She’d follow D.J.’s advice and not reveal to Pat Johnson anything Cody told her. Still, her client already suspected something was up and blamed Nurse Linda Cole. But Cody insisted the nurse and the doctor were not involved romantically.
So what was really going on?
* * *
CODY RECOGNIZED HER by the maddening sway of her hips and the bounce of that amazing cascade of hair. He knew he’d run into Merlene Saunders again but hadn’t expected it to be so soon, and definitely not in the lobby of the Miami-Dade County Courthouse.
What was she doing here? For sure not following Nurse Cole for Pat Johnson. The nurse had shown up in Dr. Johnson’s office this morning like clockwork.
He was anxious for his conference with the prosecutor on the Johnson case, but seeing Merlene made him want to slow down and find out what she was up to.
“Hold it,” he shouted, and stuck his hand into the closing elevator. The doors jumped open and he squeezed in the crowded car beside her.
“Morning,” he said, letting his gaze wander over her tiny but shapely form. She did indeed look good.
“Detective Warren,” she said.
He smiled down at her, noting her briefcase and a professional navy blue suit. Leaning over, he spoke close to her ear. “If I didn’t know better, Merlene, I’d say you were a lawyer ready for trial.”
She switched her briefcase to the front of her body and grasped it with both hands. “I’m here as a witness.”
“Ah. Keeping Miami-Dade County safe from cheating husbands?”
Smoky-gray eyes shifted from the elevator door to meet his gaze. Her discomfort was easy to read. “And to think I’d decided to help you.”
Damn. He’d forgotten she had no sense of humor. “Help me?”
She shrugged and raised her chin.
The elevator stopped on six, and he nodded at two smiling clerks from Judge White’s office as they exited. “Ladies.”
When the doors closed and the car resumed its upward motion, he turned back to Merlene. “How are you going to help me?”
Although all eyes focused politely elsewhere, he knew the remaining occupants of the car listened to their conversation. Merlene knew it, too, and shot him a chilling glance, one meant to shut him up.
He caught her gaze and smiled. She hesitated, then shook her head. Pleasure slid past Cody’s defenses as her full lips curved into a tentative smile. She faced the burnished metal doors again.
“Never mind,” she said. “Maybe I’ll call you later.”
“Why not talk now?”
“I’m due in court.”
He studied her profile, thinking she was as lovely in the harsh, artificial light of the elevator as she had been in the softer, muted shadows of early evening. A subtle, warm fragrance of citrus—was it lemon or orange?—hung in the air.
As the car slowed down for the tenth floor—his stop—he said, “Last chance, Merlene.”
She threw him an unreadable look. “Good luck, Detective.”
Tucking his arm into hers, he drew her out of the elevator with him.
“Hey...” She pulled away, but the doors had already closed behind them.
Cody released her arm and threw her a grin. “Now you know how it feels to be abducted.”
“This is not the same and you know it.”
“No?”
“No.” Merlene jabbed the call button, but at this busy time of the morning in this old building it would take forever for another elevator to arrive. She was already nervous about testifying, and now she’d probably be late. Damn Cody.
“I need to be on the twelfth floor in about two minutes,” she said, “and now—thanks to you—I’ll be late.”
“Maybe you should have left home earlier.”
She punched the button again, knowing her impatience wouldn’t hurry the machinery in the least, wishing she could jab her finger into Cody’s chest instead.
“What’s going on, Merlene? I know you have something to tell me.”
“And how do you know that?” Furious, she turned to confront him but was stopped by his probing gaze, a look that brought all of her senses to full alert. Warmth spread outward from the spot on her arm where he had touched her.
“Because I’m a detective,” he said.
“Yeah? Well, so am I.” And she had never been as aware of a man as she was of Cody Warren at this moment, of his height a full foot over her, of the confident way he stood, of a muscular body full of power and authority. Sexy as hell, and infuriating.
Turning back to the elevator, she looked up at the light. At least a car was descending. But of course it stopped on twelve—her floor.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm herself. “Did you ever find Dr. Johnson?”
“No. We still don’t know where the hell he is.”
“I might know.”
He took a step closer. “Yeah? Where?”
“His wife thinks he’s in Ocala. I’m driving up this afternoon to check it out at her request.”
“She thinks he’s staying at the ranch?”
“Exactly.” So Cody knew about the ranch. Of course he did. She took a sideways glance at him and decided he looked confused. Yes, this was fun.
“Why would the doc go to the ranch in the middle of the week? He had a calendar full of patients.”
“I don’t know why, but a friend spotted him in town and my client wants me to investigate. She thinks he’s there with Nurse Cole on some sort of romantic getaway.” Merlene shrugged. “We know different, of course, but I couldn’t convince her.”
Cody ran a hand through his thick, sun-streaked hair. “Going to Ocala right now makes no sense.”
“What do you mean? Why doesn’t it make sense?” She’d given Cody some good info. Maybe he’d share some in return.
“Did you tell Pat Johnson about the police investigation?”
“I know better than that.” She sighed. Cody loved to answer a question with a question. Great strategy to wiggle off the hook. And once again, she learned nothing.
“I was wondering if that’s what made Johnson disappear,” he said.
“Well, if he knows, I promise that info didn’t come from me.”
“Thanks,” Cody said. “I appreciate it.”
“I can tell you this, though,” Merlene said. “Pat suspects her husband is into something illegal and that our Nurse Cole led him down that crooked path.”
Cody laughed. “Yeah, women are a bad influence.”
“Not funny. She’s worried about her kids.”
“Yeah, I’m aware he has kids.” He shook his head and after a pause said, “Ocala doesn’t add up.”
“Maybe not,” Merlene agreed, “but as long as my