“Great job, Taite.” Luis Valdez stood and pulled her to her feet, enclosing her in a big hug. “God, that’s great stuff. We’ll nail those degenerates for sure.”
She grinned and patted him on the back. When he released her, she picked up her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder.
“You’re coming to our party tomorrow night, right?” He went back around his desk and sat down, pulling his laptop toward him. Already his attention had drifted from her and an intense look of concentration covered his face.
She shook her head, used to him by now. “Yes,” she said, grinning when he gave a grunt in response. She could have told him she couldn’t make it because she’d be shopping on Mars, and he would have given the same reply. “See you tomorrow.” Taite adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder and closed the office door behind her.
She was glad he was pleased with her report on the interview with Wheeler. Helping Luis do his job well was what her job was all about. She started to turn and bumped into someone, a startled “oomph” leaving her. Twisting around, she saw it was her friend John Sumner. His usually neat hair was in disarray, damp around the edge of his face, the white-blond streak at his part flopping onto his sweaty forehead. His pale blue eyes were slightly red-rimmed.
He put out his hands to steady her. “Whoa there, sweet thing.”
“Sorry.” Her purse slipped, and she adjusted the strap again. “You all right?” she asked. “You seem a bit…harried.”
“Just too much to do and not enough time to do it in,” he responded in a gruff tone. Pulling a handkerchief from his front pocket, he pressed it against his forehead for a moment. He balled the linen in his fist and shoved his hand into his pocket. “Not sure why I left a government job. I could be the County Attorney by now.”
She shook her head with a smirk. “You’re not enough of a political animal, John, and you know it. Well, animal enough, I suppose. Just not political,” she joked. She reached out and ruffled the hair that covered the top of his left ear. “You’re beginning to look a little shaggy there, Counselor. Methinks you’re overdue for a haircut.”
John jerked his head away and laughed. He put his fingertips under his chin and flipped them out toward her with an accompanying grin. “Being a defense attorney is better, anyway. You get to meet all sorts of interesting people. And no one cares if your hair is a little on the long side.” He moved closer and leaned one shoulder against the wall. “Hey, you going to the party tomorrow night?”
“Luis’s?” she asked, nodding toward her boss’s office.
“Yeah.”
Taite hesitated. She and John had dated for a few months and, while she liked him well enough, once she’d realized there was no romantic spark between them she’d called things off. That had been six months ago.
Thankfully, he’d been a good sport about it, even though she knew she’d hurt his feelings. But he hadn’t seemed to let that stand in his way, not giving up on the idea that they could be an “item.” Afraid he was about to ask her to go to the party with him, she finally said, “Yes,” with some caution.
His smile was quick and confident. “Why don’t we go together? We can save on gas.”
She pursed her lips. Even just riding in the same car with him would constitute a date as far as he was concerned. Damn. “I, uh, I’m already going with someone.” As she told the lie she gave a quick smile, hoping he’d leave it at that.
He straightened away from the wall. A muscle beneath his right eye twitched and a tic started up in his jaw, but his voice, when he spoke, was congenial enough. “Oh, okay. That’s…good. Who?”
She should’ve known he wouldn’t let it go. He was like a dog with a bone. A bit panicked, she gave the first name that popped into her head. “Declan. You remember; I’ve talked about him before.”
He nodded. “You’d have a better time with me.” He flashed a grin and she relaxed, seeing he wasn’t going to flare into anger like he sometimes did. He gave a shrug. “That’s all right. I was going to ask Sheila, anyway.” He sniffed, then leaned toward her and sniffed again. Wrinkling his nose, he backed away.
“Hey!” Taite frowned. “I’m sorry if my smell offends you. I’ve had a long day.” Not to mention a near heart attack from that wolf.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “It’s just…I have a better than average sense of smell.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Well, I have to go. See you at the party tomorrow.”
She watched him walk away. Already dreading the party, she turned and headed toward the south exit and the parking deck.
The next evening, Declan O’Connell helped Taite out of his low-slung black Mustang and walked with her up the road toward Luis’s house. Cars of other partygoers lined the street, so that Declan had ended up parking about a quarter of a mile from the house.
“And just what will your friend John say about me bein’ your date?” Declan grinned at her grimace. When he continued, his rich Irish brogue rolled over her ears and tickled her senses. “It’s about time I get to meet him, anyway. See what a wanker he is.”
“Declan! Behave.” Taite elbowed him in the ribs, shaking her head at his laughter. “I can promise John will not get your warped sense of humor.”
“Sounds to me like he doesn’t have a sense of humor at all, from what you’ve said.” Declan shrugged. When she scowled at him, he grinned. “I’ll try to be on my best behavior, darlin’.” He crossed his heart with one finger. His smile faded. “But seriously. You know I’m happy to help.”
“I know.” Taite’s heel came down on a rock and her ankle turned. As she pitched forward she grabbed Declan’s arm to keep from going all the way down.
He stopped, turning to grab her elbows to support her. “You all right?”
She rotated her ankle, feeling a slight twinge but nothing too bad. “Yeah. Just being my usual graceful self. I don’t know why I even bother wearing heels.”
“Because they make your legs look sexy. Especially in that skirt.”
“Down, boy.” She tapped him on the shoulder. “This is a pretend date, remember? Besides, you don’t like me that way.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a lovely view.” He took her hand and started walking again, keeping his strides short so she wouldn’t have as much trouble in her heels. They reached the edge of Luis’s driveway and stepped up onto the pavement. “You know, goin’ back to what you said in the car,” Declan said in response to the story about the wolf attack she’d shared with him earlier, “I’d see it bein’ a rabid coyote, maybe. But Tucson doesn’t have wolves.”
“I know the difference between a scrawny coyote and a wolf, Declan.” She glanced at him. “It was a wolf.”
“And it attacked your car.” His look was as skeptical as his tone. “Wolves just don’t attack vehicles, darlin’. If they can’t eat it, they don’t want it.” He shook his head. “I don’t mean to upset you, Taite, but maybe your lack of sleep is playin’ tricks with your mind. Or…”
“Or?” she prompted when he trailed off.
“Or your subconscious is directin’ your fear of your stalker in another more primal direction.”
“Well, listen to you, Doctor Freud,” she muttered. “I would think I’d know the difference between a real wolf and a figment of my imagination.”
“Maybe.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “It’s done now,