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

Horan got out of the car without a word and pressed a button on his keyring that noiselessly opened the trunk. After he pulled out a soft black leather laptop bag, he slammed the trunk shut again, the noise echoing against the concrete walls of the parking structure.


“Well?” he said, when Scott didn’t move. “Lead the way.”


Scott wasn’t sure what happened. Just two hours earlier, it had seemed like a good idea to confront Horan. What else was he going to do? Go to his best buddies, the police? Maybe really try to tell the state bar that one of the most popular, well-respected district attorneys in California was guilty of ethics violations without a hint of evidence? He knew that Horan would trip himself up, but he had hoped it would happen sooner than this.


Chapter 68