Body Heat

CHAPTER EIGHT

JAKE HAD GOTTEN Brianne out the door, but not without almost succumbing to the urge to make love to her one more time. And he would have if not for her insistence about getting to work. Jake swallowed a groan, knowing that he’d let his heart rule his head and that it couldn’t go on. He had to concentrate on his job.

It was a job that he wanted over and done with so he could deal with his future. For now, the job had brought him to a rendezvous with Vickers at the hospital where the overdose victim had been admitted. And the hospital where Brianne worked.

As he walked up the concrete stairs, Jake glanced around at the crowds on the street, but Ramirez was nowhere in sight. Not that he’d expected the slime to jump out of the shadows and announce himself. But it was the guy’s damn lurking that was getting to Jake, making him wary and causing him to wonder what Ramirez had in store for Jake-and Brianne.

He glanced at his watch but his empty stomach already told him it was close to lunchtime.

“Make sure you get yourself something to eat in the cafeteria. I damn sure don’t want to listen to that grumbling all morning,” Vickers muttered.

Jake laughed, then sobered fast as he remembered why he’d had no time for breakfast. Indulging in more erotic pursuits, he thought wryly.

“Thompson will have my ass if he finds out I brought you with me to question a witness.”

Jake shrugged. The lieutenant was the least of his problems. If Jake ran into Brianne now, he’d have a hell of a time explaining why an on-leave cop with a bum shoulder was hanging around waiting to question a witness.

He glanced at Vickers, a brawny, balding man with good instincts but little tact. “What the lieutenant doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” Jake said. Not that he held any illusions. The lieutenant would hear about his visit one way or another. Jake just didn’t give a damn.

“At least if I get reamed I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing I won’t be the only one.” Vickers snickered.

They nodded to the uniformed cop watching the woman’s hospital room door, knocked, and, once given permission, walked inside. A drawn-looking young girl-she looked too young to be called a woman-lay in a bed, an IV in one arm and a dazed, bleak expression on her face. Black hair fanned the stark white hospital sheets and drew attention to her utterly pale skin. She turned to look at them as they entered but she didn’t utter a word.

Jake stepped back and let Vickers, the detective on duty, begin the questioning. Vickers flashed his badge. “Ma’am, we know this is difficult for you but would you mind taking us through what happened two nights ago?”

A lone tear dripped down her cheek. She looked younger than her twenty-two years but not too young to know better. Why the hell was she experimenting with designer drugs? She was pretty, and too damn young to have been so close to death.

“If you don’t want to talk here, we can do it at the station after you’re released,” Vickers said.

“You’re an ass,” Jake muttered under his breath. He trusted Vickers like a brother, but the man had the delicacy of an elephant.

When she remained silent, Jake stepped forward. “Telling us what you know won’t bring your boyfriend back, but it might save someone else.”

She visibly swallowed, then turned her head away from them, obviously unwilling to talk.

“Vick, go get me a cup of coffee, will you?” Jake asked. They’d discussed this scenario ahead of time, and Vickers had agreed if she refused to talk to the police, he’d give Jake, the on-leave cop, time alone with her.

He pulled up a chair and dragged it to the side of the bed. “Cops can be pretty intimidating when they walk in and flash their badges, all full of authority and bull.”

She rolled her head to the side and faced him.

A start, Jake thought. “I’m a detective but I’m on leave. Name’s Jake Lowell but you can call me Jake.” He figured he’d just sealed his chance of the lieutenant finding out about this visit. He’d kill him, but if Jake got information it was worth it.

“Hospitals suck, don’t they?” When she didn’t reply, he merely continued. “I was laid up myself a while back. I was shot.”

She blinked and raised her eyes to meet his. “How’d you get shot?” she asked.

Her soft, melodic voice sounded out of place in the drab hospital room and in the face of her dire circumstances. But at least he’d captured her attention. She was listening. “At a stakeout. Probably by the same guy who supplied those pills you took last night. The pills that killed your boyfriend.”

