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from the bottle, he moved into the small area and sat down in the chair across from her.
    "Maybe she was sleeping with Maddix Nelson? Scorned love perhaps?"
    A strange smile quirked Tehya's lips as she shook her head. "I accessed her
    gynecological records. Your mark is a virgin, my friend. Lily-white and pure."
    Shock widened his eyes. "There are virgins left in the world?"
    Tehya's brows lifted, her own gaze reflecting her surprise. "Well, there are few over the age of sixteen," she agreed with a laugh. "But she's one of them."
    "Damn." He reached back, released the leather thong holding his hair at his nape, and shook his head in bemusement. "She's not a hag. Does she have a disease of some sort?"
    "No diseases." Tehya shook her head. "She's just your typical nice girl next door.
    It seems they're not extinct after all."
    Nik couldn't fathom it. He wondered if he had ever known one of those nice,
    innocent girls and decided he hadn't. He sure as hell hadn't ever known a virgin.
    "Why would your typical all-American girl next door want to destroy the
    reputation of the man who provides jobs to practically her entire family?" Nik asked Tehya as he rubbed at his jaw thoughtfully. "From what Maddix said this afternoon, her brothers, her father, even her damned cousins are working for his company."
    "They were working for it," Tehya amended as she crossed her blue jean-clad legs 26
    and leaned back in the corner of the couch. "Her father broke his contract with the company the week after Mikayla's accusations against Nelson. The next day her brothers quit, and two days later her cousin pulled out of negotiations on the design contract Maddix was ready to sign. Two other cousins, heavy-equipment operators, quit the next week."
    Nik rubbed at his upper lip with a forefinger as he considered that information.
    "She was at Eddie Foreman's home this afternoon after I left Maddix's office," he told Tehya. "I drove past the house and saw her leaving."
    Tehya nodded as she adjusted the shoulder of her loose white shirt. "She's been questioning a lot of people. Most of them seem to simply tolerate her and her questions.
    They're torn between believing her and believing Maddix. It doesn't help her cause that Maddix as well as his alibis seem genuinely confused by her accusations. Of course, those involved in a conspiracy always look better when dealing with such things in a gentle manner."
    Nik arched his brow at her statement. "I don't think I'd be nearly so patient."
    "Of course you would." She grinned. "You'd pull the trigger real slow and easy."
    He grunted in amusement before tipping the beer to his lips and considering the
    information they didn't seem to have.
    "What about Maddix Nelson?" he asked.
    "According to him, the chief of police, and two council members, they were in an impromptu business meeting at the time of the shooting. Neighbors swear they saw each individual enter Maddix's home and saw him open the door for them. It appears he has nosy neighbors."
    "Most neighbors are nosy," Nik mused.
    Tehya inclined her head in agreement as Nik tapped a finger against the arm of
    the chair.
    "Interesting," he finally stated. "Your sweet girl next door accusing an upstanding business figure of murder and he has the perfect alibi that places him in his home in a meeting. Does it seem a little pat?"
    "A little." Teyha shrugged. "I'll be honest, Nik, I pulled every contact the Ops has in the area and a few we don't. I've covered this from back to front since you received the call from Maddix Nelson through Jordan's personal line. I can't find anything on him, or on the girl. If you accept his request, then you have your work cut out for you. And Jordan sent a warning. You're in this one on your own. The team's being pulled to Dallas on another op and we won't be free to help you."
    Hell, he didn't want a damned thing to do with this. He wanted to pack up and fly
    back to Texas rather than deal with the woman he had seen leaving Gina