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her
    outside.
    “Jack, you’re manhandling me!”
    “You’re lucky I don’t shoot you,” he said in a lethal tone,
    shepherding her to his sedan sitting at the end of the walk.
    “I told you to stay out of this.”
    Detective Maria Marquez stood next to the car, every inch
    of her tall, curvy frame oozing authority and sexuality.
    With luxurious hair the color of caramels, luminous skin
    the color of toffee, and enormous almond-shaped eyes,
    the woman looked utterly edible. Carlotta slid Jack a
    sideways glance, wondering if he’d taken a nibble yet. He
    was a red-blooded male, and Maria had intimated to
    Carlotta that she was attracted to Jack, although she
    wasn’t looking for a liaison with a coworker. Carlotta
    wondered, though, if Maria was skittish for other reasons.
    Once she had overheard Maria on the phone talking to
    someone in an angry tone, asking them not to call her
    again. Maria had moved to Atlanta from Chicago “for a
    change” she’d said. She was a profiler for the Atlanta
    Police Department and had been assisting the GBI in the
    investigation of The Charmed Kil er while Jack had been
    banished because of his relationship to Carlotta and her
    family.
    Carlotta was sure that Maria’s profiling had led to Coop’s
    arrest. She frowned at the woman, but Maria seemed
    amused to see her. “In trouble again, Carlotta?”
    It didn’t help that the woman’s melodic voice was like a
    snake charmer’s flute.
    Carlotta yanked her arm out of Jack’s grasp. “I have a right
    to see Coop!”
    A couple of passersby looked their way.
    Jack glowered at Carlotta. “How about we not do this in
    public? What are you driving these days? Did Ashford buy
    you a pink Lamborghini?”
    She rol ed her eyes. “No. I’m getting a rental this evening.
    Peter dropped me off at MARTA and I rode to
    Underground, then walked here.”
    “Which means you didn’t tel him where you were
    headed.”
    She pressed her lips together.
    Jack sighed. “Wel , at least I’m not the only person you lie
    to.”
    “I didn’t lie. If Peter had asked me if I was headed to the
    city detention, I would’ve said yes.” Probably.
    “Get in the car,” Jack said. “We’l take you to work.”
    “I’m going by the townhouse first.”
    “Why?”
    “If you must know, Wesley wants to show me the new
    security system.”
    “Okay, we’l take you there.”
    She climbed into the back of the sedan, feeling morose.
    When Jack and Maria assumed their positions in the front,
    Carlotta crossed her arms. “Why are you so angry that I
    came to see Coop?”
    Jack turned around in his seat. “Did you and Coop get
    engaged and not tel anyone?”
    “No,” she mumbled.
    “Then you lied your way in to see him. How do you think
    that’s going to look to the GBI?”
    “I don’t care.”
    Maria turned around. “Carlotta, if you care about Cooper,
    you’l listen to Jack. Stay out of this investigation.”
    Carlotta’s acidic retort was cut short by a pointed look
    from Jack. Instead she sat back in a huff, stewing.
    After they’d ridden in silence for a few minutes, Jack made
    eye contact through the rearview mirror. “So…how did
    Coop look to you?” he asked quietly.
    Carlotta hardened her jaw. “Not good.”
    She averted her gaze and was quiet for the remainder of
    the ride. Jack and Maria talked in low tones, their heads
    and bodies leaning in. At one point Maria reached over to
    pick lint off Jack’s jacket—the man had certainly started
    dressing better since Maria had been assigned as his
    partner. And he didn’t seem to mind the extra attention.
    In fact, Carlotta had to tap his shoulder after he missed the
    turn to the townhouse she shared with Wesley.
    “Sorry,” Jack offered. “I just assumed my car knew the way
    since it’s been to your house so many times on distress
    cal s.”
    “Very funny.” But it was true. Since she’d first met Jack
    when he’d arrested Wesley for hacking into the city
    computer, their