She winced, and Jake felt the slice of a knifelike pain in his gut. He knew he was pushing her hard and being cruel, but he hoped that by reminding her of what she’d lost, she’d fight harder to get the guy who’d done this to her. And maybe by aiding in Ramirez’s capture, she’d regain some of the self-esteem lost through the other night’s indulgence.

“I’m not an addict,” she whispered. “Neither is, I mean, was…oh God…neither was Neil. We just wanted to see what the fuss was all about. I never expected-” Her voice caught and her eyes filled once more.

Jake patted her hand. “I understand. Believe me, I see this more times than I want to count. That’s why I need you to help me out, Marina. Help me get the guy. All I need to know is what happened last night. How you got the pills. I’ll take it from there.”

She let out a huge sigh and nodded. Then, slowly at first and then with more trust and courage, she talked. Jake listened carefully. He already knew Ramirez’s MO by heart: Ecstasy delivered to college kids with food as the cover.

Louis had started small, supplying the sandwich man going through the dorms at the local schools, then he’d moved on to the popular restaurant and pub frequented by college students seeking to have a beer or two and unwind. And when they requested the right drink of the night, the patron would receive not only their order but drugs slipped in a rolled napkin.

That was why the pill stuck inside the plastic take-out wrap had intrigued Jake. This girl’s version of events was a variation of Ramirez’s MO. In this case, instead of a college student, they were postgraduate Psych students in summer school who’d decided, like the other college kids, to let loose and forget studying. They went out and picked up a meal from the newest “in” place. In Jake’s mind the similarities were great enough that he refused to rule out Ramirez as the supplier.

“So we ended up at The Eclectic Eatery.” She sniffed, and since her hospital gown was too short to be of any use, she wiped her eyes on her bare arm.

Jake leaned over, pulled a tissue from the table beside the bed and handed it to her. “Here-” He shrugged uncomfortably. Though Jake loved the investigating part of the job, he could do without interaction with the bereaved. It was difficult under the best of circumstances, and this was particularly tough.

“Thanks.” She forced a smile and rubbed at her eyes.

“You’re welcome.” He smiled back. “So what did you order?”

“I asked for a Greek salad, and Neil, my boyfriend…” She paused to gulp in air. “Neil ordered something he said was called a falafel, which I’d never heard of. He said it was an Israeli specialty, and The Eatery has dishes from every culture. I always thought Neil was an all-American hot dog or hamburger kind of guy but…” She shrugged.

Falafel? Jake shrugged. Apparently he was all American too, because he’d never heard of the foreign dish. “Did Neil ever ask for drugs?”

She shook her head. “I didn’t even know he was going to get them. I’d never done any before. But when we got back to the apartment, he pulled them out of the bag. Like this big surprise.” She averted her gaze, obviously embarrassed.

“Did you ask him how he got the pills?”

She nodded. “He explained it was all in the ordering.”

“Greek salad and falafel will get you drugs?” Jake muttered.

“No. Every dish has a different name. Greek salad is called Hellenic Heaven. Hellenic, as in the ancient Greeks, you know?”

Jake didn’t know, but he wasn’t about to get into a history lesson, either.

“What did Neil order?” he asked.

A smile briefly crossed her face. “Apparently that Israeli dish also had a history-based name. He said he wanted to taste The Promised Land.”

“I’ll just bet he did,” Jake muttered. He had to admit, the place had a good gimmick going.

But if the substance in the pills or the dead man’s body was Ecstasy, Ramirez’s drug of choice, the cops would close them down in a heartbeat. Hopefully the toxicology answers would come soon.

Without warning, Jake’s beeper went off and he glanced down at the number, then rose from his seat. “Thank you for your honesty, Marina. If I have any other questions, I’ll be in touch.” He’d also make sure she had a good lawyer for the possession charge that was certain to follow and a counselor to ensure this never happened to her again. He squeezed her arm and stepped into the hall.

“Get anything?” Vickers asked.

