What lies beneath
Mitch Delacroix is everything Beth McClelland likes in a man. Smart, good-looking and so very safe. Shes this close to making her intentions known.
Then Mitch is accused of murdering his best friend years ago. Suddenly his rebel pastincluding the criminal recordis revealed to everyone.
But something doesnt fitthe Mitch she knows couldnt possibly kill anyone. Shes determined to find the truth. As a forensics expert, shes used to uncovering peoples secrets. Yet she never expected Mitch could be hiding so many. Despite rising doubts, shell help clear his name. Even if what she discovers could threaten their relationshipand their lives.
He said no? Raleigh guessed correctly.
He said he was busy. Beth slumped onto a sofa, swallowing back the tears that threatened. So Mitch had turned her down. Big deal. Beth had been concerned that an office romance might affect their working relationship, anyway.
He didnt issue a counteroffer? Raleigh sounded genuinely perplexed.
Maybe he would have. Beth knew she was grasping at straws. He never got the chance. His half brother was there, asking a lot of questions about something that happened years ago when Mitch lived in I can hardly say it. Coots Bayou. Did you know he was from a place called Coots Bayou?
Seems I heard about it at some point.
Did you know he stole a car?
He was a teenager at the time. The charges were dropped.
So you did know. You encouraged me to hook up with a criminal, when you know
Hes not a criminal. Hes a good person, Beth.
Maybe. Deep down, Beth felt that Mitch was goodnot that she could trust her own instincts where men were concerned. But now hes being accused of murder.
Dear Reader,
When I introduced the character of Mitch Delacroix in an earlier book, all I really knew about him was that he was a charming Cajun and an expert computer hacker. But once I started to research the setting for this bookthe bayous of Southern Louisianahe came to life in a sudden burst of inspiration. His wild past and the reasons for his youthful rebellion, his current, secret life as a mixed martial arts cage fighter, his relationship with his half brotherit all came to me in a clump. The man was just there, fully formed, smiling that wicked-charming half smile, and all I had to do was take dictation from him.
Mitchs story, though, wasnt always easy to write. For one thing, I didnt know beans about cage fighting. Bless my supportive husband, he bought tickets to a live mixed martial arts event so I could see for myself what its like. I blew my holiday gift cards on MMA magazines and spent hours watching YouTube video lessons on jujitsu and Muay Tai fighting techniques. Then I had my husbanda second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Doread my fight scenes to be sure they rang true.
I hope you enjoy the wild ride that Mitch took me on, and that youll cheer on Beth, his sweet heroine, as she tries to find common ground with a man who turns out to be very different from the computer nerd she thought she wanted.
Sincerely,
Kara Lennox
Outside the Law
Kara Lennox
www.millsandboon.co.uk
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kara Lennox has earned her living at various times as an art director, typesetter, textbook editor and reporter. Shes worked in a boutique, a health club and an ad agency. Shes been an antiques dealer, an artist and even a blackjack dealer. But no work has ever made her happier than writing romance novels. To date, she has written more than sixty books. Kara is a recent transplant to Southern California. When not writing, she indulges in an ever-changing array of hobbies. Her latest passions are bird-watching, long-distance bicycling, vintage jewelry and, by necessity, do-it-yourself home renovation. She loves to hear from readers. You can find her at www.karalennox.com.
Books by Kara Lennox
HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE
1689TAKEN TO THE EDGE
1695NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
1701A SCORE TO SETTLE
HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE
974FORTUNES TWINS
990THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR
1052THE FORGOTTEN COWBOY
1068HOMETOWN HONEY*
1081DOWNTOWN DEBUTANTE*
1093OUT OF TOWN BRIDE*
1146THE FAMILY RESCUE**
1150HER PERFECT HERO**
1154AN HONORABLE MAN**
1180ONE STUBBORN TEXAN
1195GOOD HUSBAND MATERIAL
1216RELUCTANT PARTNERS
1240THE PREGNANCY SURPRISE
1256THE GOOD FATHER
Project Justice
*Blond Justice
**Firehouse 59
Second Sons
Other titles by this author available in ebook format.
Contents
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
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
ASKHIMNOW.
Beth McClelland shrank back into the hallway, her mind screaming Chicken! He looks busy.
Hes probably just surfing the web. Computer geeks can always look busy. Raleigh Shinn, Beths best friend, stood behind her with a hand on her shoulder, ready to push if necessary.
But Beth planted her feet firmly. It had seemed like a good idea yesterday, buying tickets to a zydeco concert, then casually telling Mitch Delacroix she had an extra if he wanted to come with her. She knew he liked that kind of music because he often played it as background noise while he hunted online for elusive data or missing witnesses.
What if he says no? Beth knew she sounded like a teenager, but she wasnt ready for rejection. Since her last relationship had been so disastrous, she wanted to ease back into the dating world. Shouldnt her first foray be with someone easier? Someone less complicated? Someone she didnt care about?
She and Mitch had become friends. They had an easy working relationship and she genuinely enjoyed hanging out with him. Taking it to the next level might be a logical choiceor a disaster.
He wont say no, Raleigh insisted. Ive seen the way he looks at you, and you said he isnt dating anyone seriously.
Then why hasnt he asked me out? He certainly flirted enough.
Stop stalling and get this over with, please. Im tired of watching you make cow eyes at him. If he says nowhich he wontyou can at least move on.
Raleigh was a compassionate friend, but she never minced words. Her legal training had taught her to get to the heart of the matter in the most direct way possible.
Can I help you ladies with something?
Beth stifled a gasp and took a step back. While shed been arguing with Raleigh, Mitch Delacroix had come out of his chair and walked over. He now stood less than two feet away, his thumbs hooked into the pockets of his faded jeans.
