On His Honor (8 page)

Damn it. He couldn’t afford to fall for her.

But what man could turn down a woman like that?

“It’s a deal. Any particular time better for me to call than another?”

“Not really. I mean, I have an old friend who comes by in the mornings occasionally, but I can still take your call. Make it convenient for yourself.”

An old friend who comes by in the mornings.
Holly Patterson would know Lofton’s pattern already, but having this discussion with Violet would help him steer clear of any chance of crossing paths with Lofton and getting on his radar before JD was ready.

“Will do. Now, madam, much as parting is sweet sorrow…”

“You’re not the one on vacation. Got it.”

He proffered an elbow. “Your chariot awaits, my queen.”

“Why, thank you, kindly knight.” She took his arm with a quick curtsy.

Oh, damn. He really did not want to like her this much.

CHAPTER SEVEN

V
IOLET
AWOKE
EARLY
but didn’t remain in bed long. Unlike too many of the mornings since she’d arrived, she was no longer drained by an exhaustion that seemed to go bone-deep. Instead, she was energized and ready to greet the day. This was more like her normal state. She’d never become blasé over the fame and success that had come her way. It was her basic nature to be energetic and enthusiastic about life, she’d certainly been raised that way.

The morning held new promise, and she knew who to thank.

One very hot not-bodyguard.

Easy, girl.
But she grinned widely at the thought of JD Cameron, all gorgeous six feet of him. Yes, as she’d told him, she was surrounded by handsome men so often that she dismissed them, and, yes, he was as good-looking as any of them—but to her delight, she’d learned that he was not simply playing the charm game…he was the real deal.

Mostly because he was so much fun.

Sure, he was smooth and clever, but prolonged exposure to him the day before had taught her that she’d gotten him all wrong at the party. His smooth ways were genuine; he was thoughtful and kind. And full of mischief. Quick to smile and intelligent, to boot. She couldn’t recall when she’d last had a more fun day. He’d given her an extraordinary gift by simply being himself and allowing her to do the same. He didn’t curry her favor, and he was secure enough to argue with her over the bill for dinner but also to accept her need to pay it.

They may have had an awkward moment or two, especially there at the end, but that was more her fault than his. She could trust him. Even if Sophie hadn’t recommended him and the lovely MacAllister clan hadn’t taken him to its bosom so heartily, she just had this strong sense of who he was.

Her family would like him. He would fit right in.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. None of that is-he-the-one thinking.

There was nothing wrong, though, with getting involved with an interesting and—oh, yeah, baby—sexy man. He liked her, too, and that certainly soothed some of the ragged edges of her heart. Maybe her dream wasn’t dead, if such a decent and honorable man found her appealing when she wasn’t in star mode. She’d been herself yesterday, the Violet James who’d grown up in Tennessee.

She rolled out her yoga mat on the lovely balcony that faced the lake where, until last night, she’d had no idea a whole colony of bats lived. She could have been watching them every evening instead of sleeping her life away or burying her nose in a book or having a pity party.

But in truth, she wouldn’t have traded anything for experiencing them for the first time, up close and personal.

And, okay…with JD.

She hoped he’d call. Which made her smile at herself because in that moment she could hear herself as a girl, sighing over some jock. It was the modern age, and
she
could call
him
if she wanted him, or she could have any number of men available to squire her around.

But she wanted the one with the wheat-gold hair and the long-lashed eyes that could be sparkling silver or storm-cloud gray.

Oh, girlfriend, you have the beginnings of what sounds suspiciously like a crush.

So what? A good crush got your blood pumping. Violet smiled and began her stretches to greet this glorious day.

* * *

JD
WAS
LATE
TO
THE
TASK
-
FORCE
meeting Monday morning. When he entered the conference room, Doc nodded at him with one arched eyebrow as JD took his seat, but he never stopped the briefing.

JD didn’t make a habit of being late—no one did. Doc commanded too much respect for that. But after he’d left Violet and then spent hours combing the area in and around Danger Zone looking for the mysterious Candy—to no avail—the accumulated miles on his feet should have made him tired enough to fall into bed and crash for the night.