“Everything. I’ll fill you in on the way out. I’ll grab a sandwich at the cafeteria, too.” He glanced around. Secure that he’d escaped without being seen by Brianne, Jake punched the elevator button and was lucky to make a fast escape.

BRIANNE’S HANDS had shaken as she’d worked on every client of the day. Even now as she got ready to take a lunch break, her insides were quaking. She wished she could put the reason into words.

She’d known making love with Jake would change her in some way. She just hadn’t realized how differently she’d feel afterward. How much she’d want to stay in his arms and forget the rest of the world-her job and his occupation. And for too many fleeting moments this morning, she’d wondered if there was any way for them to make a relationship work.

Before she could go off on another what-if session, someone tapped her on the shoulder. “Hey, ready to get a bite to eat?” Sharon, another physical therapist and Brianne’s usual lunch companion, asked.

Shrugging off the memories of Jake for now, she turned to her friend and nodded. “I’m starving.”

“Then, let’s go.”

They walked through a set of double doors and headed down the maze of corridors that made up the hospital, a maze Brianne could navigate in her sleep. But she wasn’t surprised they’d had to redirect more than one confused person who’d ended up in the wrong place.

“Did you hear about the commotion last night?” Sharon asked.

“You worked late yesterday? I thought you got off at five.”

The pretty blonde shook her head and laughed. “When was the last time either one of us got out on time? The wife of one of my older patients asked me to spend some extra time with him, and they’re so sweet, I couldn’t say no. So I was here when an emergency overdose case was brought in.”

Brianne shook her head and sighed. Although her job didn’t normally bring her near the Emergency Room, she wasn’t immune to the stories or gossip. She couldn’t work in a New York City hospital and ignore the often sad stories that floated through the halls. “There are always OD cases coming in at night. What makes this one so special?”

“She’s got her own personal bodyguard. A uniformed cop is stationed outside her door, watching who comes in and out. And you know what?” Sharon leaned closer and whispered. “I checked him out this morning and he’s gorgeous.”

Brianne had her fill of gorgeous cops at home, she thought. She didn’t need to see any at work.

“What happened to Tony?” Brianne asked of Sharon’s long-term boyfriend.

Her friend shrugged. “We’re taking a break from commitment. Anyway, you’ve got to see this guy.” Determined, Sharon grabbed Brianne’s elbow and pulled her down a hall.

“The cafeteria’s the other way,” Brianne grumbled, but she knew the faster she checked out the cute cop, the faster Sharon would be satisfied-and Brianne would finally be eating lunch. Since she’d skipped breakfast, she was starving. But the reasons why she’d missed a meal had left her sated in many other ways-ways more important to her than appetite.

She walked with Sharon, and when her friend paused, rather indiscreetly in Brianne’s opinion, across the hall from the uniformed cop, Brianne stopped as well.

“Don’t you love a man in uniform?” Sharon asked.

Brianne murmured a noncommittal response. Because one glance at the man in blue told her he couldn’t hold a candle to Jake. Then again, she hadn’t expected him to. Brianne had a hunch that Jake had set the standard by which she’d judge men for the rest of her life.

She turned to Sharon to ask if she’d had enough, when she caught sight of a pair of men standing by the elevator on the far side of the hall. There were many dark-haired men in the world, but only one with that rebel posture and rugged cutoff sweatshirt. Only one who made her heart race, made her blood pound and made her want to lose her clothes and fall into his bed.

And he was a detective who was so attracted to danger that he couldn’t stay away. Not even when he was on injury leave. Not even when he’d been shot and wounded and hadn’t completely recuperated yet. The disappointment racing through her system was strong as she accepted the truth: he was a man who would always place himself in danger on a daily basis, no matter what his occupational status.

Brianne’s pulse began a thready beat and a wave of light-headedness assaulted her, a combination of shock, nerves and anxiety. Real anxiety, the kind she hadn’t had in so long, but the kind she’d experienced again upon meeting Jake. She had no doubt she could overcome it; she just hated that she had to.

Jake. Their connection had been intense and emotional from the beginning. What she felt for him was so strong, so consuming, she was afraid to put a name to it. But raising an adolescent had taught her the value of honesty, and the least she could do was be truthful with herself.

