to do so in one steady movement. Her lower back hurt like heck and her shoulders were beginning to throb. She raised her hands in surrender. “I can’t do this. Either pay my father back or assign one of your other agents to my case. I’m out.” She moved toward the foyer, needing to be free of the constant nearness of him. His scent, his mannerisms, his voice.

“Dom, wait.” At the use of his endearment for her she froze. This was the name he’d shouted earlier, right before the thug had grabbed her. In a moment of danger, he’d called out to her the way he knew she’d recognize it was him. So she’d know she wasn’t alone. At some level, he must have known that she still trusted him. She turned back toward him and slowly closed the distance between them, but left several paces as a boundary when she reached the window.

“This isn’t working, Stanton. It’s not going to. We’ve been with each other for less than half a day and we’re at fisticuffs again.” Unwanted tears pooled and she blinked. “I’m not sad. I’m mad.”

He ran his fingers through his hair, loosened his silk tie. She’d always appreciated how he insisted on a professional appearance, no matter how dirty his job got. The pale cream fabric highlighted the deep blue of his eyes. The cotton stretched over his broad shoulders, triggering more memories that were best forgotten.

His killer gaze pierced through all of her defenses, reminded her of all she’d