Some Like It in Handcuffs by Christine Warner Page A

sexier with each passing day. His long fingers moved along the edges of the papers he studied, and she licked her lips imagining them caressing her skin. He drove her crazy. The magnifier in her hand dropped to her side. Her ability to concentrate plummeted to zero.
    She stepped back. “Are these all the pictures?”
    Judson looked up. “No. There are more on the table.”
    Grateful for the chance to put some distance between them, Sunny turned toward the table, pulled out a chair and sat to examine the remaining photographs with the magnify glass. Some she placed in a pile to be hung up, the others were either too grainy or duplicates, and she slid them into the original envelope.
    She turned in her seat to look at Judson. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten our discussion. We’ll forget this morning ever happened, but I’m still angry about last night.” Her cheeks heated, but she didn’t look away.
    “I’m sorry about this morning.” He sounded sincere, even though the muscle in his cheek ticked, which made her wonder if he was suppressing a smile.
    “I know,” she murmured. “It was an accident, but I can’t help feeling—”
    “Vulnerable.” Judson finished for her.
    She winced. “That’s one word to describe it.”
    “I’m not lying when I tell you I didn’t see much.”
    “Really?” Her eyebrows rose to her hairline, disbelief in her voice.
    “I’d just woken up, my vision was blurry.” His smile looked lame.
    “You’re trying to tell me you didn’t see me standing in front of you with barely a stitch of clothing on?” She tilted her head.
    “If it makes you feel better I am.” He grinned.
    Sunny shook her head. “There’s really not much I can do about it at this point is there? I’ll get over it.”
    When the room grew silent, Sunny whispered, “But don’t think you’re off the hook for last night. That discussion is still open.”
    “I’m ready when you are, Wildcat.”
    She smiled to herself.
    Moving through the pictures she’d left out, she searched every detail for what seemed like the hundredth time. She put the magnifier on the table and rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands. There were only a couple of pictures to go over again. Sunny grabbed one and held it up to catch the light from the one small window in the room. The skin on the back of her neck itched in recognition.
    How could she have missed this before? Sure, the red hair was longer, there was no beard, and he appeared leaner, but there was no mistaking the sinister eyes of Slater. He seemed to be looking right at the camera, almost like he’d known she’d be studying his picture twenty-six years later. Goose bumps moved along her arms. After picking up the magnifying glass with unsteady hands, she took a closer look.
    Yep, it was definitely Slater. Knowing he stood outside the complex where Karina had been strangled only hours before turned her skin cold. She flinched and the magnify glass bumped against the surface of the table with a hollow thud as she recalled the note she’d received in her mailbox yesterday, and the conversation she’d overheard.
    “Did you find something?”
    Sunny jumped at the sound of Judson’s voice. She turned toward him. He stood in the same spot, still reading through the papers and writing notes on the dry erase board.
    “I think I did.” She held out the picture. “Take a look.”
    “Whatcha got?” He held the picture between his thumb and pointer finger, looking at it then her.
    Excitement caused her to bounce up from her seat. “Right here.” Sunny tapped her finger on Slater’s image in the photo. “Do you know who that is?”
    “Hmm, looks kinda familiar.” He grabbed the magnifier Sunny held out to him and looked again. “Is that Benny’s sidekick?”
    “The one and only.” Her heart accelerated. Her skin heated up and she removed the robe and down vest, throwing them over the seat she vacated.
    “Now this is an interesting twist.” Judson circled