Brianne was afraid she was falling in love with the detective. But love was everything about who a person was inside as well as out. Jake’s job was an essential part of Jake Lowell, the man. So how could she have such a strong, negative reaction to his career choice?

If she truly loved him, she had to love everything about him. And she didn’t love his job. She admired it, and him-but she couldn’t accept the circumstances that went with it. She chose not to accept it for herself.

She’d spent years forging a safety net for Marc and herself. And Jake, a narcotics cop, was as far from safe as Brianne could possibly get. Any foolish notions she’d held about making a long-term relationship with Jake work sank along with the elevator he’d stepped into.

JAKE AND VICKERS walked out of the building and into the hot, humid New York City air.

“I hate hospitals.” Vickers gave a visible shudder.

“Then you’re in the wrong profession, my man.” A narc spent too many damn hours in hospitals.

“Well, I’m out of here. I’ve got some paperwork back at the precinct. I’ll call you when the toxicology reports are in.”

Jake nodded, swallowing around the last of the dry sandwich he’d picked up inside. While Vickers headed back to the precinct, Jake looked around for David. He found the man in his appointed spot, watching Brianne’s back from a location outside the hospital. They’d agreed they couldn’t cover all entrances and had settled for the one closest to Rehab. Since Jake couldn’t have Brianne tailed inside the hospital without her catching on, he had no choice but to trust she was safe in her daily routine.

He stopped near the sidewalk vendor who was selling hot dogs, hot pretzels and drinks from his cart. “I’ll take two colas.” Jake pulled some folded bills out of his pocket and paid the man, then walked over to David.

Jake handed a can of cola to his friend. “So what’s been going on?”

“Looks like your hunch was right. I saw your pal Ramirez taking a morning stroll outside the hospital about half an hour ago. Maybe he figured Brianne would be coming out for lunch.”

Although he’d suspected as much, Jake’s stomach clenched when he heard the news. “Damn,” he muttered.

“Don’t worry. He’s close but I’m closer.”

“Just keep it that way, pal. And remember, I’m trusting you with my life.”

“You mean her life,” David corrected him, but Jake heard the teasing in his friend’s tone.

“I never say what I don’t mean, so watch her back.” Jake meant no insult. He knew David would do his best no matter what, but telling David how strongly Jake felt about Brianne helped him entrust her life to someone other than himself.

He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Vickers. “Do me a favor. Turn around and come back,” Jake said without preamble.

He hadn’t wanted to let the police in on Ramirez’s interest in Brianne, but now he had no choice. He had to get the scum off the street for good, but he’d settle for Vickers keeping him busy while Jake checked out The Eclectic Eatery. The cops could pick up Ramirez for jay-walking and detain him for a little while. That was all the time Jake needed to do a little experimenting himself. He’d order off The Eclectic Eatery menu and, with a little luck, he’d score drugs. Then they’d be able to nail Ramirez and keep him in custody where he belonged.

Luck had better be on his side, Jake thought. Because if he came up empty and they had to let Ramirez go, Jake would have to tell Brianne he’d put her in danger-he’d have no choice. Without that knowledge, she wouldn’t be aware and careful enough to protect herself inside the hospital. On trips to the ladies’ room and supply closets, Brianne needed to be alert and on guard.

But he shuddered to think of her reaction. And he hated causing her pain or a return to the old fears she thought she’d put behind her. He knew Brianne was strong. She’d pull herself together enough to get through this. On a personal level, however, being honest with Brianne would mean not just the end of his summer fling, but losing her trust and faith in him, probably for good.

JAKE STEPPED INSIDE the too-quiet penthouse. With the silence surrounding him, he missed his apartment, a place where he could slam his front door shut in pure anger. Goddamn pansy elevator and its easy glide did nothing to alleviate his frustration. Norton slid on his run to greet Jake as he entered the apartment.