No such luck. He’d tossed and turned until two hours before the alarm was set to go off. Candy and her warning about women about to be moved God knows where were partially responsible.

But so was Violet James.

“JD?”

He jerked to attention. “Huh?” His colleagues all had turned toward him with expectant looks on their faces.

“Anything to report?” Doc asked with barely concealed irritation.

He scrubbed one hand over his face.
Pay attention, dumbass.
“Yeah. I do.” He glanced around. “I know who Lofton’s been visiting.” He shot a look at Vince. “Did you already tell them?”

Vince shook his head. “You made the contact.” His eyes gleamed with humor at the literal interpretation of “making contact” at the party. “Thought I’d leave that for you.”

“Who is it?” Holly Patterson asked.

“Violet James.”

Silence, then an explosion.

“Violet James?”

“
The
Violet James?”

“America’s Sweetheart is in Austin?”

He nodded. “Vince and I both met her at a party.”

“Yeah,” Vince drawled. “But JD made a much bigger impression.”

“Bite me,” JD snapped.

“Romeo and America’s Sweetheart,” Bob mused. “It figures. You have the devil’s own luck with women.”

Vince snickered. “You gonna tell them or shall I?”

JD shot him a glare.

“Clock’s ticking, people,” Doc reminded.

“Okay, we were there for Jenna MacAllister’s birthday party, and I ran into Violet. Literally,” JD said.

Some wide eyes and chuckles.

“I know,” JD sighed. “Not my best work. Had to grab her to keep her from falling to the ground.”

Two whistles. One catcall. “Go, Romeo!”

JD shrugged it off. When you dealt with the darkness so often, humor was to be savored wherever you found it. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was nice about it, but she also left the party not long after.”

“Lover Boy strikes out. Never thought I’d see the day,” said Bob.

“What’s she doing in Austin?” Trini queried.

“What’s she doing with Avery Lofton, is the question?” interjected Doc. “Guess that wholesome reputation is unwarranted.”

JD raced to her defense. “I disagree.”

Doc lifted an eyebrow.

JD looked at Vince. “Everyone there really liked her.”

“They did,” Vince answered. “She wasn’t a prima donna at all. She played horseshoes with Hal MacAllister, sat on the ground and rolled a ball with one of the babies. She was very normal.” He tipped his head. “Unbelievably beautiful, of course, but she seemed genuine.”

“So why is Lofton visiting her?” Doc asked. “What’s the connection?”

“Zane said they knew each other in L.A.,” Vince commented. “Lofton invited her to visit.”

“Why?”

JD spoke up. “She’s had a rough time out there with the breakup of her marriage. The press has been brutal. So she came here to hide out.”

“How do you know all that? I thought you ran her off,” noted Bob.

“I got a second chance.”

Now even Vince snapped to attention. “Meaning?”

“I’m still not sure how Sophie talked me into it, or how she convinced Violet to go along with the idea, but you’re looking at Violet James’s new bodyguard.”

Mack Lawrence whistled through his teeth.

“You go, Romeo,” said Trini.

“You lucky son of a bitch,” remarked Bob. “Your streak is intact.”

JD squirmed mentally. “It’s not like that. She just had a scare when she finally emerged and went out on her own. She has security in L.A., but she’d been promised she wouldn’t run into problems in Austin, and she’d rather not have a shadow. I told her I’m not a trained bodyguard, but she doesn’t really want that, anyway. I just run interference, pick places where she won’t be noticed, that sort of thing. I’m mostly acting as a companion so she can safely get out and see the sights.” If only he could keep reminding himself of that and forget the charged atmosphere building between them.

“So what’s the connection with Lofton?”

“Not sure yet. I can’t rush it.”

“She know you’re a cop?”

“Yeah. The family had no reason to hide that fact, and Sophie surely explained why she thought I’d be qualified to help. I told her I only teach at the Academy, though, so if she mentions me to Lofton, it would sound like I’m no threat.”

