“What’s the situation in town?”

“We’ve managed to restore most basic functions—pretty much the whole town has electricity again,” Reese said. “We’ve got problems

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with sewage containment—a public health consultant is coming in tomorrow to test our water and liaise with our public works department.

I imagine you’re here about the property damage?”

“Property and personal losses,” Ash said wearily. “Mostly corporate claims, though.”

Reese noted the dark circles beneath the remnants of Ash’s summer tan. “You look like you’re running on fumes.”

Ash grinned ruefully and flicked a crimson strand off her cheek, automatically raking a hand through her hair. “My biggest client happens to insure ninety percent of the businesses on the Cape, which means we’ve got claims pouring in by the hour as people return and start assessing the damage.”

“I imagine along with the legitimate claims you’ll get some bogus ones too.”

“That’s pretty much my specialty these days—insurance fraud. My job is to screen the claims on-site and hand off the straightforward ones to under-agents. Anything that looks questionable…” Ash shrugged.

These days insurance fraud often involved organized crime networks, since purchasing real estate was a popular way to launder money. So was destroying property and picking up the clean insurance payouts. “I get to dig around until I’m satisfied that the claim is valid.”

“What do you need from me?”

“I’d appreciate it if I could have a look at your incident reports to cross-reference with my claims.”

Reese pulled a pad off her desk and made a note. “Done.”

“And it would be helpful if you let your officers know that I’ll be poking around pretty much everywhere in town for the next few weeks.”

“Poking around.” Reese raised an eyebrow. “We had quite a few fires, at least one major. The fire marshal hasn’t even cleared half the damaged buildings yet. The town engineer has a list as long as his arm of public structures and businesses to be assessed for structural damage.

I don’t want a building coming down on your head.”

“I’ve got a pretty good eye for structural integrity,” Ash said mildly, not bothering to mention she’d been an arson investigator with the Massachusetts State Police before going private. Reese knew her creds.

“I know you can handle yourself, but while you’re in my town,

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you’re my responsibility.” Reese tapped her pen on the pad. “I’ll need a list of properties you intend to inspect and your schedule.”

“I don’t mind giving you the addresses of the claims, but my schedule changes constantly, depending on what I find.” Ash shook her head. “There’s no way I can provide you with any kind of itinerary.”

“Then I’ll need you to check in regularly.”

“Reese,” Ash protested, “I know what I’m doing.”

“Don’t doubt it.” Reese spread her hands and said calmly, “The town is a mess, Ash. Parts of the West End aren’t even habitable yet.

Hell, even some of the big places up on Pilgrim Heights got hit. I don’t want any more casualties, and I don’t think you should be working alone.

I’ll have one of my officers accompany you as much as possible.”

Ash’s face lost all expression. “That’s not necessary.”

“There you go, trying to tell me how to do my job again.” Reese stood. “You’ve worked with my people before. We won’t get in your way.”

“I don’t suppose I can change your mind?” Ash said, getting to her feet.

Reese knew Ash didn’t expect an answer to her question. “Where are you staying?”

“At the Crown Inn.”

“Leave your cell number with Gladys. I’ll have one of our officers contact you later this morning.”

“Thanks, Sheriff.”

“Be careful, Ash.”

“Not to worry,” Ash called over her shoulder as she left. “Careful.

That’s my middle name.”

v

Rica Grechi finished taping up the padded wrapper on a small oil painting and smiled as she handed it across the counter to a customer.

“This is a wonderful gift. I’m sure your sister will love it.”

“Thank you so much,” the middle-aged woman said. “I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to get here, what with all the mess out on the roads.”

“I really appreciate you braving the chaos to come in.”

“Oh, it was worth it. I just love your gallery.” The customer

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gathered up the painting along with a voluminous purse and several other packages. “I’ll be sure to tell all my friends to stop by—as soon as things get back to normal. Whenever that is!”

“Thank you,” Rica called.

The bell over the door chimed just as the woman reached it, and Rica prepared to welcome another customer. Then her pleasant anticipation changed to a quick thrum of excitement when she recognized Carter holding the door open for the customer to exit. She hurried around the counter just as Carter shut the door, and flipped the store sign to Closed.

“Come on in the back,” Rica said, grasping Carter’s hand and pulling her through the gallery.

“Glad to see me?” Carter inquired with a suggestive chuckle.

