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Brent gazed down at the desk in front of hiiven hiuise Garfield had been good at his work He had infiltrated cartels in South Florida, Texas and California, fingering those who needed to be fingered, then getting away clean He’d been a good-looking? hardened ly beard and dirty countenance he’d taken on really hid his inner strength That would have worked well for hiuers He’d had the ability to bluff his way through the toughest situation
Brent’s gaze shifted from the photo before him on the desk back toward the conference rooht before her friend’s death?"
"She’s got a ’hunch,’" Massey said wearily "She saw soain last night, out on the street I tried to tell her that she ain Even the saht have seen the guy--it wouldn’telse So she’s looking throughshots"
"For a bu at hi at a café"
"Would youGarfield’s photo
"You’re going to show her a dead guy?" Massey said
"Hey, you got nothing else, right?"
"She couldn’t have seen a dead guy on the street last night," Massey said
Brent shrugged, sot? This could go on a long, long tio ahead Knock yourself out"
Nikki was tired Faces swaallery of suspicious types She was glad they hadn’t asked her to go through all theshots on the computer She would have an even worse headache by now
They’d even narrowed down the choices for her, looking specifically for a white guy in his late twenties to early forties
Scary… to see all the possible perps!
"Nothing?" Julian asked a little tensely
She shook her head Julian was growing iency appoint
"I’m sorry," she murmured
"No one even close, huh?" That question caer partner "People can change, you know Minus a beard, dyed hair, that kind of thing," he pointed out helpfully Whereas Massey was a big solid guy with a ruddy complexion, Joulette was taller, leaner, darker Of olden hue Though he was too striking ever to blend into a crowd, Nikki assureat people skills His voice was gentle and entle She had a feeling he could garner a confession before the suspect even knew he’d been talking
Nikki sat back, rubbing her teain "I’uy I know you can’t arrest people on feelings, but I can’t help but believe he’s involved somehow But I can’t find hiized
Julian nored him
Detective Joulette smiled "Hey, this job is pure tediu et the job done, huh? We can go to the co
Nikki and Julian both looked toward the door, as well
She barely sed back a gasp
Thein the dooras the saht before
Like Joulette, he would never blend into any crowd
He stood about six-tith a solid, yet lean, agile-looking build His dead-straight black hair was telltale, though Nikki vaguely re her once that hair couldn’t really be black, only a very dark brown
Could have fooled her This man’s hair was so dark it wasn’t just black, but jet
Then there were his eyes A deep and startling green against the bronze of his skin
She met those eyes with surprise And as her eyes touched his, she felt a strange tremor deep inside Just as she had when their hands had ht before
"You," Julian breathed
"You all know each other?" Massey, as behind the unnamed man, deht," the"Well, actually, we didn’t ht Full of character A chin like concrete High, broad cheekbones Bone structure to die for…
Die for…
Not a terain for the help," Julian said, striding around the desk to shake hands
"I’ll make the formal introduction, then," Massey said "Nikki DuMonde, Julian Lalac, this is Brent Blackhawk Brent, Nikki, Julian… "
"Pleased to ment
"Are you a cop?" Nikki asked
His smile deepened He shook his head "Kind of a troubleshooter," he uest," Massey said
Marc Joulette rose, stretching "This is a good break Nikki, you want a soda? A coffee? Julian? Anyone… ? I’ve got to go get another book"
"Nothing for me, thanks," Brent Blackhawk said "Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt I kind of caht have run into this guy"
He strode to the desk, setting down a picture