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

“No. The evidence…the evidence was fine. Maybe the alibi wasn’t airtight, but it was still solid enough. Maybe it was the jury?” Scott slammed his hand against the steering wheel with obvious frustration. “I thought I had a good one seated, but maybe I should have taken more time with the selection. Or maybe this one was fixed, too.”


“You can’t go around assuming everything’s fixed.”


“What do you think? It’s possible to be only a little bit corrupt?” Scott dug through his pocket, then pulled out a recorder nearly identical to the one he had already given Duke. “Listen to this and tell me I don’t have reason to suspect a fix.”


He took the recorder, but didn’t play it yet, more than a little worried at the harsh tone of Scott’s voice. “If we stop believing the system works, what’s the point in doing our jobs?”


Chapter 39