"She hasn't shut up since vice brought her in. She gave me your name and said she wouldn't talk to anyone else," Alphonso says as soon as the door makes a solid clang behind me. I'm not one of the cops who chats with detention officers. I'm not a chatty fellow at the best of times, and when I enter the jail, I'm here because I made an arrest. When I leave, I'll spend hours writing a report. Who has time for niceties? "Thanks for giving me a heads up. I'm heading back there," I say as civilly as possible. It's not Alphonso's fault I'm a dick.

"I'll notify the tower so they buzz you through," he says with a smile.

I nod my chin and head to the next series of doors that lead to general holding. It's a slow process. The tower guards have no problem making me wait before unlocking each door. On the last one, a solid minute goes by and I flip the camera the bird. For my impatience, I wait another minute. Power. Give a little and the guards fuck around with you because they can. I resist lifting my finger again and miraculously the door opens.

There are two community holding cells-one is the drunk tank; the other is the tail tank. I hear the soft crying before I turn the corner. There are two types of tail-the criers and the crabs. I have no idea what mine will be. I don't expect the bold brown eyes of the woman standing in the cage holding the bars. She's my sexy-as-sin, nutcase next door neighbor.

Her glare is one hundred megawatts of anger. I know the feeling. "What the hell?" slips from my lips before I stop myself. Fuck, I've been having sexual fantasies about a prostitute.

"It took you long enough to poopadoodle over here," she responds testily. No embarrassment or remorse anywhere in the statement, and her imaginative words drive me crazy.

I think about turning around and walking away. She's the last woman I'd peg as a hooker. She has the goods to be a high-class escort, but walking the streets for money stumps me.

"Come to momma," says an older prostitute standing behind Shelby.

I ignore the older woman, back away, and hold up my hands in classic I give up style. "Nothing I can do about this. You'll see the judge in the morning for your arraignment."

Her eyes roll. "You think I asked you here to get me out, Marshal Puckerbutt?" she bitches in the voice I remember from our prior run-ins. Each and every interaction with her has been a disaster, so why is she at the top of my fantasy list? She crosses her arms and taps her dainty little foot. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm asking you to let Daisy outside when you get home."

My legs freeze. I hate that damn dog and she knows it. Who in their right mind names a male dog Daisy? I lower my hands. "You're on your own, honey," I say unsympathetically and turn to leave. Her long, loud sigh makes me grit my teeth.

"Fine, if you want me to beg, Lincoln, I'll beg." Her voice hasn't softened in the slightest, and wow, a prostitute begging, what a concept.

I pivot and give her the famous Street stare. It's a family trait and usually leaves men shaking in their boots. Of course, it could be more than the stare. I'm six foot four with plenty of muscle to back it up. I'm one of five strapping boys, as my mother likes to say, and all of us gifted with great genes. "I want nothing to do with that beast from hell you call a dog." Shivers run down my spine remembering every contact I've had with the mutt. Daisy on his hind legs can rest his front paws on my shoulders. He has no training to speak of and enjoys jumping. I could handle the jumping if the dog didn't latch onto me and hump my fucking body every time. Not a gentle humping. We're talking grab hold with his front paws, put his entire pelvis into it, and try his damnedest to create puppies.

My stare appears to have no effect on Shelby. However, her brown eyes have turned pathetically pleading, and she bats her lashes for good measure. She's the queen of manipulation. It irks me that the look affects my dick and it swells slightly beneath my pants. Buck up, Street, she's a fucking prostitute, a professional. She probably uses those eyes to squeeze extra money from her johns. No way am I helping her with that damn dog.

She bats her lashes again. "Look," I run my hand over my face. I'm so fucking tired and can barely keep my eyes open. I can't believe I'm doing this. "I'll call the judge and see if he'll come in tonight. Can you post bail?"

Her sigh is half strangled cat this time. "I don't want bail," she grinds out with the stubborn set to her jaw returning. "I'm not leaving this delightful Disneyesque establishment." She gestures around with a sweep of her arms. "I just need you to let Daisy out and feed him. If you do, I'll owe you a favor."

