The Black Sheep P. I. (Silhouette Romantic Suspense #1513)

"I need you to find my husband's killer." Dominic Cordasic stared at the shapely blonde behind the polished oak desk. Was she crazy? It had been seven years since he'd last seen her, seven years since she'd dumped him for Evan Adair, and this was why she'd asked to see him? "No," he told her, taking pleasure in the way she narrowed her cat-like blue eyes. "I can't." "Can't? Or won't?" Rachel Everhart Adair crossed her arms, multiple bracelets jangling. "I'm offering you the opportunity of a lifetime. Media exposure galore. You'll be the most popular private investigator in Las Vegas if you succeed." Despite having spent the last eight years in Vegas, she hadn't lost her Texas drawl. "And if I fail?" He couldn't resist taunting her, though part of him knew he also jeered at himself. "You won't." The quiet confidence in her voice stunned him. Was she deliberately reminding him of happier times, when they'd believed in each others' dreams? No doubt she knew how badly he needed the work. Still, this was Rachel. The woman with whom he'd left Texas to settle in Vegas, where she could pursue her dream of becoming a dancer. Rachel. The woman who'd broken his heart. Continuing to study her, he considered. Evan Adair had died six days ago. He'd keeled over in a strip club, cause of death, poison. Like everyone else, Dominic had learned the tawdry details from the television news. The media made everything seem cut-and-dried. Dead man, younger wife, a lot of money at stake. Of course she'd killed him. Suppositions of her guilt were made obliquely, with smug certainty, though the police hadn't charged her with the crime. "You don't appear too grief-stricken." She lifted her chin. "I didn't kill my husband. I can promise you that." No stuttering. The Rachel he'd known since college always stuttered when she lied--was it possible she was now telling the truth? He scratched his chin, holding her gaze. Either that, or she'd finally taught herself to enunciate when lying. "I'll pay you fifty thousand dollars," she said, her beautiful eyes flashing. Damn. To distract himself, Dom glanced around her office. Plush patterned carpet, expensive furniture, fancy artwork on the walls. Even her view was top-notch, providing a panoramic look at the strip. From here he could see the distinctive mock Eiffel Tower of the Paris, the glittery Bellagio, and New York--New York's eccentric skyline. Her surroundings showed all the trappings of a wealthy, successful life. Exactly the sort of life he'd left behind when he and Rachel moved to Las Vegas. The sort of life Rachel had never had. She made a sound of impatience and he focused again on her, ignoring the tug at his heart. She was just as lovely as always, though now she looked a lot more pampered than the young woman who'd once agreed to become his wife. Of course, he'd seen her on TV, but the cameras hadn't conveyed the impact she made in person. Even in her severe black suit she exuded innocence and sensuality, though she acted as though she were completely unaware of that impact. Dom would bet his last dime that Rachel Adair knew the exact value of using her charms. After all, she'd married one of the wealthiest men in Vegas. Who had just been murdered. "Why me?" he asked. "There are lots of other more established private-investigation firms in town." She bit her lip, and for a moment he thought she wouldn't answer. Then, "Because you're the only one I can trust." Since her husband had been one of the most influential people on the strip, her words made no sense. "You don't even know me anymore." "You haven't changed." She held up one perfectly manicured hand, stopping him from speaking. "Oh, I know there have been some problems in your life. I know you've had a few setbacks. But inside, you're still the same man I knew. Rock solid." Leaning forward, she gave him a close-up view of her ample cleavage. Deliberate or not, the move caused him to staWhiddon, Karen is the author of 'The Black Sheep P. I. (Silhouette Romantic Suspense #1513)', published 2008 under ISBN 9780373275830 and ISBN 0373275838.