The Rogue Reviewer (Primrose, Minnesota Book 3) (4 page)

“Don’t ask,” Dara warned.

“I’d really like to know.”

When Marnie opened her mouth, Dara shot out
an arm to cover the other woman’s mouth with a hand. “Wait! Before
she answers, do we need to sign a treatment contract?”

Bri released an obnoxious giggle. “You two
didn’t murder anyone, Dara. I’m just curious.”

“Ow!” Dara yanked her hand back from Marnie’s
mouth and scowled. “No need to bite. I was going to let you
answer.”

Marnie simply grinned. “The Columbian
necktie.”

“Wow.” Bri blinked several more times. “Well,
don’t fret. I’m sure Mace has everything under control.”

“Of course,” Dara mumbled.

Bri stood and glanced at the still-empty
window. “I’d better get out of here before someone rats me out to
Jake.” Dara didn’t miss her sly smile. “Again.”

“Sorry about that,” Dara groaned while she
rested her head back against the wall. Screw infestation.

Bri just giggled and headed back down the
hallway.

“You ratted on her?” Dara winced as Marnie
slapped her on the thigh. “Shame on you!”

“Only because she insisted on baiting a
lunatic kidnapper with her half-naked body!”

“Oh.” Her friend bit her lip. “Then I take it
back.”

Desperate to shake the madness of the evening
from her mind, Dara rolled the back of her head across the brick
surface. Columbian necktie or not, the reviewer lay dead and they
were still suspects at this point. What a girls’ night out.

She took a long, deep breath and released it,
amazingly grateful when Alex click-clacked toward them, dressed in
a fresh suit, her hair perfectly pinned, and her makeup
flawless.

“Good grief, Alex,” Marnie groaned, “couldn’t
you at least
look
like you’ve spent the night engaged in
wild monkey sex?”

Dara glanced down at her own wrinkled blouse
and reached to tuck a piece of fly-away hair behind one ear while
she silently agreed. Yet, Alex’s failure to immediately respond
caused her to move her gaze to the other woman and raise an eyebrow
in curiosity. Normally, Alex wouldn’t hesitate to issue a catty
response with claws bared – this time, however, silence echoed in
the unsterile hallway.

She couldn’t stop the grin that split her
lips. “Well, well, well.”

“Oh my God! I was right!” Marnie
squealed.

“Relax, both of you.” Alex waved one hand in
dismissal. “It was an experience I won’t repeat.”

“Bummer,” Marnie mumbled. “Judge Bowman?”

Alex smirked. “I plead the Fifth. Now, brief
me on the reason the two of you need an attorney.”

Dara frowned at Marnie. “You didn’t tell
her?”

“I told you, she was
busy
. I just
asked her to meet us here.”

“Oh, nothing much.” She folded her arms
across her chest and pinned Alex with a stare. “We just happened on
a corpse in my living room.”

“A corpse?” Alex dropped her briefcase.
“Who?”

“The Rogue Reviewer.”

“Seriously?” Alex-the-iceberg seemed to melt
as she hustled them both into a nearby corner. “Neither of you have
given a statement yet, have you?”

“No freaking way,” Marnie grumbled.

“This can’t be good, Alex.” Dara’s stomach
churned. “Just hours ago —”

“Ssshhh!!” Alex squeezed her forearm. “Don’t
say a word. I’ve got it all under control.”

Marnie cleared her throat. “Uh, there’s more,
Alex.”

Alex tilted her head to one side, obviously
waiting for an explanation. Dara obliged.

“One of my kitchen knives was trapped beneath
her.”

“Did they lift your prints off of it?”

“I have no idea but I’m thinking that’s a
moot point because it’s my knife!”

Alex tapped her bottom lip with her index
finger. “Whose idea was that anyway?”

“Alex!”

“No one’s,” Marnie chimed in, “unless you
count the Columbian necktie.”

“Ssshhh!” Dara’s head swam. “And don’t act so
smug. We all know that was your idea, Marnie.”

Apparently not too bothered by the
overwhelming evidence of murder, Alex stepped to the sliding glass
window and knocked. When no one answered, she crossed her ankles
and leaned one shoulder against the white button, filling the
hallway with a continuous, obnoxious buzz. Seconds later, the
window slid open.

