Read Cause of Death (Det. Annie Avants Book 1) for Free Online Page B

the other patrons and that's when she saw Jesse Greyeyes walk in.  Oh, God, just what I need, she thought.
    She glanced at him again.  Well, he certainly cuts quite a figure , she thought.  Six feet tall, long legs, tight blue jeans, denim shirt, leather belt with a large silver buckle.
    He stood in the doorway of the semi-dark room, outlined by the light coming in behind him.  In Court, he wore his hair back in two long braids or a ponytail at the base of his neck, and tucked it under his jacket.  He kept the length of his hair low-key.  But now his hair hung loose and, as much as she hated to admit it, it was gorgeous. Straight, shiny black, halfway down his back.  His Indian features were strong - high cheekbones, prominent nose, well-defined mouth just begging to be kissed.  And he probably has half the girls in the County doing just that, she thought.
    She ducked her head when she realized he had spotted her and was heading her way.
    "Hey, Annie," Jesse said as he sat down on the stool next to hers.
    "Hello, Counselor.  Slumming?" she said as she turned her back to him.
    "Ah, Annie, don't be that way.  You have such cute shoulders there in that little dress, they don't look good with a chip on them."
    "Counselor Greyeyes," she said, emphasizing his name, "you have a lot of nerve coming in here kissing up to me after the way you treated me in Court this morning."
    He feigned a hurt look.  "I was just doing my job, Annie. I'm the prosecutor and someone messed up the chain of custody of the evidence.  It looked better for us to admit it up front than to have the Defense Attorney hammer you about it."
    "You wouldn't let me explain," Annie said.  "The evidence wasn't lost, it was just misplaced.  We found it soon afterward.  It never left the evidence room."
    "Annie, wait, hold on a minute.  Nevertheless, it was 'lost' for a time.  That compromises the chain of custody.  It was redundant to sit there in court making excuses.  It didn't change the facts."
    "But, couldn't you take into account the circumstances?  Does everything have to be so black and white?"
    "No, it doesn't. However, my job is to present the facts that prove someone committed the crime of which they're charged. And that's what I was doing.  It's the defense attorney's job to prove their innocence, or bring up extenuating circumstances.  That's exactly what Mr. Stephens did, rightfully so.  The Jury just went along with what he said.  The main evidence against the man, the knife with his fingerprints, was compromised."
    "I still don't understand why you wouldn't let me explain when I was on the stand.  You just kept cutting me off.  You really treated me awful.  I hope we never meet up in Court again.  Or anywhere else, for that matter."
    She got up to leave.  Jesse grabbed her upper arm and swung her back around to face him, anger etched all over his face.  They were starting to attract attention.
    The bartender asked, "Hey, Lady, need some help?"
    Jesse dropped Annie's arm and backed up, lifting his hands palms out in front of him in the gesture of surrender.
    "No, I'm OK, thanks," Annie said.
    She just stared at Jesse, waiting for some kind of explanation.
    "Look, Annie, I'm sorry.  Just come sit down with me for a minute and we'll talk.  I admit I'm off on the wrong foot with you."
    Against her better judgment, Annie felt herself softening towards Jesse.  He seemed sincere.
    "OK, we'll talk for a minute," she said.
    Jesse led her to a booth at the back of the attached restaurant and ordered two coffees.  They talked for a few minutes, but Annie was still angry with him and it showed.
    "Hey, come on, don't be so glum," Jesse said.  "Let's dance."
    "With you?" she said.  "I don't think so."
    "Oh, come on, what can it hurt?"  He slid out of the booth and stood up, reaching his hand out for her.
    "I don't think so, Counselor, I'm not in the mood."
    This made him laugh.  He reached down, took her hand, and pulled her to her