She Who Dares, Wins (9 page)

Mac was every woman's type. Unless she really was… Hmm. That was a real possibility.

“From what I can tell he works all the time—I don't know when he would have time for a relationship.” Caroline frowned when she said the word
work.
Was there some kind of professional jealousy?

Katie had studied telltale signs for years, and that was definitely one of them. Caroline wasn't happy about whatever it was Mac did.

“Yes, I'm sure his research keeps him quite busy,” Katie said. “And how about you?” Katie asked. “Do you work at the university or are you here with someone?” Katie had to play it as if she didn't know anything about Caroline.

“I'm a faculty member. I'm working on a special project, not unlike what your friend Mac is doing. Though I believe we are quite farther along than he is.”

Oh, yes. There was definitely some professional
competition going on. There was a bite to the last sentence.

“I'm not very scientific minded, I'm afraid,” Katie admitted. “Do you work with food like Mac? Although, to be honest, I don't really know what he does.”

The professor scrutinized her. “I assumed you were a colleague of his.”

Katie shrugged. “I am, I guess, but we aren't in the same business. You were telling me about your research.” Mac had mentioned she loved to talk about work, so Katie steered her that way.

“I'm working on sustainable resources. I can't say much more than that, but it could change how we, and the Americans, support third world countries. We could make monumental strides in just a few years.”

“Wow. That does sound important. I bet you must work really hard.” She played dumb.

The other woman nodded. “I do. My work is my life right now. It's everything to me.”

Katie smiled. “That doesn't leave much time for dating or fun.”

“As I mentioned before, my work is important, but I do find time to date occasionally. I'm just discreet about it. The gossip around here can be nothing short of horrendous.”

Katie remembered what the dean had said about the girl who'd made claims against Caroline.

“I'm sure. I've been getting strange looks all evening from some of the guests, so I can understand where you're coming from. I can't tell if it's because Mac doesn't date much, or if I'm American.”

The woman gave a slight smile. “Probably a little of
both. Well, I should get back to the milling around.” She gave a quick wave and left.

Katie stood there a second longer. Something about Caroline didn't add up. A thought niggled at the back of her brain. A connection she'd made, but she couldn't quite grasp it yet.

Since she was near, she decided to visit the ladies' room and wash her hands before heading back to the party. It would give her time to think.

From the outside, Caroline and Mac seemed as though they would make the perfect couple. They were scientists, dedicated to their work and passionate about what they did.

Katie studied herself in the mirror. She'd worn a white fitted T-shirt to go with her black pants, jacket and boots. She'd worn more makeup than usual and even she had to admit she looked okay. She pushed her hair behind her ears and straightened her collar.

She needed to see those files about the claim against Caroline. Caroline was mixed up in Mac's case somehow. Every time she'd said Mac's name, the other woman's mouth had gone into a straight line.

She didn't like him.

And who the hell wouldn't like Mac? Except for his bullheaded, stubborn nature, the man was perfection.

A
FTER DROPPING
M
AC OFF
at his lab with the promise to meet him after lunch, Katie set her sights on the dean's office. Pieces of the mystery surrounding Mac shifted in her head, and her gut told her she was close to solving the puzzle. One thing Katie always did was trust her instincts.

“I'm sorry, the dean isn't in this morning,” his secretary informed her.

Katie frowned. “I really need his help.” Katie drummed her fingers against her thigh. “Do you know when he'll be in?”

“I can't say,” the secretary replied. “He's in a Regents meeting and those can go on for hours. Is there something I can help you with, perhaps?”

Katie's tapping ceased. Yes, this might work better than her original plan, which was to badger the dean until he gave in to her request. “Uh, I'm not sure. Do you know why I'm here?” She lowered her voice in a conspiratorial whisper.

“You're helping with the case involving Dr. Douglas. I've been instructed to assist in any way I can.”

Excellent.

“Well, I don't think this will be too difficult. I need a file about the complaint concerning Professor Carson last summer.”

“Why would you need that? Surely you don't believe she has anything to do with the trouble.”

“Confidentially,” Katie said. “I do think their cases might be connected. And I understand the private nature of the file, but I've already signed everything the university asked me to for my security clearance, so I don't think it would be a problem.”

The secretary was thoughtful for a moment.

Come on. You can do it.

“Imagine if you were the one to help me crack this case. The dean would be ecstatic. Maybe I could even talk to him about giving you a raise.” Katie gave her a wink.

The woman waved her away. “No, you don't have to do that.” She rolled away from her desk and stood up. Taking some keys from her drawer she went to a row of file cabinets.

“Do you need to make copies? That will take some extra paperwork on my part.”

