ToServeAndProtect (18 page)

“It isn’t.” Dustin nervously rubbed his sweating palms
on his slacks. “The Porter case isn’t personal, and McKenna isn’t a problem.”

“Tyson told me what happened last night.” When Dustin
didn’t bother defending himself, he continued. “I expect you to do your job,
Detective. I don’t care what you were doing in her house. You should’ve called
for backup.” His voice grew louder. “If you cross the line, you won’t have the
department behind you.” The subject needed no further discussion, and Captain
Baird moved onto another topic. “The prints Jones collected don’t match the
ones from the murder scene. He did get a positive hit on the FBI database. One
of the men was Joe Marino.”

“Then we can assume they’re involved with the murder
of Dr. Porter. I understand why the Marino’s are upset, don’t you? If they
invested in his research, where’s the money?”

Captain Baird went to the office door and held it open
for Dustin. “Keep at it, Detective.”

* * * * *

Dawn stretched out on McKenna’s bed. Scattered across
the room were several outfits under debate. “This isn’t a holiday weekend. Why
all the fuss?” She rolled onto her stomach and snuggled into the pillow. “I
need a nap.”

“Are you going to talk about Tex?” McKenna took a teal
colored blouse from the hanger.

“His house was filthy, and he smoked in bed,” she said
disgusted. “It was gross, so I pretended to pass out. I need rehab for
one-night stands.” She braced up on an elbow, holding her head in her hand.
“Take your red, boot cut pants. They give you an ass.”

McKenna tossed the pants over her rocking chair and
looked for a top to match. “July in Los Angeles. And I know this isn’t a
vacation. Dustin is working, but do you think he’ll want to go to the beach?”

“Who cares? Take your bikini. I’m sure there’ll be a
pool at the hotel.”

McKenna thought about sharing a room with Dustin. What
if she was being presumptuous? He could’ve reserved two rooms. He hadn’t
actually said they’d be together in the sexual sense.

Dawn smiled. “You are going to sleep with him, aren’t
you?”

“I want to, but he blew me off this morning.” She went
to her underwear drawer.

“No granny panties,” Dawn warned. “Men like thongs.”

“I’ll take your word on it. You’d be the expert.”

“Sex is a big step for you. Are you sure you’re
ready?” Dawn maneuvered to sit Indian style on the bed.

“No, I’m not sure about anything.” She held up a
fuchsia spaghetti-strap sundress. Dawn nodded, and she tossed it onto the
growing selections. “But there is nothing like murder to make me realize how
foolish I’ve been. I’m going to try like hell not to punish myself for what I
did to Scott. Being lonely has become a habit with me. Habits aren’t easy to
break.”

Dawn launched forward, wrapped McKenna into her arms,
and pulled her down onto the bed. She held her close. “You always wanted a
family and kids. And you thought Scott wanted the same things.”

“I’m not sure Dustin is a better prospect. He has a
daughter, yet I don’t think he sees her much. I wouldn’t start a family with a
man who can walk away from one.”

“You’ve always said you don’t deserve a second chance.
Now you can see how stupid you’ve been. Maybe you should hold the same standard
for Dustin.”

McKenna slid away from Dawn. “We’re jumping way too
far ahead, and it’s giving me a headache. To use your own words, I haven’t even
test-driven the vehicle. I feel like I just got my license back.”

“You’re not like me. I don’t want marriage and kids.”
She rolled onto her back and stretched her arms above her head. “When I find a
car I like, I’m going to test drive it until it breaks down.” She started to
laugh. “And hope I don’t break down first.”

Dustin said a few days. McKenna packed for a week in
case they had trouble locating Roslyn Meadows.

The front doorbell chimed. Dawn leapt up. “Must be the
lucky guy now.” She headed for the door. “I’m going to have a few words with
him.”

“Don’t you dare!” McKenna called, following close on
her heels. “If you say anything to embarrass me—”

“What?” Dawn turned with a smile. “Would you tell
Tyson I bought a black vibrator in his honor?”

McKenna moved ahead of her on the stairs. She turned
to Dawn with her hand on the door handle. “Did you really?”

