I believe this samba has our name on it.
No more shoptalk, she said when he set his hands on her waist and followed her to the dance floor. But neck nuzzling is definitely allowed.
For a moment, as they passed the line of French doors, she heard the wind raging outside. Then it was all music and the magic of the moment. And Tal.
He was hot, and dazzling her with his aura. The sexy, sensual essence that was and always had been uniquely Tal. She was losing herself in it, until he spoke.
This isnt why I came tonight, Maya, he said against her hair. I dont want to hurt you. Lowering his head, he slid his tongue over her ear. Youre not making this any easier.
You couldnt hurt me if you wanted to, Tal.
Consider yourself warned, he murmured against her throat before he kissed her.
Jenna Ryan
Kissing the Key Witness
Merlyn;
You were the love and the joy of our lives.
On to the next big adventure.
Have fun, sweetheart
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jenna Ryan loves creating dark-haired heroes, heroines with strength and good murder mysteries. Ever since she was young, she has had an extremely active imagination. She considered various careers over the years and dabbled in several of them, until the day her sister Kathy suggested she put her imagination to work and write a book. She enjoys working with intriguing characters and feels she is at her best writing romantic suspense. When people ask her how she writes, she tells them by instinct. Clearly its worked, since shes received numerous awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. She lives in Canada and travels as much as she can when shes not writing.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Maya SantinoAn E.R. doctor, she was the last person her ex spoke to before he died.
Stephen Talbot (Tal)Miami Homicide lieutenant, he must protect Maya from the people who want to kill her.
Gene Quick Draw McGrawHow far will the Fraud cop go for a promotion to Homicide?
Don DrakeThe Homicide captain is living better than he should.
Nate HammondThe retired Fraud captain pursued but never caught his notorious nemesis.
Jamie HazellThe E.R. nurse has serious financial problems.
Orlando PerineThe powerful corporate mogul has cops on his payroll and a very vindictive nature.
FalcomHe turned on his powerful boss. Now, he is desperate to get back the information he sold to the police.
Adam TylerMayas ex-husband hid important information right before he died.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Prologue
August in Miami.
Even in the dead of night, the air felt heavy. Prickles, like spiky fingernails, danced along fraud detective Adam Tylers spine. He smelled more than fetid air outside the waterfront warehouse. Anticipation carried its own scent, and hed been breathing it since late afternoon.
Too bad his captain had gone deep-sea fishing for the weekend, unplugged and incommunicado until Sunday night. But no sweat. Adam had been a detective since before his ill-fated marriage seven years ago. He could sit on anything, big or small, for a couple of days.
Yeah, right. He grinned as he pulled the parking brake on his prized 1967 Shelby Mustang. And pink elephants really do exist.
He glanced at his watch before heading to one of the small bay doors. Hed met snitches here countless times over the years. The Cuban-born owners knew that but said nothing, becausebig surprisethey didnt want the contents of their shipping crates examined by anyone calling himself a cop.
The prickles continued to tap-dance across his skin, Adam gave his eyes a few seconds to adjust, then made his way to the storage units crowded center.
It smelled worse in here than outside. Tiny claws scrabbled on concrete as he squeezed between the towering crates. Catching a movement ahead, he let the grin return. His informant was acting more like the rodents around him than the bird of prey whose code name hed adopted. The mans head shot up as Adams holster scraped across the face of a crate marked Bananas.
Only me, he said when Falcons hand crawled inside his hoodie. For the record, I was off duty and halfway across the city when you called.
I want it back.
Adam resisted the urge to laugh. Not only had his snitch been pacing like a jittery rat, but in the bad light he actually resembled one. A cartoon version, with popping eyes, long fingers and feet comically elongated by deep patches of black.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets. Sorry, pal, but its done. Ive got my evidence. Youve got your immunity. Fair deal all around.
Ive changed my mind. I dont want to turn him in.
Adam leaned on one of the towers. Uh, refresh my memory. Who came to whom, begging for help?
