An Imperfect Process by Mary Jo Putney

you're right and we'll find the rabbit in the haystack."
    "A metaphor mixer. But in this case, that's better than talking about smoking guns." Getting serious, Val pulled out her yellow-lined tablet. Despite all the high-tech devices available, at this point in a case she wanted a tablet and a blue felt-tipped pen so she could develop her thoughts on paper.
    For over four hours, they discussed the case intensively, analyzing the information they had and brainstorming possible areas of investigation. She also explained the legal options. Maryland was a fairly liberal state that performed few executions, but the governor wouldn't intervene in a case unless there were really solid reasons to believe that they risked killing an innocent man. Especially not in an election year. They would have to find extremely compelling evidence.
    Rob was a natural problem solver with a pragmatic approach to running down possible leads. Val found it stimulating to bounce ideas back and forth with him. Damned sexy, in fact. She had always had a weakness for smart men.
    She realized she was losing concentration when she found herself admiring the way light glinted from his dark blond hair. And such beautiful strong hands...
    Smothering a yawn, she said, "Time to call it a night. I think we've done as much as we can for now. The next step is old- fashioned digging for information."
    "Sifting tons of sand in the hopes of finding a nugget." He squared his files, then packed them in a battered canvas tote bag. "I may be a little rusty, but the Marines taught me well. I already have leads on some of the people I want to interview. It's a start."
    As she stood to escort him to the door, she said, "You've done more than military police and carpentry, haven't you?"
    She expected him to avoid the question, but after a hesitation, he said, "I used the Marine educational benefits to learn something about computers and worked in the field for a while." He got to his feet and slung the tote bag over one shoulder.
    "Would you care to add computer troubleshooting to your other work?" Val asked hopefully. "A lot of our work is done on computers, and when the system goes down, we get hysterical."
    "If that happens, I'll take a crack at solving them, but no guarantees. These days the hardware and software combinations are so complex that no one fully understands them."
    "That's what I'm afraid of," she muttered.
    They drifted to the door, the cats coming awake and ambling after them. Damocles liked Rob, which wasn't unusual since Damocles liked everyone, but Lilith did also, and she was usually shy with strangers.
    Rob took hold of the doorknob, then paused, his strikingly light eyes focused on Val's face. She came to full alert as the atmosphere changed.
    "This isn't the right time or place," he said haltingly. "There might never be a right time or place. Yet I keep thinking about a... non-business relationship with you."
    So she hadn't imagined that tug of awareness and attraction between them. But it was clear that Rob wasn't about to jump her bones. In a complicated situation, he was simply letting her know he was interested. Any negative reaction on her part and he would drop the subject, perhaps forever.
    What did she want? The reasons for keeping her distance were legion. He was her landlord, they were working together on a critical case, and she knew very little about him. Plus, her track record in choosing men was not great.
    Weighing against that was her attraction, and her loneliness. It had been too long since she had met a man who intrigued her so much. She would be a fool to throw this possibility away.
    She raised her hand and stroked his beard, enjoying the texture and tickle of it. Sexily male. His mouth was strongly shaped, a soft contrast to the beard when she brushed her fingertips across his lips.
    He touched her hair, twining a springy red lock around his finger. "I love your hair. It's so completely alive, just like you are."
    "Countercultural