Лиза Джонс - Secrets Exposed

“He? Are you sure it’s a he?”

“The police profile says yes.” Ticking off items with his fingers, he went on, “White male, mid-twenties, likely to have a middle class background, white collar. Autopsy reports support the profile.”

Lindsey took in the information, feeling an odd familiarity to the Hudson case. She sucked in a deep breath and then exhaled before continuing. If her father noticed, he didn’t show it. “That said, have you gotten any certain evidence of his innocence?”

“Very little so far, I’m sorry to say. I fell ill just after taking the case.” He started to cough again.

Lindsey hated the gruff-sounding cough. Leaning forward on her knees, she patted his back. “Daddy, are you okay?”

“Yes, yes fine. Stop acting like a worrywart. Now, back to Williams. I wouldn’t have taken it if I didn’t feel he was innocent. Have you reviewed the file?”

Lindsey moved to a squat position, feeling a nervous need to reposition herself, and then leaned back on the heels of her feet. “Not in detail,” she said, and quickly thought up an excuse so he wouldn’t guess she had been avoiding the case. “I haven’t had time. Just wondered what your thoughts were, is all.”

He frowned and succinctly reprimanded her. “Don’t you think you need to get the man’s defense going?”

Lindsey clamped her jaws together. He had a lot of nerve acting as if she was slouching on a job she didn’t even want. Irritated, she blurted out her next question. Speaking without thought wasn’t her style. But then she wasn’t quite herself, and she knew it. “Why did you part ways with Mark Reeves?”

His eyes darkened. “I don’t want to talk about that man. Not now. Not ever.”

So much for tact, thought Lindsey. Now he was defensive. “Wouldn’t he be far more qualified than me to fill in for you? I haven’t practiced law in years.”

He shot her a look that would have most people squirming. For Lindsey it was just another one of his ways of intimidation that no longer affected her. “I refuse to have this conversation. Mark Reeves is out of the picture. Next question.”

Her response was quick. She wasn’t his little yes-girl any longer. “I want to finish with this subject first. Why not ask Mark Reeves to return?”

“Is this why you came here, to stir up a subject better left closed?” he demanded.

“You have a lot of time invested in Mark Reeves,” she said, ignoring his question.

He snorted. “Wasted time.”

Lindsey eyed him intently. “He’s a good man. I need to understand what happened.”

He waved a dismissive hand. “How would you know? You don’t even know the man.”

She sighed. This wasn’t going to be pretty, but she might as well get all the ugly out in the open and done with at once. “I’ve met him Daddy, and I know people. He is a good guy. Besides, just his reputation alone says he is an honest, hardworking man.”

His eyes widened. “What do you mean you have met him?”

She shut her eyes a minute, grasping for patience before continuing, “It really isn’t relevant how I met him.” She gave him a hard stare. “Make me understand why I am here doing what he should be doing.”

His face was pale, and his breathing rapid. “Lindsey, enough. We concluded our relationship on a sour note—the end. If you’re such a damn good judge of character, stop blaming yourself for Hudson, and do what you’re supposed to do. Run the damn firm.”

Lindsey flinched. That was a low blow even for him. Anything to get his way. “I’m not taking over the firm, so I suggest you reconsider your position on Mark.”

He crossed his arms in front of his body. “You belong here. Your home is in Manhattan.”

She shook her head and pushed to her feet. “My home is in Washington.”

He pointed at her, anger making his ears redden. His pale face seemed more chalk-like against their brightness. “You have responsibilities here, and you need to live up to them.”

The nurse appeared at his side. Lindsey hadn’t even noticed her approach. “Mr. Paxton, it’s not good for you to get so upset. I’m afraid we need to break this up. You need your rest.”

Not wanting to listen to her father chastise the nurse, she spoke before he could. “Fine, I’ll leave.” Lindsey touched his shoulder, guilt over upsetting him twisting in her stomach. “Get some rest. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

By phone, she thought, and turned and walked away before he could say another word. She couldn’t count on her control any longer. Distance. She needed distance from the suffocating pressure she was feeling.

Chapter Three

Her elbow hit the coffee mug, and it plunged into her lap.

Lindsey jumped as the hot liquid splashed her skin and seeped into her dress. “Great! Just great.” She reached for a tissue in the top desk drawer. “Figures,” she mumbled grumpily. “Bad day, bad luck, bad everything.”

She blotted at the moisture on the silky material for a moment and then dropped her elbows to her desk, letting her face fall into her hands. She needed a minute. It had been a long night of no sleep, her thoughts and emotions raw from her argument with her father. Sighing heavily, she yanked more napkins from the drawer and stood up. Tugging at her dress, she lifted the damp cloth away from her skin.

“Need some help?” A deep, masculine voice came from nowhere, it seemed. Lindsey jumped yet again, one hand flying to her chest.

She looked up to find Mark Reeves standing in the doorway. Her eyes went wide at the sight he made. Sexy, powerful, and far too attractive for Lindsey’s comfort, he seemed to fill the room with his presence. A warm awareness danced along her nerve endings. This man got to her without even trying.

She had forgotten what it was like to have sex—until now. Mark sent vivid, not-so-pure thoughts, racing through her mind. Just being near him seemed to remind every inch of her body what she had been missing the past few years. She wasn’t immune to her carnal needs. They just hadn’t been stimulated.

Until now.

He wore a well-tailored blue suit with a powder blue tie. In some cases, a suit made the man. In this case, the man definitely made the suit. Looking like something out of GQ magazine seemed to come natural for him. Only he was flesh and blood and standing in her office. He was like a piece of Godiva chocolate, perfectly wrapped, and she was quite certain, even sweeter unwrapped.

“I take it I pass inspection?” he said, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe. The amusement in his voice made her eyes dart to his face.

A tinge of red filled her cheeks. Busted. Damn. Chewing her bottom lip, she tried to muster up a good response. What was it about this man that made her lose good sense? Trying to sound as normal as possible, she grasped for words but faltered. “Sorry, you look so, so . . .” she paused, wondering why she had forgotten how to use the vocabulary she had spent years of schooling to develop. Where was the cool attorney who could ice an ice princess in the courtroom?

Mark raised an inquiring brow, a challenge twinkling in his eyes.

She cleared her throat. “Different,” she finished. “I didn’t mean to . . .” She paused again. To, what? Dream about seeing you naked? Admire your hot body? What, Lindsey?

He laughed softly. “I didn’t mind.”

* * * * *

Any apprehension Mark had felt about coming back through the doors of Paxton was gone the minute he saw Lindsey again.

She needed him.

For some insane reason, that really mattered. There was simply something about her that called out to him. He’d seen the torment in her eyes when he’d watched her from the door. Before she had ever known he was there.