Falcon spoke through clenched teeth. I had my reasons back then. Situations changed. I want it back.
Not an option. Adam reached for his backup weapon. And if youre thinking about shooting me for it, youll be wasting good bullets. Ive already
Your captains gone fishing, Falcon blurted, then offered a cynical smile. Ive got my sources, too, Tyler. You havent turned it over yet. Cant until Monday. Means my bossll be free to kill me for another sixty hours. Even then I wont be safe. Im not the only person on his payroll.
Just the most cowardly. Adam shrugged. Or maybe the most desperate.
Do you know what hes capable of?
Ive seen his work.
Falcon made a frantic flapping motion. Hes got, like, elephant ears.
Well, Ive got, like, elephant feet, and one of thems about to boot you in your canary-yellow ass. He wont
He will.
Falcon, even Orlando Perine wouldnt
His informant surged forward, teeth bared. Talk about asses. Im telling you, Tyler, hell yawn while hes pulling the trigger. Thats how big a deal murder is to him. Were talking ice water for blood. Reptilian brain. No emotion. Okay, I was desperate to get out, get away, so I did something stupid. But he found out. He knows someones turned. Doesnt know who. Only that one of his people sold him out. Or is about to. Bottom line? Its not worth the risk. Id rather go to prison and live than die the way hell kill me if he finds out what Ive done.
Adam pushed off the tower of crates. Have you been taking drama lessons as well as drugs? Gear down and breathe, okay? No ones going to die. And no one but me is ever going to know
A sudden sharp pain in his shoulder, followed by another to the left of his spinal column, brought him up short. Blinking, he looked down at the front of his shirt. Twin blotches of red spread quickly across the fabric.
Oh, hell
His vision wavered. He heard Falcon swear; saw him jump sideways and vanish behind a crate.
The prickles on his spine turned to claws that scratched so deeply, they scored his lungs. His chest heated and filled. His mind began to fade.
Guess I was wrong, he murmured. Looks like someones going to die, after all.
The black took over as he pitched face-forward onto the warehouse floor.
Chapter One
Maya, wait!
So close, Maya Santino reflected, with a sigh. Shed actually made it to the staff exit this time.
A lanky E.R. nurse swooped in from the side. Nice try, Doc, but its a no go. Spotting Mayas earbuds, she cupped a hand to her mouth. I said, we need you, Dr. S.
Yes, I gathered that, Jamie. She pulled out the earbuds and stuffed the iPod into her oversize bag. Whats the problem?
McVeys here.
Although she wanted to resist, Maya let her friend and colleague propel her back along the corridor. You do know I was coming off a ten-hour shift even before that last two-hour meeting, right?
Is it my fault the man wont see anyone but you? Jamie Hazell continued to push her forward. Admissions says his hands wrapped in a filthy towel, but he flat out refuses to go to the clinic. Says its you or no one. Theres Lysol at the desk if you want it.
Maya grinned. My uncle raises chickens in South America. Spend a weekend on his farm, then talk to me about McVey. A brow went up. Treatment room four?
As far from the madding crowd as possible.
Theres a madding crowd?
Jamie swept a hand in front of her as they rounded the corner. You decide.
From Mayas perspective, it was only mild mayhem. Shed seen much worse during her three-year tenure at Miamis Eden Bay Hospital. Once, the sea of gurneys had been so deep, shed been forced to climb over one to reach another.
Of course, theyd been smack in the middle of the hurricane season then. Storm after storm had pelted the southern coast. Thered been home and highway accidents, tramplings and assaults. Scores of buildings had been damaged. Mayas roof had taken two beatings from uprooted trees. Her car had gotten it from a toppled streetlamp.
Reaching out, she straightened her friends name badge. Cheer up, Nurse Hazell. Youre transferring out of the E.R., remember? Thirty days and counting.
Unless Dr. Driscoll changes his mind. Its happened before. Enjoy your patient.
Five minutes later, her earbuds replaced by a stethoscope around the collar of her lab coat, Maya pushed through the treatment-room door.
