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

“Was there anybody else Tana took a special interest in, other than Hector Young? Or anyone who took a special interest in her?”


“You’ve seen her pictures, detective. She was a beautiful girl, and I’ve got a house full of men who got locked away from pretty girls like that for years. Of course, the others noticed her. But if they didn’t show her any respect, she knew exactly how to cut them down. She might have looked delicate, but she had a backbone of steel. I doubt there was nothing she couldn’t do if she set her mind to it.”


“That must have pissed some of the men off.”


Chandra shrugged. “Maybe. But Hector wouldn’t have let anybody touch her.”


“Is anybody else around that might have known Tana? I’d like to talk to as many acquaintances as possible.”


She leveled him a frank stare. “You can try, but you don’t really think they’re going to say anything to you, do you? You’re a cop. You’re not exactly at the top of their Christmas card lists.”


Chapter 35