“Oh, no. I'll just look at them here, if that's okay.” She glanced down at the nameplate. “Mrs. Gates, I really am grateful for your help. This file might save me hours of footwork.”

“I'm happy to be of assistance.” She pulled a file from the drawer. “Follow me and I'll show you to the conference room.”

“Thank you.” Katie gave the woman her warmest smile. She was on to something. Whenever she was close to solving her cases her stomach did a strange
twisty thing, as if her instincts tipped her off that she was on the right track. It was how she solved her cases so quickly.

Her boss, Mar, at Stonegate swore Katie was psychic in some way, but she didn't believe it for a minute. She'd grown up around cops and looked at the world differently than other people did. That was all there was to it. She'd decided long ago that the stomachache was a mixed signal from her brain telling her to pay attention to the clues in front of her.

Katie hoped there was something in the file, because so far she was clueless. Mac didn't seem to have any enemies. Everyone loved him. She'd seen that at the party. People made a point of coming up and talking to him. He was kind and always introduced her. Even the dean was a fan, though she still disliked the man for not bringing in the police months ago to help with Mac's case. Then again, if that had happened, she might never have met him. Before her mind could go off on a Mac tangent, one that would send her racing back to his lab, she made herself concentrate on the circumstances so far.

The only person who'd avoided them was Caroline. As they'd moved through the party, she almost always seemed to be on the other side of the room. The woman's actions threw up a giant red flag for Katie, especially when she caught her watching them more than once.

“Here we are.” Mrs. Gates opened a door leading into the conference room. “Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?”

Coffee wasn't a bad idea, but she didn't want to risk being here too long. The dean might have other ideas about her perusing the files and she wanted to get in and
out as fast as possible. “I'm great, thank you. I won't be more than a few minutes.”

“Take your time,” she said. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

After Mrs. Gates shut the door, Katie opened the file. The first few pages were forms required by the school. The young woman in question was only eighteen, but there was no name on the first few pages.

Then Katie opened a second file. There was the transcript from the deposition taken by both parties—the university and the girl's lawyer.

Initially the girl claimed Professor Carson had said that if she slept with her, she would give her an A. There had been some incidents of touching in the classroom, and according to the girl they'd shared several kisses in Caroline's office. When the girl refused to sleep with her, the professor had failed her on the first test. The girl said she'd passed it but the professor had changed her answers.

Katie rolled her eyes. If she had been involved she would have tossed the girl out then. Her story didn't add up. All the professor had to do was provide the test in question, and the handwriting could be analyzed, or they could have looked for excessive eraser marks on the paper. The girl's lawyer should have asked a proctor to readminister the test. Stupid mistakes all the way around.

In a second transcript the girl swore she had misunderstood the professor, and profusely apologized. She admitted she had a drinking problem, and that was most likely the cause of the misunderstanding.

Again, Katie wouldn't have bought it. This time the story really didn't add up, and it made her more sus
picious of the professor. Had someone gotten to the girl? That's what it felt like. Katie had run into that more than once in her cases. Witness tampering was something she and the rest of the detectives fought against constantly.

At the bottom of the last page there was a signature from the girl. The paper stated all charges against the professor had been dropped, and the girl in question would attend alcohol awareness classes, as well as private therapy.

But it was the signature that made Katie gasp with surprise, and suddenly all the pieces fell together. She flipped open her laptop.

Something had told her the girl, Megan, the same one who had been harassing Mac, was involved with this case. Was it possible Megan had an accomplice? Perhaps it was this person who was the violent one, since Megan didn't seem inclined to be that way. Katie had a feeling they were looking for someone older. She'd stake her reputation on it.

The night before, she'd submitted various profile types into the database at Stonegate. The program had been designed by one of their programmers with the input of Katie and their resident FBI profiler and psychologist, Dr. Makala Liu.

Katie had inserted variables from the case into the system. During the night Makala must have been checking the files, because she had also added notes. Katie noted it was too early to call and chat with her favorite psychologist, but she read the notes.

“The attacks aren't original, and are almost formulaic,” it said in Makala's comments. “This is a practical person, who isn't known for being the life of the party.
He or she lives simply, and has a daily routine that is followed to the letter. My best guess given the parameters is a female. I'm seeing scorned lover here. Something has made her step out of her comfort zone, and other than a death in the family, a love relationship would be next on the list, followed by loss of job or serious illness. Talk with the client and see if he's had any disagreements with a love interest in the last six months.”

Several scenarios ran through Katie's head. Had Mac had an affair with the younger girl?

Katie's stomach turned. Maybe she liked Mac too much. Their whirlwind relationship had been so fast and furious she'd never stopped to think about how it would actually affect the case.

