As a part of the Vice Division, Sam was well aware of the increased drug activity in the city. With drugs came countless other problems. And instinct told Sam that Barclay was one man to keep an eye on. He drove fast cars and had a harem of equally speedy escorts to keep him company. Women with model figures and faces to match were only interested in a sleaze like Barclay for one reason, and the red comb-over wasn’t it. Sam found it amazing what money could buy. A woman’s love and loyalty was the one thing Sam refused to pay for.
Jessica invaded his thoughts again, and he forced himself to think about something easier to deal with, like Alistair Barclay.
The hotels Barclay built had brought jobs to the community, making him an instant hero to many. Sam didn’t blame those so easily influenced during a struggling economy. On the surface, even he would agree— Barclay almost looked good. He only wished he could find substantial evidence to link Barclay’s arrival to the increase of crime in the community.
Sam just happened to be more suspicious than the average citizen, which probably had more to do with why he was home alone every night. Women seemed to thrive on love, and love involved trust. Sam found it next to impossible to put his trust in anyone else. He’d seen what love had done to his brothers, what it did to the women left behind.
Emily came to mind. She’d loved Peter, but even then, love and trust weren’t enough to overcome the perils of a career filled with secrets. Travis’s wife never did adjust to the fact that her husband was a cop, and Travis still lived with weight of guilt on his shoulders.
Sam shook his head and turned out the lights. Nothing killed a perfect romance like secrets. How could he ever expect to find happiness with the odds stacked against him? His life, like his brothers’ and father’s, dealt mostly with lies and deception—rooting them out and upholding justice.
A certain brunette faded in and out of his mind as he drifted to sleep. Why couldn’t he just forget her? She wasn’t his type.
Every dream he’d had during the night came alive when he saw Jessica step through the precinct door with a springy bounce. Until she reminded him of the one thing he wanted desperately to forget…the bachelor auction.
“Afternoon, Sam. Ready to put together a dream date?” She’d obviously slept her aches away, or was on some pretty powerful medication. Her enthusiasm spread throughout the office as every detective in the building turned to see Sam’s reaction.
“I don’t remember setting an appointment.”
She lifted her hands regretfully and smiled. “I really need to finalize your selections for the newspaper ad.”
Sam leaned forward, instinctively defensive. “You didn’t say anything about publicity.”
Interest in their conversation grew by the syllable. “You wouldn’t have heard me if I had. If I recall correctly—”
Sam jumped from his seat, led her into the captain’s office and closed the door.
“Do you realize that I have a reputation in this city as a—” His words lost their punch when he discovered the amusement in her gaze. “A cynical cop, a—a respected officer. What will my fellow officers think?”
She laughed at him. He couldn’t believe her nerve.
Jessica leaned her head back, gazing into his eyes. “There isn’t a man out there who wouldn’t trade places with you in an instant.” She motioned to the outer offices and placed a hand on her hip. “And I have news for you, Sam. You aren’t nearly as tough as you try to make people think you are. But that’s okay, your secret’s safe with me.” She raised an eyebrow and smiled. “The tough silent type isn’t nearly as attractive as Hollywood wants us to believe. Marriages in this country wouldn’t be nearly as endangered if couples realized that honesty is far more desirable than physical appearance.” Jessica lifted her briefcase to the chair and shook her head. “If I can convince half the women in the shelter of that, my own pain won’t have been wasted. Now, so I don’t waste any more of your valuable time, why don’t we get to work?”
He couldn’t believe she’d condensed his own opinions and verbalized them. It unnerved him. He’d never cared half as much about looks as he did personality. Had his mother told Jessica to say that? She must have. How else could Jessica have known?
There was no doubt in his mind who was on the other side of the door when that fist hammered on the glass. Sam backed his way to the entry, hoping the captain would appreciate the humor in the situation. His hand paused on the doorknob.
“Why don’t we go to the Stagecoach for a cup of coffee and go through this?”
She stepped close. “You wouldn’t be trying to get out of this, would you?”
“Vance! Out here, on the double.” A loud voice resonated through the door.
The humor just left the office. “Honestly, I was, but since it’s for such a good cause, I’ll go through with it.” Sam turned the doorknob. “I’ll call you to set up a time to meet.”
One eyebrow lifted and Jessica’s gray eyes sparkled. “I’ll be waiting, but remember, I have to get this done before my surgery.”
Captain Sullivan’s eyes widened in surprise when Jessica eased her way past him. “Excuse me, Captain Sullivan.”
Sullivan eyed Sam, then Jessica. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, Ms. Mathers. Sam, I really am sorry to break this up, but we have a major problem in the jail.”
A major problem could only refer to one inmate— Dr. Lionel Valenti. “I was on my way there. He’s got to crack one of these days.”
Sullivan’s grimace didn’t leave much doubt what the problem was. “Your suspect just became the victim. He’s dead.”
“Suicide?”
“No, doesn’t look like it.” Sully nodded a greeting to Jessica and looked at Sam. “When you’re finished here, we need to get started on the investigation. Mayor Montgomery called the press. He’s making a statement on the evening news. We need to be ready with an announcement before rumors get started. Jessica, good to see you again.”
She smiled. “You, too, Captain. Sam, give me a call and we’ll discuss what you’d like to do.”
“Let’s make it over dinner at seven, and be sure to bring Amy. I could use a little laughter.”
Her astonishment was obvious as the words caught in her throat. “Tonight? Where?”
“I’m not sure yet, I’ll pick you up.”
“Do you…”
He laughed. “I’m sure I can find your address somehow. I have connections.”
Sam watched her leave, dreading the job ahead of him. He would definitely need some cheering up tonight, even if it involved Jessica Mathers.
He and the captain spent the remainder of the afternoon on the Valenti homicide, interrogating other prisoners, jailers and guards. No one had seen anything suspicious. They examined the visitors’ log and moved on to question the kitchen staff. It could be days before they’d know if anything showed up in the blood tests. The crime scene investigators finished taking pictures and logging the contents of Valenti’s cell. Sam stayed behind, looking under the mattress and in every nook and cranny for anything that might have been hidden.
Once back at the precinct, Sam dug deep into each witness’s profile, hoping to find some connection to the Diablo Syndicate, Venezuela, or local drug dealers. He couldn’t believe they had a connection and he’d slipped right through their fingers. Sam contacted Valenti’s next of kin, depressed to think that Valenti’s parents had