McVeyit was the only name he usedsat on a table. His thin shoulders were hunched, and his back was bowed. The thought struck, as it often did, that he seemed familiar in some way. Then, poof, the thought vanished, and he was just McVey again, a man currently in a great deal of pain.
He supported his injured left hand with a grimy right. He might not live on the street, but Maya suspected the odd jobs he did at a low-income apartment complex didnt keep him far from it.
Okay. Using her two index fingers, she indicated the bloody towel. Whats the story?
Got slammed in a furnace door. Rusty metal, sharp edges. Tore the skin when I jerked free. Uh, is Witchsorry, Nurse Hazell working tonight?
Im afraid so.
Maya watched his face as she unwrapped the towel. He kept his eyes averted. Meant he was lying about something, though she figured the rusty-metal part was probably true enough.
Any point asking if youve had a tetanus shot over the past decade?
He almost smiled, but still didnt meet her eyes. Any point trying to fake you out?
Not much. It was a deep gash that would require several stitches. Why me?
Another near smile. Because youre pretty?
Other doctors are prettier.
But only you remind me of Sabrina.
Excuse me?
The movie, remember? Audrey Hepburn was the title character. She grew up and was transformed, like youve done since you came here as a resident.
Have I known you that long? Huh, blink and the years fly by.
A grim-faced Jamie came into the room. She sorted through the instrument tray while Maya finished her examination.
McVeys eyes narrowed. Youre not gonna spray me again, are you, Nurse?
Id like to do more than spray you, Jamie retorted, with an expression that made Mayas lips twitch.
Careful, she warned when McVey opened his mouth. Remember, Nurse Hazell administers the local.
He pressed his lips together for the duration, even took the tetanus shot without a whimper. But then she suspected he was accustomed to injections and, if the alcohol on his breath was any indication, not in quite as much pain as he could be.
Okay. Done. She snapped off her latex gloves. Grab a doughnut on your way out.
The door cracked open, and an interns head appeared. Sorry to interrupt, Doctor, but theres been a pileup on the interstate. Twenty, maybe thirty cars. Several injuries, and were the closest E.R.
Were also the most understaffed, Jamie called after him. Crap. Whys it always us?
Fate or proximity to the freeway. Take your pick. Maya started for the door. Keep that hand as clean as you can, McVey. Come back Monday, before I go off shift, and Ill look at it.
Her attention shifted instantly at the sound of sirens wailing. She joined the line of attendants jogging toward the entrance.
It was going to be a very long night.
EVERYTHING AROUND HIM had gone gray and blurry, even with his eyes open. Sort of open, Adam amended, inasmuch as he could think with the light that kept tugging at him. Beautiful light, silvery and soft. It had siren qualities, but he resisted the lure.
He sensed movement, saw the gray haze alter. Ugly streaks of red slashed it apart. Noise, like shrieking daggers, jabbed into his brain. Hands clutched his shoulders and shook him.
Dont die, Falcon pleaded from above. I need that information back.
Adam would have laughed if an anvil hadnt been sitting on his chest.
I have to go. The snitchs voice faded. Someonell help you. Ill come back when youre better. I dont think he saw me in the warehouse. I think you blocked his view.
Probably true, Adam thought fuzzily. Man, this had definitely not been his night.
The darkness thickened, grew hotter, stickier. He couldnt swallow, could no longer think. Faces flashed inside the red. His ex-wifes, his old friends, his new enemys.
Voices shouted indistinct words. The hands on his shoulders fell away. He heard Falcon swear, then a more familiar voice.
Adam?
Startled but not panicky. Female.
Maya?
She leaned over, and he saw her face. Exotic features, dark hair, incredible eyes. Bluer than a tropical lagoon.
Screwed up, he murmured. Made you hate me.
I dont hate you.
Maybe not, but she was waking the pain anyway.
The light around him intensified. He was breathing fire now. He felt her hands on him and groped until he caught her wrist. Stop, he croaked. Listen.