Jake scratched the back of his ear, the same way he’d seen Brianne pet the dog. Norton wasn’t satisfied and lowered himself to the floor, seeking a longer stretch of attention. No matter how much love and affection Brianne gave him at night, they were both still gone during most of the day. The pooch was obviously starving for affection if he sought it from Jake. He leaned down on his knees, gave the dog the petting he desired and got slobbered on for his trouble.

Before he could unwind and lose the tension of the day, Jake took Norton for a quick walk. Thank goodness, the dog cooperated, and he was back home before he knew it-home to mull over his unsuccessful trip to the gourmet shop where he’d failed to score. Of course, the order that signaled a request for drugs could change weekly or even daily. Jake had known that going in, but he’d still hoped this case would have an easy wrap-up. For Brianne’s sake. He dreaded reigniting her anxieties, and now he had no choice.

The only thing he had going for him-they had going for them-was this secure building. As angry as Brianne might be, she’d be foolish to leave here and the safety it offered. At least Jake would still have the summer to get back into her good graces, while keeping her safe at the same time.

He walked down the short hall to her room, but the door was open. A quick knock and look inside told him she wasn’t there. He headed across the marble floor and toward the gym, but that room was empty, too. He cursed.

“Today’s the day for strikeouts,” he muttered.

After he couldn’t score the pills, he’d called Duke and discovered the Forensics results were in. Duke had met him on the street away from the precinct, where Jake found out that Marina and her boyfriend had ODed on Ecstasy, Ramirez’s stock-in-trade. As far as Jake was concerned, the information was one more nail in the scum’s coffin. All they had to do now was link the pills to The Eclectic Eatery and link Ramirez to the restaurant.

Jake’s gut told him it shouldn’t be difficult. He glanced at his watch and the late hour shocked him. How the hell had the night gotten away from him? He’d been so busy trying to figure out a way to link the pills to Ramirez, he hadn’t even noticed the time.

But he noticed now. Where the hell was Brianne? According to her weekly schedule, she was over an hour late. Although he reminded himself she’d been late before, that she could have gotten hung up with a patient or stopped by The Sidewalk Café on the way home, this time felt different in his gut. And Jake never ignored his gut.

He reassured himself that she had David watching her back and the PI would have called if there’d been a problem. If he could call. The hell with denim and velvet, Jake thought, and flung himself onto the sofa, grabbed for the magazine and forced himself to flip through the pages. But he couldn’t force himself to focus, not even on the intensely sexual pictures. Anyplace in a photograph that was intended to be dark and sultry, instead reminded him of Ramirez and the possibility that he was lurking in shadows waiting to ambush Brianne.

More than once Jake reached for the phone, but telling himself he was overreacting, he sat on his hands. David would call, his mind insisted in direct opposition to his gut. Finally, when another half-hour passed, Jake no longer believed his own reassurances. He and David had agreed that if Brianne was running very late, David would get in touch. As far as Jake was concerned, going on two hours was very late.

With his heart pounding, he grabbed the phone and punched in David’s cell phone number, only to hear a series of rings and a voice-mail greeting.

“Damn.” Jake didn’t kid himself. Ramirez had killed one cop already. He wouldn’t worry much about taking out a civilian. The only option left was David’s beeper, and Jake shuffled through his wallet for the piece of paper with the number. But a sound stopped his frenzied actions, and he glanced up in time to see the doors slide open and Brianne step inside. In her ugly green scrubs and ragged ponytail, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and relief poured through him-sweet and pure and as fast as the blood pumping through his veins.

Common sense told him to keep his hands off her and maintain a level head. Reason dictated he sit her down and explain the situation he’d gotten her into. But his heartbeat drowned out all rational thought. She was here, she was safe and while she was with him, she was his. And right now those were the only things that mattered.

He rose and stepped into her line of vision.

“Hi, Jake.” She eyed him warily, making him wonder if he looked as insane with worry as he felt.

He moved closer, his heart thudding, his need so great he couldn’t control it. Jake ought to know better. Hell, he did know better. But not a damn thing could have stopped him as he reached out and pulled her into his arms.