“Good evening, Officer Bohanan,” she drawled
without even looking up, “would you please ask Detective —” She
paused and glanced at Dara.

“Turner.”

“Turner,” Alex continued, still pressed
against the button, “to get the lead out? I’ve got a hearing at
eight thirty in the morning and he interrupted my beauty
sleep.”

Dara wasn’t surprised when the officer didn’t
offer an argument and left the window. Not too much later, a door
opened and she moved her gaze slightly to the right and onto the
sexy mountain of male standing there. Ironic that the same man had
the ability to lock her good and tight in his handcuffs.
Oooh.
Yeah.

“Dara.” He gave a small nod while her gaze
traveled the length of his hard body. Even his wrinkled white dress
shirt couldn’t hide the well-defined muscles of his biceps. She
worked hard to force herself not to drool. “You’re first?”

“Wait a minute,” Alex stepped back from the
buzzer and prevented any agreement. “You two are on a first name
basis?”

“Uh, yes.” Dara purposely avoided looking at
Alex. Besides, prying her gaze from the sexy detective was the
absolute last thing she wanted to do. Just the thought of those
muscled forearms wrapped around her body broke out her skin in
deliciously-arousing goosebumps.

“As soon as you two stop undressing each
other we can get this over with.”

Dara tore her concentration from Mace and
glared at Alex.

The other woman simply shrugged. “C’mon
Marnie, I have a feeling this won’t take long.”

“Miss Carpenter can wait in the conference
room while we question Dara.” Mace waved them into the inner
office.

Alex paused just inside. “We?”

“Detective Stewart and myself.”

“Jackson Stewart?”

“Yeah. You know him?”

“I do.”

She caught a slight twitch of Alex’s lips,
almost as if her friend fought back a smile at the discovery of
Detective Stewart. Yet, Mace’s abrupt turn of his back to them gave
her the impression there would be no more discussion. She glanced
at Alex who only shrugged.

“What about Detective Rawlings?” she asked
Mace as they followed behind him down a hallway until he stopped
outside a door labeled
interrogation
.

“He’s wrapping up Bri’s case.” He reached to
loosen the buttons at his cuffs and roll his sleeves to the middle
of his forearms. Dara swallowed hard, not out of fear, but because
her thoughts had suddenly turned a totally different direction, As
long as she were allowed to concentrate on his bare skin,
interrogation at Detective Turner’s hand might not be so bad.

He turned the knob and gestured them inside.
“Have a seat. I’ll get my partner.”

The door clicked shut before Alex spoke.
“Please tell me you don’t know Detective Stewart intimately.”

“Alex!” she hissed. “You know as well as I do
that we’re being videotaped.”

“So? Do you? I need to know.”

“No! Nor do I know Detective Turner
intimately
.”

“I’m willing to bet he knows his way around a
woman’s body.”

“Oh, Alex,” she groaned.

“What, Dara? You write romance novels for
Pete’s sake!”

“Yes, but not based on my own experience! I
have no idea if Mace is some sort of sexual dynamo or not.”

But I’d be willing to find out. In the name
of research, of course.

Dara gave her head a shake to clear her
wayward thoughts. “Alex,” she said instead, “I’m being questioned
about murder. Could we please focus on that unfortunate
circumstance?”

“Relax, this won’t take long.” Her friend
patted her shoulder as she stood and stepped toward the glass
windows in the longest wall. She gave the glass a rap with her
knuckles. “Okay Detectives, let’s get this party started.”

Seconds later, both men entered the room and
took two empty seats across the table from them.

“Detective Stewart is here for observation,”
Mace explained. “I’ll do the questioning.” He reached toward the
recording device in the middle of the table and glanced at Alex.
“Counselor, are there any questions before we begin?”

“Just one.”

Mace raised an eyebrow.

“Can you prevent your emotions from clouding
your interrogation of my client?”

For three seconds – she knew because she held
her breath while she counted – Dara waited, incredibly curious to
hear his response. In all reality, they had only spent a short
amount of time together. How much emotion could there possibly be
between them? Sexual tension, however, was a whole different
animal.

She moved her gaze to Detective Stewart who
appeared just as interested in his partner’s answer. Although, his
eyes never moved from Alex.

