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

Immediately to the right of the entrance was a large, empty living room, the couches, all different shapes and sizes, ringing the center of the room. It looked like a meeting area, maybe for the group sessions the cons were usually ordered to go through. All steps toward rehabilitation, supposedly. The fact that not a single person was in the room did not necessarily bode well for how seriously people took the therapy. Or it could mean exactly the opposite and the room was reserved for group sessions alone. Either way, it seemed a waste of space.


Duke ventured deeper into the house, looking for someplace Ms. Cunningham might consider an office. Two more rooms might have worked, but they were just as deserted as the first he’d found. He was about to call out and hope someone answered him when something clattered from the rear of the house, and Chandra Cunningham’s distinctive raspy voice erupted in cursing.


Chapter 34