Clay Richardson is a well-known artist who owns his own gallery. Quint Hawk, a police detective, makes contact with Clay when he sees a portrait Clay has painted in the window of the gallery -- a portrait of a homeless young man who was murdered just days before. Unfortunately, Clay has no idea who the subject was. Several months later, Quint contacts Clay to again ask about one of Clay's paintings. The subject has been murdered, as has a third man in another of his paintings. The reclusive artist and the handsome detective are drawn to each other as they try to determine what is happening and why. They come up with a plan to catch the killer -- a plan that could end up in their deaths before they can decide if there is more to their feelings than a couple of very good nights in Clay's bed.

The Element Case

“It’ll be worth it,” Travis retorted. He stopped talking then, his concentration focused on the street ahead of them.


“Whose body was in what supposedly was your grave?” Clay said hesitantly.


Travis grinned. “Some kid who was hitchhiking. When he told us he was traveling the country, trying to find himself, we knew he was the perfect victim.”


Travis hit the brake suddenly and made a sharp turn. It threw Clay sideways and, unable to stop himself with his hands restrained behind him, his shoulder hit the door hard enough that he gasped with pain.


“Aww, did you hurt yourself?” Travis snickered. “I guess you should have put on your seatbelt. Oh, right, you couldn’t. Ah well, such is life.”


Chapter 32