Officer Lou Hernandez is surprised when he's asked to help Gideon Monahan catch an art forger. He's not too happy, however, when he meets the man he'll be working with. Lou thinks Rory Kinley is a supercilious pain in the ass. Rory, on the other hand, sees no reason why Lou has been brought into this. After all, he's just a cop, albeit one who is good at going undercover.<br><br>The art forger they're after -- Nate Hanks -- cons collectors, saying he has an undiscovered painting by a famous artist. He's killed one of his marks already to keep from being caught.<br><br>Lou and Rory will have to set aside their differences as they set up a sting to stop Hanks. When they do, they discover they may not be as incompatible as they thought. The question becomes, will their growing feelings survive what's to come -- or be destroyed in the process?

It Takes a Forger

Rory did, keeping one hand on the rail in case Hanks changed his mind. When they got to the bottom, Hanks urged Rory over to the workbench.


“Nice. Very nice,” Hanks said, looking at the forged Carrà sitting on the easel beside the workbench. “You’re better than I thought. Have you created provenance papers for it?”


“Of course,” Rory muttered. “I’m not stupid.” Stupid to let him grab me, but that’s another thing all together. If I make it out of this alive, I’m never parking in the alley again.


With a sigh of resignation—faked, but necessary under the circumstances—Rory went to the file cabinet, took out a folder, and handed it to Hanks.


With his gun still pointed at Rory, Hanks put the folder on the workbench, opened it, and glanced at the forged papers. “They’ll pass. Who are you planning on offering the painting to?”


Chapter 26