Next of Kin Page 8

  "No." Del finally straightened and shoved a strand of black hair off her face. "I came straight from a crime scene. Thank God I had my running clothes in my car."

  "You could have called me to cancel –"

  "No!" Del said quickly. "No, I'd enjoy a good run after being crouched over evidence all night. I'm fine, really, so let's go."

  Kade eyed her skeptically. Del looked exhausted, but Kade couldn't help feeling a little flattered at having Del so determined to spend time with her. "Okay," she said. "Then let's go. I promise to go easy on you."

  "Ha!" Del snorted as they began to jog along the river. "With all the adrenaline still running through my system, you better hope that I'll go easy on you."

  Kade just smiled and picked up the pace.

  They ran side by side for a while, evenly matched.

  Kade hadn't had a running partner in a long time. She preferred running alone because it gave her the time to go over her schedule for the day or to practice her opening and closing arguments.

  Still, as far as running partners went, Del wasn't so bad. She didn't try to make conversation, and Kade appreciated the companionable silence.

  A few bikers and two in-line skaters zipped past, but otherwise the path wasn't too crowded yet. Two uniformed officers patrolled the Esplanade, and Del greeted them with a playful salute.

  As they got closer to the Hawthorne Bridge, Kade noticed that Del's playfulness and the smiles she gave Kade whenever they made eye contact were replaced by a more serious expression. "You okay?" she asked. "Need a break?"

  "What?" Del's head swiveled around to face her. "Oh, no, I'm fine. It's just..." She gestured to the left. "I just noticed that I haven't been here in a while."

  "And why should you?" Kade didn't understand. "I think Aiden mentioned you live in St. Johns, so this is not exactly your neighborhood. You probably have a jogging route there." That's why Kade had been surprised and a little suspicious when Del had suggested the marina as a meeting place.

  "That's not what I mean." Del pointed again.

  Kade looked and finally understood. To their left, she could see the wall of the Portland Police Memorial. Her partner, Dawn's father, is one of the names on the wall, she realized.

  "I used to go there with Dawn every week," Del said a little wistfully.

  "You don't do it anymore?" Kade asked.

  Del looked away from the memorial and gave her a smile. "Every once in a while. I think Dawn goes with Carlisle too. She would have loved for her father to meet Carlisle, and this is the only way to make Dawn feel as if she can somehow connect these two parts of her life."

  Great. What do I say now? Kade wasn't used to dealing with other people's emotions so early in the morning. "Want to go now?" She added a teasing smile to break the sudden tension. "You look like you could need a break anyway."

  Del thought about it for a moment. "No," she finally said. "I appreciate the offer, but Jimmy, my partner, would be the first to kick my ass if I dragged a beautiful woman over to stare morosely at the memorial instead of just enjoying her company."

  She wants to live in the present, huh? Kade could understand that. "Okay. So let's see how much you're going to enjoy my company if I kick your ass in a little race," she suggested.

  Del flashed her a grin. "All right. You can try. So, what are the terms of the race, and is there a prize involved for the winner?"

  "No prize. The first one at Salmon Street Springs wins. Ready? Go!" Kade shouted and raced ahead of her without waiting for Del's confirmation.

  "Hey! Wait up, you little cheater!" Del yelled, but Kade could hear the laughter in her voice.

  Kade just grinned and picked up her pace.

  * * *

  Del slipped into the courtroom just as Judge Ruth Linehan banged her gavel, ending the trial for the day.

  The observers stood from their benches in the gallery and filed out of the courtroom. Some of them threw Del annoyed glances as they had to move around her, but she stood her ground and just flipped back her jacket, revealing the gold shield clipped to her belt. She looked right past them, her gaze immediately zeroing in on the red-haired woman behind the prosecution's table.

  The DA's office employed a lot of young, attractive DDAs, but even without her turning around, Del knew she had found Kade Matheson. After trying to keep up with those long Matheson legs for an hour just yesterday morning, she would know them anywhere, even from behind.

  She let her gaze wander over the well-formed calves and up the rest of Kadence Matheson, taking in the custom-tailored skirt, the expensive blazer, and the perfectly styled hair. Hmm, I just love a good-looking woman in a power suit! Kade embodied elegance, style, and confidence. Del watched the slender hands sort files and legal pads neatly back into a leather briefcase.

  What's this? Are you suddenly developing a lawyer fetish? Del asked herself, then shook her head. She knew it wasn't like that. In all her years in law enforcement, no DDA, and certainly no defense lawyer, had ever impressed her like that. She did like Stacy Ford, the homicide DDA, but she had never gone out of her way to catch a glimpse of her in court.

  You could have had it so much easier if you had been interested in Ford, Del pointed out to herself. She's a lesbian even if she doesn't advertise it. But no, you just had to be interested in this straight, blue-blooded prosecutor.

  Kade slung her briefcase over her shoulder and turned around.

  By now, Del was the only person left in the gallery, so Kade's gaze met hers immediately. With an inviting smile, Del held open the gate that separated the front of the courtroom from the gallery.

