Spirit of the Game: Plus: Spirit of Romance

By S. J. Smale

Spirit of the Game

In the first book, Spirit of Murder, Stella Blake, a tall, lean, redheaded kick-ass woman was forced to face the truth. This truth rocked Stellas world and nearly sent her over the edge.
In Spirit of the Game, she has not yet fully come to terms with this crazy deep secret of her family and still fights the idea of it. No longer a cop now but a private investigator, she still solves cases, kicks ass, and faces danger.
Stanley Hughes, her accountants genius brother, is in trouble. He and his friends created a lifelike virtual video crime game. Stupidly they put it online to tweak out some glitches while still in the developmental stage. Suddenly those crimes are being committed for real.
Stella has to work hard to keep the police from charging the boys with being accessories to the crimes. Once the murder portion of the game is played out, she comes face-to-face with a spirit. This part of the so-called gift of hers is very difficult for her.
George finds out that magic is somehow behind the crimes. He convinces her that the family is needed to help form a plan to save the young game makers while keeping the family secret intact.
She begins to find out the family secret has certain rules that must never be broken. She also finds herself suddenly agreeing to be engaged, making her world rock, once more, under her feet.

Spirit of Romance

Spirit of Romance has Stella waking up to find, to her utter amazement and terrifying fear, that she is engaged. She soon begins to think this engagement is the cause for doubting her natural abilities and figures shed have to find a way to get out of this engagement in order to gain back her natural talents.
Stellas new case for Manning Financial eventually becomes linked with the Homicide Division and their five cold cases. While working her case, she discovers that Brad Simon was released from prison by mistake. Now she has to save her friend Debra Styles by stopping Brads killing spree as well as solve her case by carefully sidestepping and going around the police. Piled on top of that, Stella is forced to deal with a very angry and determined ghost bent on seeking revenge on the man who killed her. Rita Cassidy was murdered under Stellas watch.
George, his squad, and Stella have some very heated arguments as their cases clash and finally get solved. Strange new feelings grow in her for George. Stella finds herself accepting his help to overcome some of her doubts and fears.
Once work settles down, Stella decides the best way to deal with her situation with George is to take her time adjusting to being engaged, but George has other ideas in that area.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: May 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490735726

S. J. Smale

I grew up in a small town. My nose was always buried in a book. I developed a love of reading and writing. Writing has filled my life ever since and has brought me so much joy.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

S tella Blake sat at her desk writing up her report on the case she had closed the night before. Tracking down the executive of Pure Tech and locating where he hid the funds he embezzled only took her two weeks. Thank God they weren’t all this easy, she thought as she wrote the report, or she’d be bored stiff.

Her long thick silky red hair swept back in a ponytail rested like a brilliant flame between her shoulder blades. She always tied it back whenever she worked to keep it from falling over her face. Her hair complimented her milky white skin that stretched over an angular face with sharp cheek bones. Feathery red bangs covered her brow dipping just below perfectly arched eyebrows to contrast with a pair of long sharp, sea-green eyes.

When she finished the report and filed it away in the out box on her desk, Stella sat back smiling. She had taken on and cleared five cases in the last month.

They were all relatively simple compared to the one involving her friend. That was over a month ago when her friend Debra Styles, the top fashion designer, had her life threatened. Debra’s assistant was injured and the love of her life was kidnapped.

A lot had happened to Stella during that case including being forced to face up to her true identity. That was a jolt to her system. It came perilously close to breaking her down and questioning her own abilities.

If it wasn’t for a certain Lieutenant George Smale helping her through it, and wasn’t that a kick in the head, she thought, she might not have been able to recover from a number of shocks being tossed her way one right after another.

She didn’t have to like the idea of her heritage. Her brow furrowed at the thought of magic. After all in this day and age no one really believes in fairies, elves, warlocks, necromancers, visionaries or empaths. Hadn’t she up until recently thought her mother’s stories had been just that, stories?

But there was no denying it any longer. She was part of that magical world. Now there was no going back to the safe world of normal for her, she sighed at the loss of that safe normal life.

She was sitting behind her desk, frowning, lost in her own thoughts when the office door opened. She looked up to watch the best part of magic walk through the door. Well, the best part she liked, loved actually. Tall and muscular, eyes so brilliantly blue they could make the heavens weep, set in a face carved by the gods, framed by long thick glossy black hair that kissed the collar of his jacket at the back. Her heart stammered as he slowly made his way over to her.