“We need to know about him, JD. ASAP.”

“I understand, Doc, but this woman has been through a lot.”

“Not compared to our vics.”

JD rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I know that, too.” He glanced up. “After I left Violet last night, I cruised the area, looking for Candy, but not a trace of her. Anybody hearing talk about that shipment she mentioned?”

“Not talk,” Mack said, “but some movement at a warehouse owned under a dummy corporation. Lofton’s a partner in it.”

“One of our guys in Houston got word of a new shipment coming in, too,” offered Holly. “Likely within days.”

“I need something to get a warrant for a wiretap on Lofton,” Doc said, his look at JD pointed.

“I really don’t think she’s involved, Doc.”

“And what’s your evidence?”

They all had to trust their instincts, but instinct didn’t get warrants or impress the DA. “I have an opening I can exploit to see her today,” JD said.

“Good. First, you meet with APD’s sketch artist and get us a face for the Turkish girl. Then you keep your focus on Ms. James, and we’ll have other eyes on the area around Danger Zone. Holly, what do you have to report on the surveillance of Lofton?”

Around the table Doc went, and minutes later they were all dismissed.

JD rose to go.

“JD, a minute, please,” Doc said.

JD halted. Turned. “What’s up?”

Doc studied him for a minute. “You look like hell. You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

“I thought you wanted me pushing harder on Violet.”

“I’m not talking about her. I’m speaking in general terms. You’ve been on VICTAF longer than anyone but Bob and me. Too long, maybe? I wonder.”

JD stiffened. “If you don’t think I can do my job…”

“Son, if I thought that, you’d already be gone,” Doc said gently. “You’ve done one hell of a job here, but I’m realizing I’ve asked a lot of you. No one has spent more time undercover than you, and we all know too much of that is a soul-draining experience. You’re damn good at it, but everyone has a limit.”

“You going to pull me, Doc? I’m okay, I promise.” He had to pursue these bastards and take them down. Had to find justice for the victims who robbed him of sleep.

“JD, I’ve been in law enforcement as long as you’ve been alive. I know what burnout looks like, and I’m looking at it.”

“Those women and children who died an ugly death last week don’t care much about my tender feelings.”

“Unfortunately, there will always be victims, and there will always be bad guys.”

Didn’t he know it? The world seemed to hold an endless supply.

“We can’t fix everything, JD, much as that motivates all of us here. But we can’t fix
anything
if we burn the candle at both ends. So, I want you to focus on Violet James and stop venturing out on your own surveillance. You will get three square meals a day and a full night’s sleep every night you possibly can. Things are coming to a head, and you can’t run on adrenaline forever.”

“I’m not—”

“Son, don’t try to con me. I’ve been there. We can’t lock all the bad guys away and we can’t keep all the victims safe, but we damn sure increase our odds if we’re in peak shape ourselves. Youth will cover a multitude of abuses to the body, but even you, Mr. Fitness, are not invulnerable. So don’t give me any crap, just say, yes, sir, and do it.” There was a fond smile in Doc’s eyes.

JD sighed. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. Now get the hell out of my hair, what I have left of it.”

“Don’t take me off VICTAF, Doc.” JD couldn’t leave the room without that being settled. He couldn’t go back on patrol or return to the detective squad. What the hell would he do with himself?

“No one else has ever stayed this long, JD. The strength of the concept lies in rotation.” He shook his head. “But don’t worry about that right now. We’ll figure it all out once we’ve punched a hole in this trafficking pipeline.”

JD wanted to stay and argue his case, but he knew Doc too well to believe that would make any difference…never mind that he’d been wondering lately himself about how much longer he wanted to do this work.

But he wasn’t suited to anything else. VICTAF fit him like a glove. It was only that he was tired right now, Doc was right about that.

Since there was nothing he could do at the moment to resolve the situation, he focused on what he
could
impact. He’d call Violet and make plans for later, then head to APD and the sketch artist.

* * *