“Nope. Had enough of you last night.” Rica smiled to herself, remembering how hungry she’d been for Carter and just how many delicious ways Carter had made her come. When they reached her office, out of sight of the front windows and the people walking by on Commercial Street, Rica threaded her arms around Carter’s neck and kissed her. Carter made a low, growling sound in her throat and tugged Rica’s silk shirt free of her pants.

“We’ll see about that,” Carter muttered.

“Not so fast, stud,” Rica said, bracing her arm on Carter’s chest.

Carter’s eyes had already taken on that intense focus that signaled she was aroused, and as much as Rica loved to know that she could put that look in her lover’s eyes in under a minute, she didn’t want to get distracted. Well, she did, but not just yet.

“After a greeting like that, you’re going to put the brakes on?”

Carter tugged Rica closer and caught Rica’s earlobe between her teeth.

She nipped and grumbled, “Tease.”

“Mmm, like you mind.” Rica kept her arms around Carter’s neck, but leaned back in her embrace, preventing Carter from enticing her into more kisses. Kissing Carter was an addiction she had no desire to control, and once she started, she wasn’t likely to stop. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. That was just a little hello kiss.”

Carter contented herself with running her hands up and down Rica’s slender back. Rica had left her long, wavy midnight hair down, and it flowed around her pale, oval face like a frame on a classic painting. Rica’s ebony, almond-shaped eyes glowed with happiness and

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excitement, and that was all Carter needed to see for her world to feel complete. She kissed Rica’s forehead. “Tell me your news.”

Rica tilted her head, studying Carter with a playful expression.

“What makes you think there’s news?”

“It’s written all over your face.” Carter skimmed her thumb over the faint dent in Rica’s chin. “Give.”

“I’ve just landed a new client—Gillian Fitzgerald.”

“The expressionist?” Carter whistled. “She’s hot right now, isn’t she?”

“The New York Times is calling her one of the most exciting avantgarde painters of the last half-century. And she’s agreed to let me open her new works here, before we move them to Manhattan.”

“You’ll need to spend some time in the city, then,” Carter said casually. She didn’t like the idea of Rica moving back into the kind of circles where she would be vulnerable to her father’s or his associates’

influence. Don Alfonse Pareto had been suspiciously absent from Rica’s life in the last six months, but Carter didn’t believe the reprieve was permanent. Rica was the don’s only child, and Pareto had made it well known that he expected to turn his business enterprises over to his daughter, or his daughter’s husband, when he retired. Just because Rica had informed her father that she had no interest in his business at the same time she’d told him she was a lesbian and in love with Carter, didn’t mean the don was on board with Rica’s program. But Pareto was Rica’s father, and she loved him, so Carter said nothing.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Rica said quietly.

“Do you?” Carter nuzzled Rica’s neck. “Then you’ll leave that sign on the front door and sneak out the back with me for an hour or two.”

Rica laughed and stroked Carter’s cheek. “Darling, you wouldn’t last an hour.” At Carter’s look of mock hurt, Rica kissed her lingeringly.

“You know I don’t mind. I love to make you lose control.”

“Rica,” Carter warned. “Don’t tease if you’re not going to finish.”

“I’m going to finish. Just not right now.” Rica grasped Carter’s hands and stepped back, keeping her fingers threaded through Carter’s.

“You’re worried about my father. He can’t force me to do anything I don’t want to do. My spending time at the gallery in Manhattan won’t make any difference. Try not to worry.”

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Carter nodded. “All right.”

“What happened when you talked to Reese?”

“I’ll be spending my nights in a patrol car again,” Carter said with a grin.

“Are you going to be all right with that?” Rica asked gently.

“Perfectly fine.” Carter kissed Rica on the nose. “Piece of cake.”

Rica searched Carter’s eyes for some sign of disappointment.

Carter had been a decorated officer in the Massachusetts State Police, but because of her association with Rica she’d been interrogated by the FBI, her professional integrity had been called into question, and some of her colleagues no longer trusted her. Carter insisted her decision to walk away from her career as an undercover detective had nothing to do with their relationship, but Rica wondered if Carter had been completely honest with herself. Rica had seen that Carter was bored with practicing law after just a few months even though she insisted otherwise, and her boredom wasn’t just because small-town law lacked challenges. Carter would have been dissatisfied in a big-city law office too. Carter was a cop, not a lawyer, but starting over again in a small provincial department had to be hard for her.