He bent down and brushed his lips with hers making her pulse leap. Busy? He noticed that her desk was cleaned off.

Not now, she sighed. Just got the last of it put away before the ‘dragon lady’ gets here.

Dragon lady?

My bookkeeper, she sneered. Naomi Hughes, the number cruncher from hell, UGH!

George threw back his head and laughed. All the dangers she had faced in the last month and it seemed a simple bookkeeper could leave this strong valiant vibrant woman quaking.

Oh, you wouldn’t think it so funny if you had to deal with her, she flared shaking her finger at him.

Darling if she’s that bad why don’t you get rid of her?

That’s just it, Stella got up to pace, pouting. She’s not bad, she’s terrific at it.

George shook his head, quirked an eyebrow. Apparently having a terrific bookkeeper was cause for frustration. Being terrific at her job makes her a dragon lady?

No, being terrific at it keeps the IRS off my ass.

Okay, Stella, I’m missing something here. What am I missing?

Receipts. Stella threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

I’m missing receipts? Now he was completely baffled.

Not you. Me! Stella stood toe to toe with him poking a finger in his chest. She’ll walk in here and then do you know what she’ll do? Do you?

Grabbing her hand to stop her from poking and with tongue in cheek he simply said, No.

Well let me tell you, she pulled her hand back and paced again flailing her arms around. She’ll go through all the files, then pin me for not handing in all the receipts. Like, I have the time to wait for one after paying for a lousy coffee while I’m on a hot lead. Her eyes sparked shooting out heat from frustration.

Can’t you just make one up? He couldn’t help the smile from forming.

Tried it, got caught. Deflated, Stella slumped back into her chair.

I think Stella Blake you have finally met your match here. His laugh boomed out.

Don’t I know it. His laughter only caused her pout to grow larger.

He bent down and hauled her out of the chair. I have the perfect remedy for the ‘dragon lady’ blues. I’ll take you to lunch and neither one of us will keep the receipt.

Yeah, that will show her. Stella couldn’t keep the laugh from pouring out as they walked out the door.

The Bistro on Main Street was a favourite among the white collar workers. It was located within walking distance of many of the corporate offices in the business section of town. It boasted a flourishing business for the lunch hour crowd. They were lucky to snag a table for two. It smelled heavenly, rich in spices, the aroma tickled her taste buds, instantly pooling saliva in her mouth. Stella ordered the pasta and meatball special. She left the wine choice to George.

Going with her choice he ordered a rich, full bodied red that beautifully complimented the food. It glided along her tongue to slip smoothly down her throat.

George watched her eat with such intense enjoyment, closing her eyes with each bite to savour the rich flavours that danced in her mouth. He smiled, loving the way she blocked out the hustle and bustle all around her, and just lose herself in the moment.

When the last morsel was eaten, Stella leaned back in her chair, Patting her stomach and sighed, smiling contentedly, she looked across the table into a pair of deep blue eyes smiling back at her. That got different juices stirring in her.

Thanks.

My pleasure. You know Stella, watching you enjoy yourself is always a fascination for me. I gather the mission was a success. You look more relaxed now.

Yeah, but I still have to face her, she frowned.

But you won’t have to face her with an empty stomach. He reached across to hold her hand and gave it a gentle pat. I could come over and help you out with that problem.

Stella knew he was offering to use his Warlock magic and that still made her a little jumpy. She was still coming to terms with her Elfin blood-line and his Warlock blood-line, she pulled her hand back.

No, I can handle it, she said quickly.

She lifted her glass and took a sip. So how was your morning?

He couldn’t help it; he knew she was still touchy on the subject of magic. Her reactions to it brought out the devilment in him to poke at her from time to time.

My morning was filled with paperwork. Nothing major happening in my division but Burglary Division is having a problem.

Yeah, I heard on the news that there were a few break-ins. They have any leads?

If there are, I haven’t heard of any.

That’s the way it worked, she remembered. It was her job that George Smale had taken over since she retired from the police force. A job and position she worked hard to get. Lieutenant of Homicide and even when she held the position, she remembered that every division greedily kept their business within their division and frowned on any outside interference.

They continued talking shop over coffee. When they were finished, George drove her back to her office, where he dropped her off before heading back to his. She had just sat down behind her desk when the door opened and the dreaded ‘dragon lady’ walked in.

