Yet a tiny part of her was glad to have him back in her life, if only for a short time. There was something about him that appeased her hunger, made her feel like a live woman and not a career robot.
Yet he’d severed her trust as casually as someone discarding a pair of worn-out sneakers.
“So do I stay or do I go?” Nathan demanded into the lengthening silence.
Hallie shot a warning glance at Jackson. “You stay.”
Pearl chose that moment to enter the room, carrying a tray filled with the coffeepot, cups and breakfast muffins. Hallie thanked her and she hurried out.
“Jackson, I’d like for you to repeat everything you told Hallie, from start to finish, followed by what you told the detective.” Without taking his gaze off Jackson, Nathan reached for a cup and filled it with coffee.
“First off, I didn’t kill Roberta Klein.” Jackson’s tone was terse.
Nathan nodded, then took a sip of his beverage. “Good. Since that’s out of the way, please continue.”
Hallie listened while Jackson repeated what had transpired with Detective Gomez. Every so often, she would inject a comment, clarifying what Jackson had said. When he finished, the room was quiet for a moment. In order to keep her eyes off Jackson, she poured a cup of coffee she didn’t want.
“Have you thought of anything else you might’ve overlooked?” Nathan asked.
Jackson shifted his gaze. “No, nothing.”
“What about Gomez?” Nathan asked, facing Hallie. “What’s your impression of him?”
“He’s both smart and smart-alecky.”
“Not surprising. But you can handle him, right?”
Hallie smiled with confidence. “With ease and pleasure.”
Nathan chuckled. “I don’t know why I even bothered to ask.” Then he said to Jackson, “Have you written any of this down?”
Jackson turned swiftly to Hallie, a question in his eyes.
Hallie answered for him. “I didn’t tell him to.”
Nathan worked his mouth. “I am. Get a notepad and write down everything you just said, in addition to your long history with the Klein woman. It’s imperative that you don’t leave anything out.”
“And equally imperative,” Hallie put in, “that you don’t show it to anyone but me or Nathan.”
“That’s right,” Nathan said. “No third party. It’s privileged, but if anyone else sees it, it becomes unprivileged.”
Although Jackson didn’t appear the least bit enthusiastic about the request, he said, “That’s a tall order, but I can handle it. As for anyone else seeing it, I get it.”
Ignoring Jackson’s obvious rebuke, Nathan went on. “So let’s talk about you personally.”
Jackson bristled. “Like, how personal?”
“Real personal,” Nathan said with a smooth smile, though his voice had no give.
Jackson whipped his eyes to Hallie. “Look, is all this necessary?”
“Absolutely. Nathan’s not making any demands that I wouldn’t make.”
“But you know me personally.”
Jackson suddenly gave her the look that melted her bones. She swallowed before saying lamely, “Lots can change in two years, Jackson.”
“Dammit, Hallie, you know better than that.”
“No, I don’t,” she shot back.
Nathan raised his hand, the look on his face an annoyed one that Hallie dreaded. The criminal attorney was losing patience, and she didn’t blame him. Jackson could be the kindest and most considerate person on earth, only to turn cold and withdrawn in a heartbeat if something didn’t suit him. Obviously this interview was not suiting him.
Too bad. Jackson had gotten himself in this mess. Consequently, he didn’t have any choice but to cooperate.
“All right,” Jackson said, his features cast in granite, “take your best shot. Both of you.”
Again ignoring his festering temper, Nathan asked, “How are your finances?”
“Solid.”
“That’s a plus. Are you involved with a woman?”
For a long moment, a poisonous tension fell over the room. No one said a word. Hallie felt her breath catch in anticipation of Jackson’s answer. His only physical response was to narrow his eyes and hold his features and posture in check. Still, Hallie sensed his temper had gone up yet another notch.
“No,” he finally said in a more terse tone, a muscle jerking in his jaw.
Hallie kept her face averted while giving in to the unwanted feeling of relief that filtered through her.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Jackson demanded, his eyes hooded.
“Look,” Nathan said, “I’m not the heavy here, despite what you think. Gomez is going to dig a whole lot deeper than we are. Count on that. So you might as well get used to having your privacy invaded.”
“He’s right,” Hallie said in a soft tone. “Things are going to get worse before they get better.”
Jackson lunged out of his chair, then peered down at Hallie. “How ’bout if I take a lie detector test? Won’t that prove I didn’t do it?”
“Nope,” Nathan said. “It won’t hold up in court.”
“But surely it would count for something.” Jackson’s tone was low and harsh. “At least shake Gomez enough to look at someone else.”
“We don’t know that he doesn’t have other suspects,” Hallie pointed out. “But until I’m convinced you’re no longer his numero uno, I’m going to proceed as if you are.”
Jackson muttered a curse, while Nathan looked at his watch and stood.
“I’m due at another meeting.” He turned his attention to Hallie. “Let me know when and if I can be of more help. But for now, I have every confidence you can handle it.”
Hallie gave him a lame smile. “Thanks, Nathan. We’ll talk later.”
Once he was gone, silence permeated the room. Both Jackson and Hallie seemed reluctant to break it, even though Hallie felt the attraction crackle between them like strong bolts of lightning.
“Hallie.” The gruffness in his voice brought her eyes back to his.
“Don’t, Jackson.”
“Don’t what?”
“You know.” A tremor that she couldn’t control shook her voice.
“Suppose you tell me, anyway.”
She raised her head defiantly, determined to nip this conversation in the bud. “Okay, don’t look at me like that.”
“And how am I looking at you?”
His question didn’t even warrant a response. He damn well knew the answer.
Weak-kneed, Hallie leaned against the desk. This was a dangerous game they were playing, especially if she was going to represent him effectively against a murder charge. Yet the heady feeling his smoldering gaze and husky voice incited in her seemed worth the risk. For the moment.
Then,