Seduction's Dance (McKingley Series) by Aliyah Burke, McKenna Jeffries

needed a person who worked fires. Understood them and how people who set them thought. “Why the feds?”
    “Because they’re really not doing anything else on this case yet it has finally occurred to them you may be onto something with a serial arsonist and offered to help out. It’s not like it was a secret who’s building this was, you know. Your family knows some big people.”
    “Wonderful. Do I get to meet this person?”
    “Right now,” Chief said, gesturing with his chin. “Meet Agent Gahlau.”
    The name sounded familiar to him. He turned to find himself looking at a tall woman. She was beautiful—her black hair was drawn back in a severe, no nonsense bun, her golden skin shined healthily and she had vibrant green eyes. Nope, he’d never met her before—he would have remembered.
    “Inspector Wright,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.”
    He took her hand, surprised by the strength in her grip. “Dimitri.”
    “Shayla.”
    “And how much experience do you have investigating actual fires, Shayla, versus sitting behind a desk at the local FBI office?” He knew his tone was sharp, but damn it all, he didn’t want some rookie trying to figure this out.
    Her green eyes narrowed slightly. She spoke, but, her tone had none of the welcoming warmth from before. Hell, it should have put out all the flames here and in hell.
    “I get that I’m encroaching on you. We just thought you’d appreciate the help in ensuring this went smoothly and you didn’t have any results tossed out in court because of your relationship with the victim. And as for your question, I’ve been in the FBI for all of six months. Before that, I worked in Los Angeles since I was eighteen as a fire fighter. So I’m very confident in my skills as I’ve been learning about fire and reading its signatures since I could walk. More than that, though, my father was the top arson investigator in two major cities before we moved to the West Coast.” She turned and walked off, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll be at your office at six.”
    “Good move, Dimitri. Piss off the woman who you’ll be working with.” Chief laughed and puffed on his smoke.
    “I had to make sure she knew fires.”
    “Don’t you remember Albert Gahlau?”
    “Yes, that’s where I remember the name.” He paused. “Oh shit, that’s…”
    “His daughter.”
    Dimitri blew out a breath. This was not a good day. He’d insulted the daughter of a legend when it came to solving fires and his sister’s center was currently in flames, although they were thankfully being pulled under control.
    Chief walked off, talking into his radio. He stopped and looked back. “Do us a favor, Dimitri. Be nice to her. I think she’ll be good enough.”
    Dimitri went back to where his sister stood and explained the situation to her. When she nodded, he let it go and he continued to stand beside her, offering silent support. Tomorrow morning he would be back to start getting to the bottom of this. It hit him that Shayla knew what time he would want to start collecting information at the site of the fire. Had he just been managed? He would want to be here about six-thirty, which would give them a bit of time before to talk.
    Katiya and Warwick finally left. He remained off to the side, alone watching as the fire fighters doused the final flames.

Chapter Eight
    Dimitri rose from where he was crouched in the wreckage at The Oasis. He glanced to his left and spotted Shayla working her way toward him. Before they’d met earlier in his office, he’d found out more about her, from before she’d become an agent. He’d heard nothing but good things about her. Dimitri had even contacted his cousin, who was also in the FBI, and she’d provided some insights into Agent Gahlau. Their discussion had solidified what he’d come to find out about Shayla—she was meticulous and driven to do her best. He wouldn’t have expected