“Absolutely certain.” Mace’s deep, husky
voice slid over her body like warm, smooth syrup and caused her to
look back into his smoky bedroom eyes. She fought hard to keep from
panting. Whether he knew it or not, she had a fairly good idea that
the detective had lied through his teeth. Emotion, pure and simple
stared back at her. Lust to be exact, the one emotion he couldn’t
disguise or control even if he wanted to.

Alex cleared her throat. “Proceed.”

Mace pushed a black button on the device and
spoke. “What type of books do you write, Dara?”

“You already have that information,” she
answered.

His face reddened. “I, uh, have to get it on
record.”

“Contemporary romance, usually
mysteries.”

“And how exactly would you describe the
subject matter?”

“Hot,” Alex answered for her.

Both detectives appeared intrigued, but as
promised, Mace continued the questioning. “Can you elaborate?”

Warmth invaded her cheeks, not due to
embarrassment – she’d written numerous novels and was way beyond
that reaction. Instead, the heat had everything to do with the man
who sat across the table from her and the erotic images that
tickled her brain. Several times she already mentally unbuttoned
that starched white shirt and pressed her lips against the skin
underneath.

“For the record, my novels contain scenes of
a sexual nature, Detective.”

“Nicely put.” Alex grinned. “Almost as good
as the real thing in my opinion.”

“Alex...” She growled a warning but the other
woman only picked up steam.

“In fact, Dara probably has an extra copy.
She could even autograph it for you.”

Detective Stewart unsuccessfully attempted to
hide a smile and then shot Alex a wink across the table. Dara
wasn’t really surprised – Alex attracted men on a daily basis.
Mace, though, surprised her when a slow grin creased his lips and
she didn’t know exactly how to interpret the reaction. All she knew
for sure is that grin would look better if he were naked.

“Let’s get back on subject, Ladies.” Mace
cleared his throat. “What time did each of you arrive at
Hannigan’s?”

“Marnie and I rode together,” Dara told him.
“We arrived at seven o’clock p.m. Annie and Reagan were already
there. Alex was late, as usual.”

“You mentioned a DRAMA meeting. Is this
something you attend on a regular basis?”

“Every Thursday.”

“Why Thursday?”

“It’s the most convenient day for all of
us.”

“Does anyone else know about this
meeting?”

“I can’t say for sure but I would guess any
of the regulars at Hannigan’s have noticed by now.”

“And you know the owner personally?”

“Yes. Chad and I go way back.”

“How well do you know him?”

“Don’t answer, Dara.” Alex raised both
eyebrows at Mace. “That’s irrelevant, Detective, unless you have a
personal interest.”

Detective Stewart mirrored Alex’s gesture and
steepled his fingers, obviously waiting for his partner’s answer.
Dara fought the urge to giggle hysterically at her attorney’s
reprimand.

Mace frowned, obviously bothered by the
interruption. “I’m trying to determine if he is credible to give
her an alibi.”

“Oh.” Dara nodded her head in exaggerated
sincerity. “He’s
very
credible.”

“What did you discuss during the
evening?”

“Sex.” She pinned him with a challenging
glare as the little white lie escaped her lips. “Do you need
specifics?”

“No ma’am. Anything else?”

“We read my fan mail.”

“Do you receive much correspondence?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. I have quite a
few loyal readers.”

“Male or female?”

“No, Dara.” Alex interrupted again. “Personal
interest, Detective?”

“Curiosity.”

Alex tilted her head from side to side as if
weighing his response. “Okay, Dara, answer.”

“Both.”

“Really?”

“Really,” she repeated with a smile. “You’d
be surprised how many thank-you messages I receive from men.”

“Did you drink anything?”

“Not as much as I should have,” she mumbled,
“but yes, the five of us shared a couple bottles of wine.”

“What time did you leave?”

“Ten o’clock p.m.” She glanced at Alex.
“Judge Hatchet has the hots for my attorney.”

Detective Stewart cleared his throat and
leaned forward.

Alex smirked. “Irrelevant before you ask,
Detectives.”

“According to your statement, you and Miss
Carpenter arrived at your townhouse together. Who found the
deceased?”

“Both of us.” Dara swallowed hard. “The body
blocked the door and it took both of us to open it.”

“Did you phone for help immediately?”

Dara purposely left out Marnie’s suggestion
of a glass of wine. “Yes. Marnie phoned.”

“Did you touch the deceased?”