She'd insisted they keep it as professional as possible during the daytime hours, but at night all bets had been off. Her judgment was clouded.

This is why you aren't supposed to get involved with clients.
She cringed. Had she let her feelings for him get in the way of the case? She didn't want to admit it, but it was true.

First she had to talk to Mac. Standing up and walking to his lab was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do.

 

M
AC WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED
when he saw Katie's face on the security screen. He buzzed her in.

“Did you change your mind about the lab table?” He'd remembered what she'd said when she left.

She glanced up to the camera.

“I'm not stripping again to come in there. I need to talk to you and I'd appreciate it if you'd come out here.”

He wasn't the best at discerning human emotion, but even Mac could tell there had been a definite change in her attitude toward him.

“What's wrong?” he asked through the speaker.

“Dr. Douglas, I need you to come here, please. Is there anyone in the lab with you? This needs to be a confidential conversation.”

Dr. Douglas. Crap. “I'm alone. Give me three minutes to put my samples away and I'll meet you in the conference room. It's the door to the right.”

Washing his hands, he opened the door from the lab that led directly to the conference room. Katie didn't sit at the table. She stood with her arms crossed against her chest.

He moved to kiss her, but she held up her hands in a stop motion.

“Dr. Douglas, please sit down.”

“Katie, why are you being so formal? What happened with the dean?”

She pulled out a chair across the table from him and sat down. He followed suit. Holding a pen over her notebook, she merely stared at him.

Mac couldn't read her face.

“I didn't speak with the dean. Not yet. I need to ask you some questions. It's important you answer truthfully. I'll know if you are lying. I'm good at that sort of thing.”

Mac's brows furrowed. “Why would I lie to you? I can't give you details about my work, but other than that I'm an open book. You know that.”

She sighed. “No, I don't. Listen, this is important. You need to put whatever mistakes we made these last few days behind us, and answer my questions.”

“Mistakes?” How could she say something like that about their time together? Mac admitted he hadn't known her long. Still, he'd come to care for her.

“Yes. I should never have given in to you that first night. It's not your fault. I have a weakness where you're concerned. One I readily admit. Unfortunately, I'm afraid it's over now. I've come to my senses.”

“The hell it is.” Mac stood now. “I don't know what's happened, Katie, but we are most definitely not over. What could have made you say these things? You're acting like some cop, not the woman I—” He'd almost said the word
love.

No, it couldn't be that.

Katie held up her hand. “Please, stop. I need you to sit down and answer my questions. The faster you do it, the quicker we can be done with this.”

Mac didn't know if she meant their relationship or the case.

“Fine.” He sat down again. “I'm sitting. Please ask your damn questions.”

Katie leaned forward with her elbows on the table. “Have you ever dated or slept with one of your students? Specifically Megan, the girl I observed in your class yesterday?”

How could she ask him something like that? “I've never heard such a ridiculous question, and for the record, Ms. McClure, no. I haven't,” Mac ended the words on a growl.

He thought he saw her shoulders drop, but her face gave no indication if she were relieved or if she believed him.

“Dr. Douglas, I need you to be honest with me. What you tell me is confidential, but I have to know the truth
before I question Megan. I'll be talking to her in front of the dean, and if she says you had an affair we are going to need to take preventative measures.”

Mac glared at the ceiling. “Let me get this straight. You think I slept with Megan, and yet you still want to protect me so the dean doesn't bring me up on an inquiry.”

“Yes,” Katie growled.

“May I ask why you would want to protect me? The dean is paying your fee, so shouldn't your allegiance be to him?”

“Technically, he pays the fee, but he made it clear from the beginning you are my client. And yes, when you signed the papers allowing us to investigate your case, one of the clauses is we protect you no matter the outcome.”

“Katie.” Mac clasped his hands in front of him to keep from banging the table. “The only woman I've slept with in the past five years is you. As I may have mentioned, I've been consumed with my work. I've been on the occasional date, never with a student. Never.”

Mac sat back in his chair and crossed his arms against his chest. Fury pounded through his veins, causing his muscles to tighten and face to heat. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so angry. He felt as if Katie had betrayed him in some way. Yes, the logical side of his brain told him she was only doing her job, but it hurt that she would think him so low and despicable as to sleep with a student.

“Do you have any idea why Megan, or anyone in her family, would want to cause you harm?”

Mac glared at Katie. “Megan doesn't have the sense to find her way into the classroom most days. She may
have a crush on me, but she's not the person behind these attacks. I know this is rude, but she doesn't have the brains for it.”

He leaned forward the same way she had. “Now I'd like you to explain how the hell you could think I would do something like that?”