One Night

Chapter 12, One Night

By the time Walker arrived downstairs, Kruso had already helped herself to a soda. The thing of it was that there wasn't a detective he worked with who hadn't shown up here when he was home. Most knocked before walking right in. Kruso, although an anomaly among the bigger cops around her, fit in kind of like the team mascot. She was tough, foulmouthed, and smart, and her youngest kid was just out of diapers.

"So when did you start bringing witnesses and victims of crimes home and sleeping with them?" she asked before taking a swallow of ginger ale.

"When did you start just walking into my place?"

She shrugged. "I knocked, you didn't answer. I got worried, is all." She jutted her chin toward the stairs. "So?" she asked, waiting him out.

"She's interesting" was all he could say. The truth was that Kate had kind of bowled him over. The sizzle between them was off the charts, and he'd never experienced a woman like her. He'd thought that after the first time, he'd be satisfied, but he still wasn't, not by a long shot. It was the taste of her, and every time he had her, he wanted more.

"Hmm," she said.

He wasn't sure he liked the way Kruso was eyeing him up. Before she could start poking her nose in his business any more, he decided to steer the conversation away from his libido. "So what happened with this Ryder dude? You said he called 911."

"Units are on their way, should be there now. Apparently his place was trashed. That's all I know. Thought you wanted to know, as well, since this is your case—and you are, after all, protecting the victim."

The way she said it, Walker knew she was trying to get the conversation back on Kate. "What about Cindy Schmidt? Where is she?"

Kruso was wearing the same tweed jacket she always did, with dark pants. Her cropped hair looked as if she'd gotten out of bed in a hurry and forgotten to brush it. "Well, that's the thing. She's not at home. We've got units out looking for her. The crime lab had a go at your Kate's computer and found a virus on it."

He heard the creak on his stairs and turned to see Kate in his T-shirt and her shorts, still barefoot, her wet hair combed back. She had a killer body and stirred his interest more than a woman ever had. Talk about a match in bed!

"A virus on my computer?" she asked. "How can that be? I have an antivirus program on there that's supposed to be top notch and catch everything."

Kruso gave her a look, taking in her attire. "Well, that's the thing. Nothing can protect you from everything, and as soon as an antivirus program has a patch to catch a virus or other malware on your computer, more are created that slip through."

"Great. That's just great," Kate added, sounding annoyed.

Walker could understand, to a point. He held out his hand, and Kate took it, stepping beside him. Of course Kruso didn't miss the gesture. "So her computer has a virus. What does that have to do with Cindy, the IT gal stalking Ryder Connelly?"

"It means that someone put a virus on my computer, hacked into it, and has my information," Kate said. "Am I not correct, Detective? I assume you know who did it, too."

He wondered for a minute whether Kate was going to ramble on again. Good God, she was so outspoken, but he was also starting to realize she wasn't just a woman with a pair of breasts to die for, killer curves, and long legs that wrapped around him and held on while he drove into her. She was smart.

"You're right," Kruso said. "It appears that someone has been watching everything you've done. We've had trouble tracing it back, but crime lab did. Whoever did it is good, but we're better. And Ms. Cindy Schmidt has been watching you, reading your emails. She most likely has the same virus on Ryder Connelly's computer. It just happened you were the one he was in contact with."

"So that's how she knew I was meeting Ryder for dinner. She planned that little drive through." Kate was squeezing his hand, but if he hadn't been holding it, he never would have known she was trembling. It was so subtle, and now he knew how truly scared she was. She was good at hiding her feelings, but he was getting better at reading her. The body never lied, and Kate's sure as hell didn't.

"Well, let's get on over to Ryder Connelly's and see what's going on," Walker said.

"Great, I'll get my shoes." Kate pulled away, starting for the stairs.

"Wait!" he snapped. "You're not going anywhere."

"What? Of course I am," Kate said, and he could tell she was ready to argue, so he started toward her.

"No, you're staying here, where I know you'll be safe. I'm going to a crime scene. You're not coming." He stepped closer, putting his hands on the finest ass he'd ever seen. "Go get in bed, and wait for me there."

The flicker of heat in her eyes was enough to make his jeans feel tight and damn uncomfortable, but she leaned in and kissed him, then turned and started up the steps, flicking him a heated look that had him wanting nothing more than to follow her upstairs and sate his desire.

"Smooth there, Walker," Kruso said. "Maybe you want to go tie her to your bed before we leave."

He turned to Kruso, who smiled innocently. "She's not coming," he said, jamming his feet into his shoes and grabbing his leather jacket from the back of the sofa.

"Maybe not right now."

"Good God, you've got a dirty mind." He grabbed the front door and ripped it open. "Let's go," he said as Kruso followed, laughing softly.