  Kade strode up to her on three-inch heels, passing through the gate with a casualness that told Del she was very used to having doors held open for her. "Don't they keep you busy enough at the North Precinct, Lieutenant?" Kade asked by way of greeting. There was no smile and no warmth in her voice. Kade was all business, but Del thought she could detect a welcoming light shining in Kade's eyes.

  "Oh, yes, they do. I'm actually here for professional reasons," Del said with a smile. "I'm searching for a DDA."

  Kade looked at her with curiosity. "And now that you've found one, what are you intending to do with her?"

  Del stared at her. Is it wishful thinking, or is she flirting with me? "Hmm, maybe I'm gonna drag her off and make her comply with my every wish?" she said with a playful wink.

  Elegant hands tightened around the strap of the briefcase, and the kingfisher blue eyes narrowed dangerously.

  "Relax." Del laughed. "There's only one thing I want from you right now."

  "And that is?" Kade asked a little warily.

  "I need a DDA to get a judge to sign my search warrant," Del said.

  Kade still looked skeptical. "I'm not a homicide DDA."

  Sad but true. Getting to see her at work is not one of my job benefits. "I know, but I couldn't find Stacy Ford anywhere, and I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd say hello and ask for a little interdepartmental help," Del answered as smoothly as possible.

  A perfect copper-colored eyebrow arched up. "Mixing business and pleasure, Lieutenant?"

  Del just shrugged and smiled. "Multitasking can be a good thing."

  "Not in my job," Kade said. "A good prosecutor has to concentrate on the case and on nothing else."

  "While she's on the job, yes. But you're not trying a case right now, are you?" Del said, gracing Kade with her most patient smile. She could sense that she had to be gentle but persuasive if she ever wanted to have a more than professional relationship with the workaholic DDA.

  "No," Kade answered. "But you are. What is so urgent about this search warrant that you have to hunt down a sex crimes DDA?"

  With a self-mocking smile, Del gave up on her attempts to get Kade to talk to her on a more personal basis. Within these sacred halls, Kade Matheson was all business. "We just found our main suspect's fingerprints at the crime scene, and I want my detectives to search his apartment for the murder weapon before he
decides to take a vacation abroad," she told Kade.

  "You have fingerprint evidence, and yet you're not going for an arrest warrant? What aren't you telling me?" Kade asked.

  This is one brilliant lawyer. She's not just a pretty face and a hot body. Not that Del had ever assumed otherwise. So this is where I have to make a decision – tell her the truth and risk losing my chance at a search warrant, or lie and get one? Looking into Kade's eyes, the decision was an easy one. "Our suspect claims to have an alibi – he was out on a date with the police commissioner's niece."

  "So that's why they sent a lieutenant to obtain a simple search warrant," Kade said without even batting an eye.

  That and my eagerness to see you again, Del thought but refrained from saying it. She knew Kade was already aware of her feelings. Anything more would just chase her away. "It's a delicate situation," she answered, using her captain's words.

  Kade's gaze was stern, totally unimpressed. "Nobody is above the law, not even the police commissioner's niece. Have your detectives questioned her?"

  Del nodded. "We can't prove it, but we think she's covering for him. None of her neighbors saw him entering or leaving her apartment."

  "Then let's try and get you that search warrant." Kade strode out into the hallway.

  Del hastily caught up with her. "Where are you going? There's a judge with two able hands right next door," she said, pointing to the chambers adjoining the courtroom.

  "No." Kade resolutely shook her head. "Asking Judge Linehan for a favor with me in tow is not a bright idea."

  Del laughed. "What did you do?"

  "Do?" The inscrutable lawyer poker face was firmly in place. "What makes you think I did anything?"

  "Because that's the same expression you had yesterday morning when you used that little trick to get a head start in our race," Del said with a smile. She actually hadn't minded coming in second because it had given her the opportunity to watch Kade in her tight running pants.

  Kade grinned for a second, then the professional DDA was back as she stopped and knocked on a door, motioning Del to follow her into the room.

  Judge Thayer? Del groaned internally when she saw the gray-haired, dignified judge who was sitting behind his desk. Henry Thayer wasn't known for making it easy on detectives coming to beg for a warrant. He had shot Del down in three seconds the last time she had knocked on his door. We should have taken our chances with Linehan.

  "Your Honor," Kade said, very businesslike. "We need you to sign a search warrant in a homicide case."

  Couldn't she have at least tried to soften him up with one of those dazzling Matheson smiles I know she's capable of? Del sighed.

  The judge moved his glasses higher up on his nose and studied Kade, then his gaze wandered over to Del. "What's going on here?" he asked without answering their demand for a search warrant.

  "What do you mean?" Kade could play innocent with the best of them.

  "A decorated Portland Police Bureau lieutenant and a sex crimes DDA come to ask me for a search warrant in a homicide? What's going on?" Judge Thayer asked again, this time with even less patience.

