resounding
endorsement.”
He wiped his mouth with the white napkin. “From what I
know of Coop, he wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“From what you know,” she repeated. “Meaning you don’t
know him very wel ?”
“He doesn’t talk about his background much. You know
the circumstances of him losing his job as Chief M.E.?”
She nodded. “He told me what happened, said it was all
his fault, that he’d gotten off easy compared to the
woman who was hurt.” Liz sighed. “I hope I don’t have a
client who’s wil ing to take the fal for murder because he
thinks he wasn’t punished enough for something he did
before.”
“Is he going to plead not guilty?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Carlotta mentioned something about DNA evidence?”
Liz nodded slowly. “I can’t talk specifics, but it doesn’t look
good.”
“But Coop was on the scene of some of those murders as a
body mover. My DNA was probably there, as wel .”
“I know, and if a trial goes forward, his defense attorney
wil argue just that.”
“So you plan to only handle the arraignment.”
“As of now, yes. I don’t have the litigation experience to
try a case like this. I wouldn’t mind sitting second chair if
my schedule allows. But the hope is there won’t be a trial.”
“Have you talked to the D.A. yet?”
Liz’s mouth thinned. “Numerous times.”
“He’s out for blood, isn’t he?”
“Kelvin Lucas and I aren’t exactly friends, but I’d expect
him to pul out al the stops on this case since one of his
A.D.A.’s was murdered. I don’t mind representing a guilty
man—everyone deserves counsel. But I don’t want a client
who’s using the legal system to do himself in.”
Wes checked his watch. If he didn’t leave now, he’d be
late. He cut another piece of steak and stuffed it in his
mouth. “Carlotta and I are trying to find the real
murderer.”
Liz frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You should
leave it up to the GBI.”
“But we’ve got a lot of first-hand information since we
were on the scenes. And Carlotta stil thinks that psycho
Michael Lane is to blame.”
Liz leaned forward and crossed her arms. The movement
pushed up her boobs, giving him an inadvertent eyeful
through the opening in her shirt. Wow, they looked even
bigger than usual.
“I hope she’s right. The man can’t hide forever.”
Wes swallowed the half-chewed steak and caught her eye.
“Some men can.”
She smiled and gave a nod of concession. “Speaking of
Randolph, I read in the paper that his name had come up
as a suspect in this case.”
Wes nodded, remembering what Carlotta had told him
about his father’s involvement with one of the victims.
“They’re grasping at straws.”
“Have you or Carlotta heard from your dad since he talked
to her at the rest area in Florida?”
“No.”
“Would you tel me if you had?”
“Probably,” he said. “Would you tel me if he’d contacted
you?”
“Touché. But he hasn’t.” She drank more water, then
pushed a strand of hair over her ear with a hand that
shook slightly.
“Are you okay, Liz? I mean, you didn’t sound so good
before you left town.”
“I wasn’t,” she said. “I just needed a break from
everything, some time to think.”
Wes’s stomach clenched. In his experience, it was never
good when women took time to think.
“What are your plans, Wes?”
He stuffed another bite of steak in his mouth and chewed
with purpose. “A friend invited me to a party tonight.”
She gave a little laugh. “That’s not what I meant. I mean,
what are your plans for…your life?”
He blinked. “My life?”
“Are you thinking about going to col ege, getting a job?”
“I have a job…more than one, remember?”
“I know. But what about when your community service is
finished, and the undercover job is over? What do you
want to do with your life?”
The caring look in her eyes sent a tremor of fear
endorsement.”
He wiped his mouth with the white napkin. “From what I
know of Coop, he wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“From what you know,” she repeated. “Meaning you don’t
know him very wel ?”
“He doesn’t talk about his background much. You know
the circumstances of him losing his job as Chief M.E.?”
She nodded. “He told me what happened, said it was all
his fault, that he’d gotten off easy compared to the
woman who was hurt.” Liz sighed. “I hope I don’t have a
client who’s wil ing to take the fal for murder because he
thinks he wasn’t punished enough for something he did
before.”
“Is he going to plead not guilty?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Carlotta mentioned something about DNA evidence?”
Liz nodded slowly. “I can’t talk specifics, but it doesn’t look
good.”
“But Coop was on the scene of some of those murders as a
body mover. My DNA was probably there, as wel .”
“I know, and if a trial goes forward, his defense attorney
wil argue just that.”
“So you plan to only handle the arraignment.”
“As of now, yes. I don’t have the litigation experience to
try a case like this. I wouldn’t mind sitting second chair if
my schedule allows. But the hope is there won’t be a trial.”
“Have you talked to the D.A. yet?”
Liz’s mouth thinned. “Numerous times.”
“He’s out for blood, isn’t he?”
“Kelvin Lucas and I aren’t exactly friends, but I’d expect
him to pul out al the stops on this case since one of his
A.D.A.’s was murdered. I don’t mind representing a guilty
man—everyone deserves counsel. But I don’t want a client
who’s using the legal system to do himself in.”
Wes checked his watch. If he didn’t leave now, he’d be
late. He cut another piece of steak and stuffed it in his
mouth. “Carlotta and I are trying to find the real
murderer.”
Liz frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You should
leave it up to the GBI.”
“But we’ve got a lot of first-hand information since we
were on the scenes. And Carlotta stil thinks that psycho
Michael Lane is to blame.”
Liz leaned forward and crossed her arms. The movement
pushed up her boobs, giving him an inadvertent eyeful
through the opening in her shirt. Wow, they looked even
bigger than usual.
“I hope she’s right. The man can’t hide forever.”
Wes swallowed the half-chewed steak and caught her eye.
“Some men can.”
She smiled and gave a nod of concession. “Speaking of
Randolph, I read in the paper that his name had come up
as a suspect in this case.”
Wes nodded, remembering what Carlotta had told him
about his father’s involvement with one of the victims.
“They’re grasping at straws.”
“Have you or Carlotta heard from your dad since he talked
to her at the rest area in Florida?”
“No.”
“Would you tel me if you had?”
“Probably,” he said. “Would you tel me if he’d contacted
you?”
“Touché. But he hasn’t.” She drank more water, then
pushed a strand of hair over her ear with a hand that
shook slightly.
“Are you okay, Liz? I mean, you didn’t sound so good
before you left town.”
“I wasn’t,” she said. “I just needed a break from
everything, some time to think.”
Wes’s stomach clenched. In his experience, it was never
good when women took time to think.
“What are your plans, Wes?”
He stuffed another bite of steak in his mouth and chewed
with purpose. “A friend invited me to a party tonight.”
She gave a little laugh. “That’s not what I meant. I mean,
what are your plans for…your life?”
He blinked. “My life?”
“Are you thinking about going to col ege, getting a job?”
“I have a job…more than one, remember?”
“I know. But what about when your community service is
finished, and the undercover job is over? What do you
want to do with your life?”
The caring look in her eyes sent a tremor of fear
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