Temptations of Anna Jacobs by Robyn DeHart

“When?”
    So evidently Simon hadn’t shared that particular bit of information with her. “About two months ago. The Ripper came after my sister-in-law. Well, she and Alex weren’t married at the time”—he waved his hand dismissively—“but that’s neither here nor there. In any case, she injured him.”
    “Who is your sister-in-law?” Anna asked.
    “Mia Danvers.”
    “Oh, that is right, the blind girl. I read about your brother’s nuptials in the newspaper, though for whatever reason I hadn’t made the connection.”
    “I don’t use the Carrington name in any capacity,” Drew said. “My father and I did not get on well.” Though that certainly didn’t begin to scratch the surface of his problems with his family.
    “What made the Ripper go after Mia?” She could not imagine the horror of being sightless and attacked so viciously.
    He saw a softening in her eyes, and something less than professional infused them. Sympathy. Anna could be the cold, analytical professional when need be, but she was a sympathetic woman underneath it all.
    It made Drew trust Simon even more to know that while the man had shared some facts of the investigation with this sister, he had protected Mia, which Drew knew would please Alex to a great degree. His brother still employed extra staff to guard their house and keep her protected at all times should the bastard come back to find her. He certainly knew who she was—he’d once left her a note.
    “This cannot leave this room,” Drew began.
    Anna nodded. “I am quite discreet and certainly know the importance of secrecy with official investigations.”
    “Mia witnessed the murder of the first victim in Mayfair.”
    “The one on your family’s property?”
    “Precisely. Eventually the Ripper discovered this fact and came after her.”
    Anna frowned. “How would he ever find out such a thing?”
    Damnation
. Drew longed to forget precisely how the Ripper had discovered Mia’s connection, but it would seem the truth would continue to rear its ugly head. Drew inhaled deeply, rubbed a hand down his face. “I told him.”
    “What?”
    “Inadvertently, of course. I had no idea who he was or even that he was listening to me. I was speaking to some friends.” He took a deep breath. “I was inebriated.” He’d been expecting Anna to cease looking at him as if he were some sort of hero. This should certainly do that.
    Her lips pinched together and she nodded slowly. “I suppose it couldn’t have been helped then.”
    He suspected she realized there was more to his story, but she didn’t push, and for that, he was grateful.
    “So, back to my original question: could such an injury cause the wounds on the victim to look different?” he asked.
    “Of course. Where is his injury? Where did she shoot him?”
    “No one knows. He escaped. The only thing we know for certain is that Mia fired a shot and there was blood on the floor where he’d been and again at the window where he escaped. They tried to follow the trail, but it was dark and they found nothing.”
    She shook her head. “There’s no possible way for me to know if said injury would affect the use of a knife without knowing the precise details of the injury in question. If he were shot in the leg, it’s not going to affect how he wields a knife.”
    “Obviously.”
    She was quiet for several moments. He watched her face as she considered all the possibilities. Even now, the taste of her lips stayed with him, and he wanted more. More of her kisses, more of her smiles. Simply more of Anna.
    Perhaps she had other thoughts that could explain the differences in the injuries, or the use of an alternate weapon.
    “Why did you kiss me? The other day?” she asked.
    Drew felt his brows rise in surprise. “Is that what you were thinking about? I suspected your thoughts were more academic in nature.”
    She shrugged. “Academic or not, I am still a woman.”
    “It seemed the thing to do,” Drew said with a