In the Flesh. Rita Herron

this rude, or if you’ve just decided to grace me with your bad attitude, but I didn’t ask to be here today. So if you don’t want my help, that’s fine. I can leave now.”

      She started up the path, trembling as she tried to escape the awful smell and the image of that poor girl lying so hopelessly dead. Because no matter what she or he did, they couldn’t bring her back.

      And she didn’t intend to show her grief for the victim to this cold-hearted bastard.

      R AUL WANTED to let her go. But Black was approaching with a scowl on his face, and he knew he’d better shape up.

      “Captain Black requested you come, so he’ll want to hear what you have to say.”

      Her eyes blazed, and she hesitated. “And you, Detective?”

      He couldn’t lie. “You like sexual deviants. I have trouble with that.”

      “Like?” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “If that’s how your thought processes work, then you like criminals.”

      His eyes glittered with disdain. “I hunt them down and put them behind bars to get justice.”

      “And I treat sexual deviants to alter their negative behavior.”

      “They don’t deserve to be coddled or to be released on some stupid insanity plea.”

      “Maybe, maybe not. But they’re human, and if I can help one of them, keep one from committing a crime, from killing an innocent person or themselves, then I’ve saved a life, and that makes my job worthwhile.”

      Captain Black strode toward them, his jaw set in granite. “Dr. Madden, is there a problem here?”

      She turned her gaze toward him, and Raul scowled. Let her run to his boss, whining that he’d insulted her pride.

      “No,” she said instead. “I was just coming to relay my initial assessment.”

      Black shot Raul a dark look. “Good. We need all the help we can get on this case.”

      She nodded, a sheen of perspiration glistening on her face. “All right. Given the way the body has been posed, it suggests a sexual predator.”

      “Even though the girls weren’t obviously raped?” Black asked.

      She nodded. “Yes, perhaps he sees them as sexual beings, but he thinks they’re dirty girls and wants to expose them for what he perceives they are. He also may be conflicted. He likes them, is tempted by them but blames them for his fall from grace so he shames them. Ultimately, he has to kill them so they won’t entice him or any more men.”

      “That makes sense,” Black said. “Go on.”

      “Your killer is probably in his early twenties. He may have suffered a psychotic break meaning his reality is altered. Skewed. He’s attractive, appeals to young girls, or else he wouldn’t be able to approach them and convince them to go with him. He looks trustworthy, like a nice guy.” She exhaled shakily and Raul realized she wasn’t as cool as she’d acted. The girl’s death had disturbed her.

      “Although he appears confident,” she continued, “he’s an underachiever. He might have been abused or neglected when he was young or picked on by other kids. Maybe he’s been overlooked at work, passed up for promotions or works at a job that’s below his intelligence, a menial job he feels is beneath him. He craves power and control.”

      Raul studied her earnest expression, knew she believed the hogwash she was saying. “What good does all this do us? It doesn’t tell us who our killer is.”

      Her gaze was steady, unfaltering. “If you understand how the perpetrator thinks, get into his head and understand his motivation, you can use it to weed out suspects.”

      “I am in his head,” Raul shot back. “He’s a sick sadistic monster who takes young women’s lives. Now I need evidence, clues that will show me where to find him or where he’ll strike next.”

      Jenny sighed. “If you learn more or want to share details with me, let me know. The more information I have about the victims and the crimes, the more I can fine-tune the profile.”

      “Right,” Raul said, although he didn’t hide his contempt.

      Black cleared his throat and sent Raul a sharp look, but she actually offered him a smile. A condescending smile that knifed through him as sharply as her comment about family had.

      “You have my number,” she said, then headed up the path to her car.

      Raul tried not to admire her body or the fact that she’d stood her ground when he’d cut her down.

      “You’re a piece of work, you know that, Cortez,” Black growled.

      He shrugged. “I tell it like I see it.”

      “I asked Dr. Madden here on a consult,” he continued, pissed, “and I don’t expect you to undermine my authority by implying that she’s incompetent.”

      “You know how I feel about shrinks,” he said between clenched teeth. “We don’t need her.”

      “Maybe you do need her,” Black said. “You’re letting your past and your emotions cloud your judgment.”

      “That’s bull.”

      “Is it?” Black arched his dark brows. “You’re too wrapped up in your bitterness, and blaming every shrink in the world for your wife’s death, that it blinds you to the fact that Jenny Madden might be of value to our case.” He paused, but barged on before Raul could argue, “You haven’t dealt with your wife’s death yet, Cortez. You need help.”

      “The only thing I need is to be left alone so I can do my job.”

      Black pinched his fingers together, then parted them a fraction of an inch. “You’re this far from being suspended pending a psychiatric evaluation, Cortez. Either straighten up your attitude yourself or you’re off the case.”

      Anger heated Raul’s blood. “You wouldn’t do that.”

      “Try me.” Black narrowed his eyes. “Maybe Jenny Madden is just the person you should see. And on a professional basis. I could make that happen.”

      “Over my dead body.”

      “Then prove you don’t need counseling by working with her.” Black folded his arms. “Show her the respect she deserves. She might teach you a thing or two. She knows the mind of the sexual predator better than anyone around.”

      He bit back a caustic remark, and fisted his hands by his side.

      “After you finish here, and interview the family, then take copies of the files on the other vics to Dr. Madden. Let her study them and see what she says.”

      Raul silently cursed but nodded. He couldn’t disobey a direct order.

      Not when it meant his job.

      Besides, he could handle one little Jenny Madden. He could always pretend he was accepting her help. But he didn’t have to like it. And he sure as hell wouldn’t let her get inside his head or pour out his heart to her.

      After all, that heart had died the day he’d lost his wife and child. And it was dead forever.

      J ENNY ROLLED her shoulders to alleviate the tension knotting the muscles as she climbed into her car and started the engine. It was only midafternoon, and she’d already had a hell of a day. The visits with her mother always drained her, but she normally took a long run afterward to relieve the stress.

      Not today. No, she’d had to endure Raul Cortez, a man with a mountain of an attitude and dark eyes that were sinfully sexy, but haunted by some demons that only he knew. Because he obviously wasn’t a sharing kind of guy.

      But dealing with the detective was nothing compared to the anguish she’d felt at the sight of Judy