The Burden of Desire. Natalie Charles

just as she and Tessa were finishing up lunch. They needed to get back to work, and things with Ben were complicated. They’d dated for three months, during which time she’d fallen completely in love with him. It could have been a happy ever after, until he’d gone and betrayed her.

      She felt heat creeping up her neck. “I prefer to work with people with integrity, that’s all.”

      Tessa dabbed at the side of her mouth with her napkin, then opened her purse as the check appeared. “You’re not going to lose your job.”

      Sally shook her head. “You don’t know—”

      “You’re not going to lose your job because you’re too clever for that. Lunch is my treat, by the way.” Tessa slid a credit card over the check. “Considering the day you’re having, it would be unconscionable for us to go dutch.”

      Sally barely registered the gesture. “What do you mean, I’m too clever?”

      “I mean that if Ben’s going to review your file, you’re going to review Ben’s. You’re going to be his partner on this. You know that case. You know the weaknesses and the strengths better than anyone else. If you don’t trust him, then don’t let him out of your sight.” She shrugged as if it was truly that simple. “It’s not like this is a formal peer review. All Jack wants is a second set of eyes so that he can put some spin on it for the press. The way I see it, you stand your ground, supervise Ben while appearing to just be helpful, and you come out looking like a hero.”

      “How do you figure?”

      “I know you. You didn’t make a mistake on that file. I also know the crime lab, and they triple-check everything. So I’m thinking that you’re either looking at some kind of terrible scam or publicity stunt by Mr. and Mrs. Kruger, or you’re looking at something very grim.”

      Her words settled against the bottom of Sally’s stomach like a brick. “You think—”

      “You know exactly what I think.” Tessa leaned closer and dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I think that if the forensic evidence shows that someone was murdered in that house, then someone was murdered in that house.”

      “Yes.” Sally nodded slowly. “Someone was murdered, and we just got the wrong victim.”

      She ruminated on this idea as they walked back to the office. The wrong victim—was it actually possible? Her head ached.

      Before she reached her office, she stopped at the little closet of an office where Ben would be working. This was the worst office in the building, hands down. She sort of pitied him for it. He was sitting at his desk, absorbed in some kind of reading material. Her files. “Hey,” she said.

      He looked up, and her traitorous heart kicked. “Hey.”

      Sally cleared her throat. “The judge granted the motion, so Mitch Kruger will be released from prison.”

      Ben nodded solemnly. “Okay. Thanks for keeping me informed.”

      She ran her tongue into the corner of her mouth. “There are food trucks out by the park if you haven’t had lunch. I’ve already eaten, but I wanted to tell you.”

      He glanced out the window and then gave her a vague smile. “Maybe later. Thanks.”

      She felt as if she was having that dream where she was caught naked in public. A flush crept up her chest, and she turned to leave.

      “Hey, Sally?”

      She glanced back over her shoulder. “Yes?”

      “I got permission from Jack to include you in this investigation. We’re good to go.” He gave her a half grin that made her think sexy things that she shouldn’t be thinking. “You’ll have to let me know your availability. I’ll find the perfect place.”

      She glowered at him. So dinner with Ben was really going to happen? “Whatever,” she said. “But don’t expect me to have time for dessert.”

      She didn’t wait for a response before turning and leaving the room. Dinner with Ben. After ten years, this was really happening.

      She would have scolded herself for entering into such a corrupt bargain at a time of weakness, if she wasn’t so horrified by the shiver of excitement that the thought sent through her.