Stella was about to take the defensive line and beg and plead mercy for any reprimand coming her way for the failure in procuring the proper documents her bookkeeper might demand, that she may not have. Those thoughts however dissolved when she glanced up and saw the look on Naomi’s face.

CHAPTER TWO

N aomi Hughes, all five feet two inches of her, walked in wearing her comfortable shoes and a drab two piece suit. Her mousey hair tied back in a bun at the nape of her neck. Stella thought she wouldn’t look so bad if she’d put some highlights in her hair and for God’s sake would it kill the woman to use some facial enhancements. If she put some effort into her appearance maybe it would give her more confidence.

It seemed the only time she came out of her natural shyness was when she was dealing with numbers.

Then she was a deadly force to be reckoned with. Nothing was permitted to disturb her concentration from the task of adding columns and balancing the ledgers. Stella began to wonder if numbers were her lover the way she poured herself into her task.

Usually, Naomi shuffled over to one of the tables, cleared a spot to work before heading over to the file cabinets. Being shy and timid, she was never big on conversation. She would just cast a shy hello over her shoulder, and then go right into work mode.

Today she stopped a few feet inside the door. Her eyes darting everywhere at once behind a thick pair of round glasses making her look like a nervous owl.

Naomi, is something wrong? Stella spoke softly. Her whole manner screamed nerves. She looked like she would bolt at the first opportunity. Slowly, Stella got up to go to her.

Oh, Miss Blake, oh, Miss Blake, I don’t know what to do. She grabbed Stella’s hand hard enough to cut off the circulation.

Wincing, Stella walked her over to one of the client’s chairs, sat her down and pried her hand free. Wiggling her fingers to get the blood flowing again, Stella went over to poured her a cup of coffee and set it down in front of her. She sat down beside her. She waited until Naomi lifted the cup with shaky hands and took a couple of sips.

It worried Stella to see her bookkeeper in this state. Normally she never displayed any emotion other than the love of numbers. Tell me what it is you don’t know what to do about.

It’s my brother Stanley, Miss Blake. I think he’s in trouble. The tears washed down her face, fogging her glasses. She took them off to wipe them with the hem of her skirt.

Stella noticed for the first time that her eyes were hazel and smaller than they appeared through the thick lenses. She pushed the box of Kleenexes sitting on her desk toward her, and waited for her to mop up her tears.

Before hiring Naomi, Stella checked her out. She and her brother were orphaned eight years ago when their parents were killed in a car accident. Naomi was eighteen and her brother eleven. She raised him while working and putting herself through college. There had been no problem with the law for either of them. The fact that she managed all this by herself, and God that must have been tough, had Stella admiring that kind of strength, dedication and loyalty. She was perfect for the job.

Okay, Naomi, tell me why do you think Stanley is in trouble.

It’s the burglaries. Naomi broke down and cried again.

Stanley is one of the burglars? Stella raised her eyebrows. She had met Stanley a couple of times when he came to pick his sister up. Her impression of him was of a quiet well mannered young man who absolutely adored his sister.

He stood inches taller than her with the same mousey brown hair and pale complexion but a little less timid. He didn’t strike her as the criminal type.

Oh God, no. No Miss Blake. No. Naomi whipped her head up. Stanley would never do anything like that. She grabbed Stella’s arm. You have to believe me.

Confused, Stella shook her head. Okay, Stanley isn’t in on the burglaries but it’s about the burglaries. I think you better start from the beginning and tell me why you think he’s in trouble.

Naomi let go of Stella’s arm and folded both hands in her lap. Taking a deep breath to calm herself she looked up at Stella through her thick lenses and proceeded to tell it the way her brother told her.

Stanley and a few of his class mates got together and made up a game. They call the program, ‘Virtual Crime’.

There’s no law against making up a game, Naomi.

That’s what I told Stanley, she began wringing her hands, and tearing at the tissue. But he said, he said the people in his virtual game were getting robbed for real. The tears started gushing again.

Naomi, Stella grabbed her shoulders and gently shook her to stop the hysterics. Tell me about this game, how it’s played and who are playing it.

The gentle shake did the trick. The tears slowed, Naomi turned her pale face toward Stella hiccupping a couple of times getting herself under control.

Stanley is taking Computer Science in College. He’s brilliant at it. Actually he is brilliant. He’s been tested and diagnosed as a genius. He skipped a few grades. Pride in her brother brought out a tiny smile. He and his friends created a virtual computer game program. They want to market it but have to work out some kinks. They set it up so they can play with each other on line so they can each write notes on where it needs to be fine tuned; Stanley says there is nothing out there to compare with it.