“Yep.”

“You are crazy.” She opened the door.

“What’s for lunch, Princess?” Tyson came into the
foyer. “Dustin’s on his way. He’s getting his ass chewed by the captain for your
adventure last night.” He winked at Dawn. “I see you’ve got your bodyguard.”

“With your partner around, I think she needs one.”

“Dawn!” McKenna snapped. “Ignore her,” she said to
Tyson.

The rattle of the garage door opening drew their
attention to the driveway. Making himself at home, Dustin pulled in next to
McKenna’s car.

“Cozy, isn’t it?” Dawn said to Tyson as she brushed
past him.

“Shut up, Dawn.” McKenna sent a look of warning. “But
we’ve got a problem if you’ve come for lunch.”

“Hey.” Dustin strolled in through the open front door.
“What’s for lunch?”

“We had Subway,” Dawn smugly stated. “Good luck
finding anything in the kitchen.”

Barefoot, wearing shorts and a tank top without a bra,
Dawn walked ahead to the kitchen. Tyson’s eyes were glued to her ass. “Are you
off duty, Detective Jones?” she called back to him.

Tyson slipped off his sports coat, hung it over the
banister, and followed her. Wrinkled and damp with perspiration, his shirt
clung to his chest. His weapon lay nestled between his rib cage and upper arm
in a strap that wrapped around his back and shoulders. “Yep, unless you’re
going to confess to something?”

She hopped up on the counter and sat with her legs
dangling. “What sort of confession would you like to hear? You could take out
your weapon and threaten me.” She leaned back, bracing her body with her arms
straightened behind her.

“Does a big gun scare you?”

“Look me in the eyes when you talk to me.”

Tyson’s eyes snapped from her breasts to her face.

“Yes, a big gun excites me,” she said. “You have an
impressive weapon.” Her eyes dropped to the bulge in his pants.

“You can’t help yourself. A first-class tease, and
you’ve got the bitchy act perfected.”

Dawn jumped from the counter. “Everything about me is
perfect.” She batted her eyelashes. “Want a soda?”

“No, I want lunch.”

* * * * *

Dustin escorted McKenna to the office. He stood with
his back against the wall. His eyes lingered on her face, attempting to gauge
her mood. “Are you mad?”

She sat down on the little couch and tucked her feet
beneath her. “No, at least I know I shouldn’t be.” To keep from looking at
Dustin, she inspected her cuticles. Then she nervously put her thumbnail
between her teeth.

Dustin walked to the window. The sun shone brightly
through the glass making the room warm even with the air-conditioned blowing.
“It was bad timing,” he finally said.

“Dustin, it was my mistake. After this morning…” She shrugged.
“I assumed too much.”

“Whatever you might’ve thought is probably accurate.”

“Still, I have no reason to be upset. We shouldn’t
even be entertaining the idea.”

Dustin turned, his eyes raked over her figure, then a
smile tilted his lips. He crossed the room and held his hand out to her. “Maybe
not, but it doesn’t stop me. It seems I can’t think about anything else.” She
stood and Dustin pulled her into his arms. “We shouldn’t be in here. Tyson and
Dawn are probably killing each other by now.” He breathed a kiss to her neck.

“Dawn’s intentions are not to kill him. In fact, she
wants something all together different. However, with Dawn, he might not
survive.”

Dustin laughed. “There aren’t two people more perfect
for each other.” He opened his mouth, flicking his tongue against her flesh.
His cock stretched and thickened. He rolled his pelvis. “Except us.” He slid
his hand up her back, tracing the ridge of her spine. Dipping his head, he
placed a slow, drugging kiss on her lips. She moaned, wrapped her arms around
him, and laced her fingers behind his neck, pulling him closer and aligning
their bodies.

“Are you ready?” he asked when they parted.

“Until this moment I wasn’t sure, but yes, I’m ready.”
She reached up for another kiss.

Dustin smiled. “I should’ve asked, are you packed?”

“In both cases the answer’s the same.” She pressed
closer to him.

