Hotshot defense attorney James Scott always follows his gut -- even when it tells him an obviously guilty man is a victim himself. Homicide detective Owen Duke doesn't have time for gut feelings -- he lives by logic and evidence. And all the evidence tells him that Scott's client is guilty of the cold-blooded murder of a young ballerina.<br><br>Scott, a notorious media darling, is willing to risk his reputation and his career on the kid's innocence. But his undeniable charm is not enough to save his client's life. He needs Owen Duke, a man who stands for truth and justice, even if the detective hates Scott and his gut feelings.<br><br>What's supposed to be an open-and-shut case quickly becomes a quagmire of lies, murder, and rotting corruption. Suddenly, instead of being a thorn in Duke's side, James Scott is the only person in San Francisco the detective can trust. As the attraction between them deepens, they race to save an innocent man, but can they save their own hearts in the process?

Pas de Deux

“Her big part.” Scott licked his lips thoughtfully. “Dancing. She must have kept that world pretty separate from you and the halfway house, right?”


The shift in topic surprised Hector, drawing a frown. “No, not really. She talked about it all the time. She got me and Ms. Cunningham tickets once. Tana loved dancing more than anything.”


“Did she talk about it with other people at the halfway house? Did she ever get tickets for anybody else there?”


“Not that I know of.” His frown deepened. “Most of the guys at Woodson, they don’t try as hard as I do. Tana always told me I was better than them.”


Would a search warrant be possible for the opera house? Maybe not yet. Especially since he couldn’t tell a judge exactly what he was searching for. But Duke could certainly follow up with every person Tana Mayfield ever encountered while she studied, practiced, and performed.


Chapter 33