They made a computer game, that’s not against the law Naomi.

The swelling pride of boasting about her brother’s genius quickly fell away at what she was about to tell her boss. Naomi was afraid of going to the police with the story in case they thought her little brother was guilty. She was all he had and she had to protect him. Her only hope was to ask Stella for help.

No the game is not against the law, and there are different games on the program, but… biting her lip, she looked at Stella with her eyes filled with pleading for understanding.

The information put into the game was obtained legally. Miss Blake you have to believe me they did nothing wrong, foolish maybe. But not illegal.

Naomi, Stella narrowed her eyes. What information.

Naomi put her face in her hands and shuddered. Lifting her face up she squared her shoulders in a heroic effort preparing herself to tell it all.

One of the boys, Ben Collins, went to the county records and paid for blue prints of several buildings. They’re public records Miss Blake, she rushed on seeing the look of incredulity on her face. Anyone can access them.

No, Stella thought, not accessible to just anyone.

They put that information in the game. Stella’s eyes flashed with anger seeing the direction this was going. ‘~What the hell kind of game did they make?"

One of the games on the program is called ‘The Great City Heist’. Naomi barely whispered it, embarrassment washing over her.

Well of all the stupid idiotic things to do. She barked and jumped up to pace. So what, she turned on Naomi. They got tired of playing it virtually and tried it out for real?

Oh God no! Naomi jumped up. Miss Blake they swear they have nothing to do with the robberies. They only play the game on the computer.

‘Who else knows about this ‘game’?"

No one, I asked Stanley that and he says only the four of them know about it. Miss Blake what am I going to do? If the police find out about it they’ll think Stanley is in on the robberies and will want to arrest him. She sprang from the chair as great gobs of sobbing began again.

Okay, okay turn off the waterworks. Naomi’s eyes rained with the tears. Stella went around taking her seat behind the desk. Sit down Naomi and we’ll figure this out. The business attitude she took seemed to calm her bookkeeper down as she took her seat and folded her hands on her lap again.

Stella drummed her fingers on the desk, it helped her to think. She reached over, grabbed the legal pad and a pen and started writing. I need the names of Stanley’s friends involved in this, a copy of the game and an explanation of how the game is played. Then I want you to tell your brother to take the game off the computer.

Yes, Naomi sighed.

Once I check out the game I’m going to have to bring in the police. Sit! Stella ordered as Naomi popped out of her chair. There is no way around it Naomi. If Stanley isn’t directly involved he’ll be cleared.

But they’ll think he did it. Naomi wrung her hands, she had hoped to avoid the police.

It doesn’t matter what they think, it’s what they can prove. Now you go round up your brother and his foolish friends and meet me here in an hour.

Desperate to help her brother and trusting Stella, Naomi got up and walked out with a heavy heart.

It had been hard setting aside her own grief over the death of their parents to take over the care of her brother. He was her pride and joy. Never once did he give her an ounce of trouble or worry. She knew he looked on her more as a mother than a sister. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for him. This was the first time she didn’t have the answers for him and had to reach out to someone else for help.

Naomi hoped to God she was doing the right thing.

Stella had time to get her thoughts in order, make a few phone calls and gather data on the burglaries before meeting with the geniuses.

She called Shawn Riley, Captain of the Burglary Division. He took her under his wing as soon as she graduated from the Academy and joined the STPD. It was Shawn that taught her how to be a good Officer and he pushed her hard to be the best she could be. He also pushed her into taking the tests that led her on the way up the ladder through the ranks. It was because of his faith in her that she worked even harder to make him proud of her.

He’d become more than her mentor, he was her friend and, although she would never admit this to anyone, he was like a father to her. She’d have done anything to put a smile on that hang-dog, loveable face of his.

Shawn was happy to hear from her and brought her up to date on the burglaries that have been dogging his department. Before hanging up, he extracted a promise from her to keep him in the loop should she find out anything that would help his squad. She gave her word.

Now she waited for Naomi and the young men.

In they walked, four heads bent in shame followed by a more sturdy and determined looking Naomi. The fear still showed slightly behind her hazel eyes but the seriousness of the situation had her bucking up and ready to face whatever had to be faced.

The four gangly teenagers shuffled across the room to take the chairs they were ordered to sit in. Three of them held solemn looks while the fourth couldn’t hide a sneer. Stella waited for Naomi to take her seat before she stood up to address the up and coming entrepreneurs.