  Del took a step forward, but Kade lifted a single finger, silently indicating for Del to let her handle it. Del nodded and remained silent.

  "The suspect has an alibi witness covering for him who has friends in high places," Kade told the judge.

  "Who?" Henry Thayer demanded to know.

  Kade looked him right in the eyes. "The police commissioner's niece."

  "And you want me to sign that warrant, knowing full well that I play golf with the commissioner tomorrow morning?" Judge Thayer arched one silver-gray eyebrow.

  Shit. Del grimaced. There goes our search warrant!

  Del expected Kade to dazzle the judge with one of her brilliant legal arguments, but Kade just said a single word, "Yes." She laid the unsigned search warrant down on the judge's desk.

  Thayer picked up a pen and signed the document without even looking at it.

  "Thank you." Kade picked up the warrant and strode from the room.

  Del hastily followed. "What just happened here?" she asked as soon as the door closed behind them.

  "You got your search warrant," Kade said with just a hint of smugness, handing Del the document.

  "He didn't even ask what evidence we had or warn us to tread carefully with the commissioner's niece!" Del shook her head. "That's not the hard-assed Judge Thayer I know. Last time I was in there, he practically made me crawl over shards of glass before he signed that damn warrant!"

  Kade didn't answer. A small smile played around her lips as she continued to walk down the courthouse hallway in her busy-lawyer clip.

  "Maybe he's the admirer who sent you all these flowers," Del said. He certainly wouldn't be the first officer of the law to fall prey to Kade Matheson's charms.

  Kade stiffened and sent a cool glance back over her shoulder. "He isn't."

  They reached the courthouse's exit, and Del jogged a few steps to overtake Kade and open the heavy doors for her. "Why are you so sure?" Del didn't think Kade was one to underestimate her own attractiveness. More often than not, she seemed to be very aware of the effect she had on people.

  "He's my uncle," Kade said, never stopping on her way down the courthouse steps.

  "What? Judge Thayer is your uncle?" Del wanted to slap herself. Calling her uncle a hard-ass was probably not the way to get into Kade's good graces. "I didn't know that."

  Kade reached the end of the stairs but didn't stop to look at Del. "Why would you?" she answered calmly.

  Yeah, why would I? Kade certainly isn't forthcoming with personal information about herself or her family, Del thought with a sigh.

  "And just to make one thing crystal clear..." Kade stopped in her hurried walk down Fourth Avenue and turned to look at Del. "He didn't sign the search warrant because I'm his niece. He signed it because he knows I would never ask him to if there wasn't a solid evidence base."

  Del stared into the flashing blue eyes. This means a lot to her. She made it this far in her career because she's good at what she does and because she works her ass off, not because her family paved the way. "I'd never think otherwise," she said honestly.

  Kade nodded and then continued her brisk walk down the street.

  "Has anyone ever told you that it's not a good idea to train for the marathon in high heels?" Del said when she caught up with her. She had wanted to ask Kade to grab a coffee with her, but it seemed Kade was in a hurry to get back to her office or wherever else she was headed.

  Kade turned, a frown on her face, until she realized to what Del was referring. "Sorry. It has become a habit lately."

  Del almost missed it. She had paid very close attention to every little detail about Kade, had studied her body language, her facial expressions, and the nuances of her voice ever since she had first met her, and now that intense appraisal paid off. There was a certain note of troubled resignation in Kade's voice that had nothing to do with the pressures of her job. "Lately?" she repeated, her gaze never leaving Kade's face. She took a step closer when Kade didn't answer immediately. "Kade, is everything all right?"

  "I'm fine," Kade said and resumed her walk at an only slightly slower pace.

  What is she running from? Del studied the elegant line of Kade's back. Is it me? "Kade..."

  "Listen, I have to get back to the office, and you have a search warrant to execute," Kade said, resolutely pointing at the document in Del's hands.

  "Right," Del conceded with a sigh, but then decided not to give up just yet. Kade Matheson was worth a little patience. "If we find the murder weapon, I'll invite you for coffee."

  Kade calmly shook her head. "That's not necessary. I was just doing my job."

  "Well, strictly speaking, you weren't. You're not a homicide DDA," Del said, allowing a small grin to show as she repeated Kade's earlier words and beat her with her own weapons. "Coffee is the least I can do after insulting your uncle."

  Kade turn
ed back around. An impish glint warmed her ice blue eyes. "You didn't. Uncle Henry is a hard-ass – and so is every other member of my family."

  Del laughed. "Present Matheson included?"

  Kade simply raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

  "I think I like hard-asses and that I'll call you about that coffee date." Del lifted the search warrant. "Thanks again. Take care." She turned and walked away before Kade could again refuse her offer to go out for coffee.

  CHAPTER 8

  AIDEN THREW HER badge down on the coffee table and kicked off her shoes. She reached into the fridge for a beer and guzzled down half of it in one gulp. She knew she should probably be tired and go straight to bed after the eight-hour interrogation they had just finished, but the adrenaline was still pumping through her veins.