She tried to say something, but her tongue had grown twice its normal size and her brain felt as though it just went through a blender. She had no trouble testifying in court about DNA molecules and ion exchange chromatography, and normally she could hold her own with men, professionally or socially. But just the thought of asking Mitch Delacroix out on a datea real datetwisted her up inside. Shed never been interested in someone she worked with before, so maybe her instincts were trying to tell her this was a bad idea.
To hell with instincts. She wanted Mitch and she wasnt going to let anything stop her.
Raleigh leaned in and whispered, Dont screw this up. Im out of here. She walked away, leaving Beth and Mitch standing in the doorway.
He looked at her expectantly, a smile playing on his sexy mouth.
Crap. She struggled to come up with a credible excuse for why shed walked into the bull pen.
Mitchs desk phone chose that moment to buzz. He ignored it at first, but it buzzed again. Mitch, pick up. The voice of Celeste Boggs, office manager for Project Justice, boomed over the intercom, sounding bossy even for Celeste. No, not just bossy. Tense and worried.
You better get that, Beth said, pleased she could string words together.
Mitch rolled his eyes. What now? You think shes mad because I took the last doughnut? But he returned to his desk and grabbed the phone. Yo, Celeste, whats up?
Beth stared greedily as his attention moved to the phone call. His light brown hair, streaked with blond from the sun, was well past his collar and unrulythe kind of hair that was hard to tame so he didnt bother trying. Her perusal moved to his body; his typical geeks ratty T-shirt revealed biceps and a nicely muscled chest that were decidedly atypical, and his tanned skin meant he did not spend every minute staring at a screen.
How was it that he looked so sexy even talking on the phone? He had this quiet confidence that was so appealingnot like the macho guys shed been attracted to in the past, the ones with swagger and swelled muscles. But she was so over macho guys. A cute geek with a touch of bad boy might be exactly what she needed in her lifeand in her bed.
Ill be right up, he said, looking serious as he hung up the phone.
Is something wrong?
Celeste says theres a Louisiana cop asking to see me.
That couldnt be good news. Had there been an accident? Mitch was from a small town in Louisiana, so he was bound to have some family there.
Walk with me up to the front desk. You wanted to talk to me about something?
She didnt want to ask him out on a date if he was about to get bad news. Then again, if she didnt do it now, she never would.
Just do it. This was Mitch, her friend.
Uh, I have two tickets to see Dirty Rice next Friday and I thought you might like to go.
There. Shed at least said the words, though with far less charm than shed envisioned. She held her breath, bracing for the blow.
Oh, hell, Beth, I cant Friday night. I have something planned already. Maybe Billy would take the extra ticket off your hands.
Yeah, maybe. Ill ask him. Dammit. She was going to kill Raleighthis was all her fault. Of course Mitch had said no. He probably already had a date for Friday night. Guys like Mitch didnt sit around waiting for women to ask them out. They made plans. They did the asking.
What had she been thinking?
She wanted to run for the safety of her lab, where she could hide behind a microscope. But Mitch would know something was wrong if she suddenly took off like her tail was on fire. So she kept walking with him down the hall to the lobby, pretending she hadnt just had her heart body-slammed.
Celeste didnt say what the cop wanted? she asked, desperate to fill the silence. A Louisiana cop wouldnt drive all the way to Houston on a whim; chances were good he was here on official business, and that usually meant bad news.
The guy wouldnt say. Mitch sounded unconcerned, but Beth wasnt fooled. When he flashed his playful smile at her, she could tell he was forcing it. So, Dirty Rice, huh? I didnt know you were a zydeco fan.
Im not. I mean, I like it okay.
So you bought tickets because He seemed genuinely curious, not judgmental.
She couldnt admit shed bought them because he liked zydeco. Then, inspiration struck. I won them from a radio station.
Oh. He seemed to be digesting that. She wasnt the type to call in to radio stations trying to win stuff.
They passed through a door in a frosted glass partition that led into the lobby of Project Justice, the Houston nonprofit where they both worked. The lobby was a large space with cold marble floors and wood-paneled walls, rather stark, Beth had always thought. It was intended to impress, but not to be inviting. Daniel Logan, CEO of Project Justice, didnt want just anyone wandering in off the street and feeling at home. So the only visitor seating was a couple of hard chairs.
The cop had elected to stand, his back to Celeste, studying an arrangement of framed press clippings on the wall. He was a beefy guy, his muscular shoulders straining against his khaki uniform. His dark brown hair was cut very short, revealing a tan line at the margins.
Celeste made a big show of ignoring him, her nose buried in a Soldier of Fortune magazine, a large knife out on her deskjust in case.
Mitch picked up his pace, striding confidently into the lobby while Beth hung back. You wanted to see me? His voice contained a touch of arrogance.
The stranger turned, and Mitch skidded to a halt. Dwayne?
Mitch. Been a while.
Yeah. A while.
So, they knew each other. Maybe this was a personal visit, not an official one. An old friend, looking him up No, that wasnt right. Whatever their relationship, it wasnt warm and fuzzy. The two men sized each other up, radiating tension.
Why the big mystery? Mitch asked. Why didnt you tell Celeste your name?
I didnt want you to get the wrong idea. This isnt exactly a social call.
Mitch looked confused. Did someone die?
The cop named Dwayne looked faintly amused. Funny you should ask that. Im here in regards to an incident that happened twelve years ago. A Monte Carlo was stolen from the parking lot of a Piggly Wiggly. Ring any bells?
Yeah, I believe I do recall that incident, Mitch said with an exaggerated Southern accent. But the charges were dropped. Buried, in fact.