Out of the four of them only Stanley carried a pained look, due mostly Stella thought, for the worry he was causing his sister.

Stella stood in front of her desk, the position of power and stared down at them until all eyes were on hers. She held out her hand for the envelope and disc Naomi carried in, then, turned her attention back to the boys.

In case any of you don’t know who I am, I’m Stella Blake, a Private Investigator. Miss Hughes has hired me to look into this matter. She waited for that to sink in. Scared looks passed over three of their faces but the one still held a smirk with it. Well now, maybe there was something she could do to wipe that off, she thought. I will be contacting the police later today.

Mission accomplished smirk gone.

Now all four boys were wiggling in their seats with frightened looks.

I’ve made a few phone calls, she continued. "The four of you are top in your classes and up until now have had no serious problem with the law.

Mr. Collins, she narrowed her eyes at the boy with the attitude. Would you like to tell everyone here how you came into possession of the blueprints you used for your game? She put up her hand before he could answer. Let me just say that I was a Lieutenant on the police force and I do know the law."

Guilt flooded his face, eyes wide as saucers. He made loud gulping noises; giving Stella the impression that swallowing his smart ass attitude was giving him a bit of a problem.

We’re waiting, Mr. Collins."

Ben’s face flushed with embarrassment for being called out and angry for having to tell his friends he lied.

Stella watched him squirm.

I have a friend who works part time with his father at the County Records. Not able to look at his friends, he kept his head down. I asked him to make me copies of certain buildings for a school project.

And he just went along with it? She snapped.

Ben bunched his shoulders. ‘Well, yeah, after I told him I’d give him fifty bucks for them."

Stella’s eyebrows flew up. For fifty bucks he just handed over copies of the blueprints. She pinned him with fiery green eyes.

Sure, he said lots of people come in and pay for them, he coward under her stare. I didn’t do anything wrong, he whined.

Stella leaned back on her desk, lifted her chin to look down her nose at him, casting a feral grin across her face.

Well, genius, and I use that term very loosely on you, I’ll tell you exactly why what you did was wrong. Stella started counting off on her fingers. First, they are not accessible to just anyone. Second, you have to produce proper documentation. Third, and let’s just see if you are under any of these categories, you have to be a licensed contractor, a City Official or the owner of the building.

He never told me that. Ben’s quick mind grabbed onto what he perceived as a loophole.

You’re not a moron. Your greedy friend sold out for the fifty bucks. She gave him a disgusted look, making him lower his head again.

Stanley gave Ben a sympathetic look. He knew he didn’t set out to deliberately do anything wrong, it was just the total excitement of creating the game. But wrong was wrong and they had to make this right.

His gut was roiling at putting his sister through all this worry, knowing that he was the cause of it. He squared his shoulders to take on the burden of making this right even if it meant going to jail.

Miss Blake, the thought of going to jail had his pale complexion turning green. I’m sure Ben didn’t know at the time what he did was wrong, but we know it now, so what can we do to fix it. He just couldn’t bring himself to look at his sister, to see the disappointment on her face.

It felt good to know her instincts were right about him. Naomi had done an excellent job raising him.

I’ll need to know the name of this friend at the County Records Department, narrowing her eyes at Ben, "the blueprints of the buildings.

I’ll take a guess and say you couldn’t resist showing off to your friend and bragged about the game you were creating."

Ben’s face went scarlet, proving her instinct was not wrong. He shrugged his shoulders when the other three lit into him.

Naomi put her hand on her brother’s shoulder, squeezed, offering her support. It broke her heart to see the excitement and pride of his creation leave him to be replaced by fear of being responsible for the break-ins.

They’re not responsible for the thefts Miss Blake, her hazel eyes pleading for her brother. But of course they were to blame. She buried her face in her hands.

Stella watched Naomi crumble, her brother folding her into his arms absorbing the shudders from her weeping. Pain washed over him at being the cause of his sister’s distress.

Stella lifted her voice to get everyone’s attention. Creating a game is not illegal. The information and the way you obtained it, she eyeballed Ben, is illegal. She raised her hand as they were all about to jump to Ben’s defense on that point. They quickly closed their mouths. We’ll deal with that when the time comes."

We did as you asked Miss Blake, Stanley whimpered. We took it off-line.

