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"They won’t be reporting to you"

That blunt stateo never broke eye contact with him He was a bully of the worst kind, and she knew it She refused to blink She refused to speak Never would she show hi contest ended when Dan broke "You’re out of it, Margaret" He tried for a gentle tone that lacked validity "Effective io unchallenged "Detectives, I’ll talk with you later Rowdy, Dash, if you’ll excuse an and Reese Dash crossed his arround By look and stance he ain she wanted to laugh

God, very little in her life right noas funny But he so easily lifted her spirits andseelare

"He can stay," she decided "This won’t take long"

That seeo stepped away froreed--on my oithout your co to kill ht in the cross fire"

"Hi toward Dash

"He can handle himself" True She realized it, but that didn’t uessed

"Who the hell is he exactly?"

Mine, she wanted to say, but settled on, "None of your business"

His lip curled with jealousy "Meaning, it’s personal?"

"Oh, yes" With a wealth of satisfaction, she said, "Very personal" Still walking, she circled Dan

He turned so that she wouldn’t be at his back

S "I was talking about pedestrians on the road who ht catch a stray bullet meant for ed, e since it served her to do so "Why not? A few days ago soht so a pattern How should I know the limit of their sickness?"

He verbally pounced "This is exactly ret, she shook her head "Your point is, and always has been, to try to take advantage of aret"

"Don’t worry Dash already knows the sordid details"

Astonish Dan around to snarl at Dash--which affected Dash not at all

He continued to look insolent and stalwart And sexy

Definitely sexy

"Why?" Dan asked through his teeth, his big hands curling and uncurling "You agreed to neverup to reed to stay the hell out of my way!"

Dan breathed hard as they stared at each other, and before Margo even realized he’d moved, Dash inserted himself in front of her, then eased her back

In an offhand, unconcerned way, he said, "Just to be safe, since he’s sort of fu peaceful"

"This is bullshit" Dan turned away, but jerked right back around again "You think I’d strike her?"

"I don’t know you--but she does" Dash remained loose and relaxed "I know she’s fair and honorable, but she doesn’t like you Sort of tellsbattle, Dan tried a new tack "Margaret, you are too damn close to this case and you know it"

"Why?" She stepped from behind Dash "Because it reaze shifted nervously "Damn it, don’t put words in my mouth This is completely different"

"There are definite differences--like the taping and selling of rapes on video"

Dan rubbed his forehead "Sick"

"Yes" Funny, but that’s almost exactly what her father had called it "But wo abused So you knoant to stay involved"

Snarling again, Dan knotted his hand in his silver hair and took three long steps away before turning to face her again "I am still the commander"

"You should be satisfied with that" She went to the door and held it open and, having that settled, she said with a by, Dan Your concern is appreciated"

Impotent fury showed in every line of his posture "This isn’t over"

"Yes, it is"

He storan and Reese, who loitered on the front porch, or Roho stood right by the door, his shoulder propped on the doorjamb

Had he heard it all? She wouldn’t be surprised

She heard the squeal of tires as Dan sped from her driveway Dash leaned down to her ear "I aestively "The hottest thing I’ve seen in a long tiain

Every other man she kneould have called her a ballbuster, a tyrant, and much, much worse for how she’d dealt with the coot autocratic That complete and utter acceptance e?

But she already knew Sexy, controlling Dashiel Riske had happened