“Hey, Princess,” Tyson said coming down the hall
having left Dawn in the kitchen.

McKenna jerked away from Dustin and opened the office
door.

“You don’t have shit to eat in this place.”

“I know. Dawn tossed out all the
shit
yesterday.” She walked past Tyson. “You could run down to the Chalet for the
lunch special and bring it back.”

“I’ll go.” Dustin took his car keys from his pocket.
He looked at McKenna. “We’ll leave for the airport after we eat.”

“Okay then. Tyson, go entertain yourself with Dawn.
I’ll shower and change.” McKenna jogged up the staircase and disappeared around
the corner.

“I don’t like it,” Tyson said.

Dustin squared his shoulders. “You’ve known me for ten
years. Partners for three.”

“Don’t start the
trust your partner shit
. Sure,
she seems like a sweet girl, and there is no denying she’s beautiful, but that
isn’t enough. We’ve seen the pattern too many times. We don’t know if she did
her dad in. You’ve lost the edge, Dustin. She’s got you pussy whipped. And you
haven’t even screwed her yet.”

“I’ve got the situation under control,” he stubbornly
stated.

“You keep telling yourself that. Prove she’s not
involved, and you’ll have my blessing. Marry her, have a bunch of kids, and
live happily ever after. Hell, I’ll be your best man. But finish the damned
case first.”

“I’m sorry I’ve put you in the middle of this.”

“I know you didn’t mean to get involved with the
princess. You’re a good friend.” He slapped him on the back. “Just don’t fuck
up my case.”

Dustin left for the Chalet, and Tyson went to the
kitchen.

Dawn was out on the terrace, sitting in a lounger in
the shade, sipping a soda. “Want something?” she asked as he sat across from
her.

“Actually, I wondered what you were doing tonight.”

Dawn picked up her sunglasses off the table. “What’d
you have in mind, Officer?” After pushing her glasses up on her nose, she
smiled at Tyson.

“Dinner at my place.”

“A glass of wine with a little candlelight? What’s on
the menu?” She stretched her legs out and crossed her ankles.

“You’ll have to wait to find out.”

“Oh, mystery dinner.”

Tyson chuckled.

“You have a nice laugh, Detective Jones.” Dawn
swiveled her legs to the side then stood. “Okay.” She stood and brushed off the
seat of her shorts. “What time?”

Tyson followed her into the kitchen and wrote down his
address and cell phone number. “Seven o’clock. Dress casual.”

She slipped the piece of paper into her back pocket.
“Casual?” She tossed her empty soda can into the trash. “Casual’s good.”

* * * * *

McKenna left her luggage by the front door and waited
for Dustin. She had one suitcase to check and an overnight bag to take on board
in case her luggage didn’t arrive in the same location as her plane. For a
woman, she thought she’d done fairly well. Since she didn’t know how long
they’d be gone, she had tried to pack practical. So when Dustin asked, “Are you
planning an extended stay?” she was surprised.

“I wouldn’t know. You didn’t elaborate on the
itinerary. I thought better safe than sorry.” She hung her purse over her
shoulder. “Don’t complain, Dustin. I didn’t bring half of what Dawn thought I
needed.” He opened the passenger side door for her.

“Did you set the alarm?”

She nodded. “I asked Mrs. Westerberg, my next door
neighbor, to keep an eye out and to collect my mail.”

Dustin drove across town to his apartment. “Do you
want to come up? It’ll only take me a minute to gather my things. My bag is
already packed.”

McKenna opened the car door without waiting for Dustin
to do it for her. His disapproving look made her laugh. “Sorry, I’m not used to
chivalry.” The door creaked on its hinges when she slammed it closed.

They walked up to his building, and he held open the
glass door leading to the interior corridor. Four apartments on each floor, two
stories tall, Dustin pointed to the stairs. “I’m on the second floor.” His palm
rested on her hip as he walked one-step behind her.

Unlocking the door, he let her step inside first. The
ugly couch immediately drew attention. A half full bottle of beer sat on a
scarred wooden table. Other than that, the apartment was tidy.