The Darkest Kiss Read Online Free PDF Page A

stay if you really want me to.”
    “I’m afraid I don’t.”
    “You lie, wolf man.”
    He didn’t deny it, which was a nice change, but his blue eyes were still cool. He was a man not easily swayed by hormonal attraction—not that I really wanted to get anywhere, particularly not at the moment—but half the fun was in the trying. I’m not sure what I’d actually do if he ever said yes. Besides the shock such an event would cause, there was Jack’s ruling to consider.
    I flung a hand in the direction of the main office. “You noticed the scratches on his neck?”
    “I did.”
    “Want to send me the full analysis and autopsy report when it’s done?”
    “I will.”
    “Thanks. I’m off to chat to the PA—what’s her name, by the way?”
    “Rosy Ennes. You can let her go once you’ve spoken to her.”
    “Thanks, I will.”
    I headed down, taking the stairs rather than the elevators, not wanting to risk another of those stomach-churning stops.
    The smell of coffee hit as soon as I pushed open the door and I breathed deep. It wasn’t a particularly fresh smell and it had a slightly burned edge, but any coffee was drinkable when you were as addicted to the stuff as I was.
    I looked around for the two women, spotting the blue of a police uniform in the far corner, then headed over to the counter, grabbing two white coffees and a couple pieces of chocolate cake. Once they were paid for, I picked up some sugar and walked across the room.
    “Can I help you?” the cop said, green eyes as cool as her voice.
    “Riley Jenson, Directorate.” I dumped the coffees and cakes on the table, then dug my badge out of my pocket and showed her.
    She didn’t look impressed. No surprise there. Though the police in general were thankful for our presence—particularly given it freed them from dealing with the worst of nonhuman excesses—there were still pockets who considered us little more than licensed killers. Which, in many ways, was nothing but the truth. It looked like this woman might be one of those.
    Either that, or she just wasn’t taken in by my charming personality and easy-to-get-along-with ways.
    “I wasn’t aware the Directorate now had day-shift guardians,” she said, inspecting the badge more carefully than necessary.
    Like anyone in their right mind would want to fake a guardian badge.
    “New squad, announced several months ago.” I shoved the badge back into my pocket and resisted the urge to suggest that maybe she should start reading internal memorandums a little more often. “I’ll take over here for the moment. Thanks.”
    She sniffed, then rose and moved away. I sat down in her seat, my nostrils flaring as I sampled Rosy’s scent. She smelled of lavender and eucalyptus, and also very human. I shoved a coffee and a piece of cake toward her. “Here. You look as if you need this.”
    She ignored the cake and wrapped her hands around the Styrofoam cup, her smile as wan as her lined features. I’d presumed—wrongly—that someone like Gerard James would have a young and attractive personal assistant. Someone that was easy on the eyes as well as efficient at her job. From the little Kade had said, he’d just seemed that type.
    But Rosy had to be in her late fifties—and with no makeup and her gray hair cut into an old-fashioned bob, she looked a good deal older. Maybe it did his political image good to have an older assistant or maybe she was simply damn good at her job.
    “I’m afraid I have to ask you about this afternoon, and finding Gerard James.” I lifted the lid off my coffee container and tossed it lightly into a nearby trash can. “You can take your time. There’s no rush.”
    She nodded, but for several seconds she didn’t say anything. She just sat there with her hands wrapped around the coffee cup and her eyes cast downward.
    “Rosy?” I said gently.
    She jumped a little. “Oh, yes.” Her voice was quivery, but she continued. “It was a little after two-thirty when I