Hands On Read Free Page B

disbelief.
    â€œWith the Attorney General’s office.” He reached into his jacket pocket.
    She took another step back. “Don’t move or I’ll scream loud enough to have half the county come running.”
    His left brow rose in amusement. “I hope you weren’t counting on the half in there.”
    â€œI scream and you wanna bet those boys come running?”
    He sobered. “I’m reaching into my pocket to get my badge, okay?”
    She let out a shaky breath. “You have two seconds.”
    He promptly withdrew a small leather case, and then flipped it open. One side had a gold badge, the other a picture ID.
    â€œWhat’s your interest in Robert Bask?”
    Cassie stared at the badge. It looked authentic enough, and the picture matched. His name was J. Dalton Styles. She looked up into his dark probing eyes.“I don’t care who you are, or who you work for. You had no right manhandling me that way.”
    His lips lifted in a smirk. “Manhandling?”
    â€œThat’s right,” she said, and slapped him across the face so hard her palm stung. “Now, we’re even.”

2
    â€œW HAT THE HELL did you do that for?” Dalton rubbed his stinging cheek. The woman was a lunatic.
    â€œYou have to ask?”
    â€œObviously.”
    â€œThe only thing obvious to me is that our government had better add manners and etiquette to their training programs.”
    He made a face. She had a great body, pretty face and slight southern accent that would ordinarily inspire thoughts of satin sheets and a good bottle of wine. But the woman was clearly a nut. “What does the government have to do with anything?”
    â€œYou work for them, don’t you?”
    â€œAh, Christ, don’t— Hey—” He grabbed her arm when she tried to leave. “This is serious. I need to know what your interest in Bask is.”
    â€œI’m a private detective.”
    â€œI know, but why are you after Bask?”
    â€œWhat do you mean you know?”
    Dalton darted a look toward the bar. No one had come outside but there were two windows from where they could be watched. “I checked you out. Yourname is Cassie York and you work for Madison Investigations.”
    Her blue eyes widened. “You couldn’t have known that.”
    He shrugged. “Okay, so I don’t know about that. Tell me about Bask.”
    â€œI meant, that quick. You couldn’t have checked me out. You—” She glared, her face turning pink. “Have you been following me?”
    â€œNever laid eyes on you before today.” Damn, he didn’t want to admit he’d broken into her car. No telling what she’d do. “Look, we don’t have much time.”
    She folded her arms across her nicely rounded chest producing a fair amount of tempting cleavage. “Tough.”
    He bit back a curse. “Do you believe I’m a federal marshal?”
    She blinked, and uncertainty flickered in her eyes. “Well, I did, but maybe I shouldn’t.”
    Christ Almighty. “You saw my badge. The point is you’ve got to trust me.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause Bask is scum, and you obviously want him just like I do.”
    â€œWhy do you say he’s scum? What’s he done to get your attention?”
    â€œCan we discuss this later?” He glanced toward the bar door. “Before you blow this case?”
    Anger flashed in her eyes. “Me? I’m not the one who picked you up and kissed you.” Her face got pink again, and she swiped nervously at her hair.
    â€œShit!”
    â€œThere’s no need to swear.”
    â€œSomeone’s coming out of the bar.” He breathed a sigh of relief. It was one of the guys who’d been playing pool. “It’s not Bask. But you know damn well we’re being watched.”
    She glanced over her shoulder. Dalton took the opportunity to check out her goods.