Well that’s good Stanley, but it’s like closing the barn door after the horse is out. She shook her head. How could someone so smart be so stupid as to think taking the game off-line would end the crime spree? She waited for the four geniuses to process her statement, watching each one as a light bulb switched on in their brains.

We got hacked, Dean Proctor whispered eyes wide at the discovery.

Very good, Mr. Proctor, you go to the head of the class. Stella took her seat behind her desk. Looking across at them she wondered how four young men with IQ’s through the roof could be stupid enough to put the game on-line to start with.

Finding the hacker was going to take some time. She was going to have to go through all the addresses on the game, find out which places were left that hadn’t been broken into and give that list to the police.

She looked at each boy pinning them in turn with narrowed eyes. Then glanced over at Naomi, looking now like anything but a ‘dragon lady’ curled up in her brother’s arms. This moderately strong woman was reduced to tears and whimpers. It was her strength and courage that impressed Stella enough to hire her in the first place. Her eyes flashed anger at Ben for stealing that from her.

Naomi, anger made her speak more forcefully than she intended causing the whimpering woman to snap up away from her brother. I need you to take these young men home and wait for my call. All of you stay put and talk to no one until you hear from me.

You’re going to call the police, she whispered.

Yes, but I’ll see to it that the interviews will be here and not at Headquarters. She said quietly. The police have to be brought in Naomi, you know that.

Yes. She clung to her brother again, but this time, offering her support and protection.

As soon as the five of them left, Stella got busy on her computer and ran the names of the four boys. Stanley Hughes, Gary Burger, Dean Proctor and Ben Collins came up clean. No sealed records and no criminal records on any of them. A couple of traffic violations but that was expected due to their ages.

She breathed a sigh of relief knowing that would go in their favour. ‘Just some over enthusiastic smart kids trying to make their mark in the world,’ she mused.

Stella took time to go over all the information Naomi brought her. After viewing the game, she had cause for worry, but she could see the potential of a successful future for the boys. They really are brilliant she thought.

She made a list of the addresses incorporated in the game and put a call in to the one person she knew would help.

She knew Lieutenant George Smale would see it the same way as her that these boys were only guilty of being overzealous and a little foolish. The fact that he was on the same wave link as her and trusted her instincts was her own personal miracle.

Then she placed the call to the Burglary Department and gave Shawn all the information and asked that the boys be interviewed in her office.

After explaining the situation and giving him a short background on the geniuses he agreed to her terms.

CHAPTER THREE

W ell now, aren’t they the clever ones. After viewing the game, George leaned back in his chair rubbing his chin, a gleam in his eyes. I’d say these boys are on the right track to becoming millionaires before they hit thirty.

Clever? More like stupid I’d say. And it’s that stupidity that just might keep them out of jail.

She understood the look of excitement in George’s eyes. She recognized the genius that went into the programming as she viewed the game again with him.

The graphics were so life-like and real, each level plotted out a perfect crime right down to the last detail covering for most every contingency. It listed schedules to security guards, showed the locations of all the security cameras for all the buildings, and gave the player the thrill of finding a way to bypass them to get to the next level. It was indeed the perfect planning for the perfect crime.

Anger erupted inside her spewing out of her eyes. With all that talent the boys could have programmed any number of games but they chose crime.

What the hell were they thinking?

George watched the battle of anger and worry warring inside her. He reached for her hand to stop her fingers drumming on the desk.

It’s a game Stella, a clever one, but still just a game.

They could have made a game of anything, anything, but they chose crime.

They’re boys, and boys like the adrenaline rush of danger.

Well they sure got their rush. Someone is playing this game for real. Stella yanked her hand free, stood up to pace. Naomi’s brother and his friends could be charged with complicity in the burglaries.

George went to her, cupping her face in his hands. Stella, darling, I’ll talk to Captain Riley in Burglary. I’m sure he’ll understand there was no intent on the boys’ part. But, he leaned in to brush his lips with hers. The information was obtained illegally and they will have to face the consequences for that. I think a little community service will do them good.

Good, she sighed, that’s good, but I’ve already talked to Shawn. He’s setting up a time for his men to interview the boys here.

That tells me the boys will be dealt with fairly, he smiled.

Worry and anger melted away to be replaced by a surge of lust that filled her. He did that to her with just a look or a touch, blocking out all other thoughts but what they could bring to each other. Her hands found their way travelling up to fist in his thick black hair, pulling his head closer, capturing his lips, her body melted into his. He could always do this