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records to help—”
    “How did you find that out?” The event, and the subsequent deep shit he’d landed himself in, wasn’t something he advertised.
    “That’s not important now.” At his glower, she went on, “Look, I know I’ve done something terrible—”
    “Try illegal,” he ground out. “Which I’ll make sure you pay for.”
    “I truly am sorry for all the trouble—”
    “The minute I get free, I’m making sure your ass rots in jail, right along with your brother.”
    “Please! You are the only way I could think to save Mark. With your skill, you should be able to find out why the bank is so convinced he’s guilty.”
    “Did the fact he probably is ever, even for a second, cross your mind?”
    “Absolutely not!”
    “Right,” he drawled. “What are you, Pollyanna with a rap sheet?”
    “I know you’re angry, but I’m desperate. I just need a little help. Please.”
    Her big green eyes, framed by naked, golden lashes and sunshine curls, made him hesitate. If anything, his erection stiffened even more. No doubt, helping Kerry with a whole lot of things—like out of her clothes—would be no hardship.
    Then, with a shake of his head, he remembered the problem. “Help you take away my freedom and commit a crime? Hell no! If I tamper with bank records like that, what the government will do to me will make your brother’s prison term look like playtime in Mister Rogers’ neighborhood. You’re certifiable if you think I’m going to let you push me into something stupid and against the law. I’ll give you a clue, sweetheart: I. Will. Not!”
    Kerry stepped closer, face imploring. Lord, she smelled good, like sunshine and sea salt and vanilla.
    Damn it, he’d been kidnapped by a ditz, and his libido chose now to notice how great she smelled? How back asswards was that?
    Think, he demanded of himself. How could he get out of here? Rafe glanced around the room, not seeing a single weapon in sight. A quick glance down Kerry’s body confirmed she wasn’t concealing anything on her luscious person. He gritted his teeth. At least that added credence to her assertion that she meant him no harm. Besides, according to her, he’d been out for thirty-six hours. If that was the case, she’d had plenty of time to strangle him or carve him up or whatever a psycho might do. It made sense that she’d concocted this crazy scheme to get his assistance, rather than do him in. Maybe he just had to keep talking, play her game, in order to win his freedom. Certainly, trying to jump on her again wasn’t the way to make nice.
    “I’m not asking you to tamper, just look. If you don’t, my brother will go to prison. He’s all I have, I love him, and I owe him for damn near raising me.”
    Rafe started to interrupt, but Kerry’s eyes misted over. Her chin wobbled as she fought tears. Whatever he could say about her—and he could say plenty—she was genuinely distraught. He swallowed his smart-ass comment and tried to figure out what to do, how to use her distress against her.
    Uncomfortable silence filled the room. Her beseeching stare morphed into a glare.
    “Are you listening? I’ve gathered that’s not one of your skills. If you don’t hear anything else I say, believe that Mark would never steal from the bank. He loved that job.”
    She was criticizing him? She rambled like a loon and somehow that was his fault? “Forgive me if I don’t take the word of a kidnapper that her brother isn’t a thief!”
    “Do you need to yell? I know you’re angry, and I don’t blame you.” She shook her head, regret and a snit of temper etched on her face. “But yelling won’t help.”
    “I think I’m pretty calm, considering the fact you’re trying to screw up my life and my professional reputation.” He flunghis arms wide. “Not to mention that you’ve got me restrained like some drooling lunatic in an asylum.”
    Kerry went all wide-eyed and pink. What was wrong with her? A moment later, he realized