A favor. That's priceless. I look at her. She's dressed in jean shorts more conservative than any prostitute wears and a rainbow tank top that shows off her well-endowed breasts. White deck shoes do nothing to detract from her long legs. This outfit does not scream sex for hire, but maybe some men have a thing for the yuppie look. Hell, I'm aging myself. She's one of the gen Ys and thinks a quick smile and large eye blinks will make me fall in line. I disregard how strange it is to see her without crazy scarves and crazier hats. Booking removes those items during processing. Right now she looks almost normal instead of like a hippy reject. "Sorry, honey, I don't need one of your favors." My contempt drips through because I'm just too tired to deal with this shit. "I can't call the judge until I get outside. Cell phones don't work in here."

Her fingers tighten on the bars. "Please... I know what you must think."

"Yup, Mr. Blue thinks you're one of us, sugar pie," a bleach blonde arrestee says in a sing-song voice. She's standing next to Shelby and casually drapes her arm over Shelby's shoulder.

My sleepy brain doesn't quite register exactly what she means when the older hooker who spoke earlier adds her two cents. "She ain't one of us. I bet I can blow you better than she can too," she says with a grin. I cringe at the gap where her two front teeth should be. She sticks her tongue between the missing teeth and flicks it at me.

I do my best to ignore her and look straight into my neighbor's eyes. "What are you charged with?" Maybe Alphonso had it wrong.

Shelby presses her face against the bars with no shameful lowering of her brown eyes. "I'm asking for a favor. I don't need a therapist."

I take a step closer to the cell. "What," I enunciate, "were you brought in on?"

"Prostitution," she says stubbornly.

"And you're not a prostitute?" Yep, sarcasm drips.

"Look, Mr. Blue," the blonde speaks up again, "you get this chickie out of here; she don't belong."

"Christ," I say under my breath.

Shelby turns, dislodging the woman's arm from her shoulder. "No, Ta Ta. I belong here as much as you do. Selling one's body should not be a crime. It's your body to do with as you choose." Her brown eyes meet mine again. "Let my dog out, give him some food, and you'll never hear from me again, I promise."

Finally, a proposition I can live with.

2.

I call the judge anyway. He can't make it in until the next morning so Shelby Ryan is stuck overnight in county lockup. I walk up to her front door, tip the flower pot on the front porch, and sure enough, there's her key.

We don't live in the greatest neighborhood. Not that it's high-crime, but the small Albuquerque suburb of duplex homes is also not crime free. A loud "Woof" comes from the other side of the door. I left my gun at home in case I'm tempted to shoot the dog. I use the key and push open the door with both arms ready to save my manhood. The interior is cool; the stupid woman leaves her air running on high for a dog.

One hundred and forty pounds of ugly mutt hits me as soon as I take a step inside. His tongue slathers my face and sure enough, his curly haired body begins the writhing motion of a dog trying to increase the size of his pack.

The first time I had an intimate encounter with Daisy, he almost took me to the ground during his sexual assault. I kid you not, my balls receded for a week afterward. This time, I'm wiser and grab his collar to hold him back. "No, Daisy," I say in my toughest cop voice. It has no effect as he scrambles while trying to lock his front legs around my upper thigh. "Daisy, no," I say again. "Sit."

At that moment you could have knocked me over with a feather. The damn dog sits immediately. After shaking my head, I march past him to the back door and throw it open. Daisy stays put. He's trained... well trained. Just a month ago he tried to pass his genes to me, disobeying all Shelby's yells of "Stop" and "Bad dog." Now this. Fucking woman. She obviously enjoyed watching her dog unman me.

"Get your ass over here and do your thing, dog," I say in pure frustration. Daisy doesn't move. "Stand," I try next because I don't know what the hell command to use to get him out of a sit.

Still nothing.

I take out my phone and call Theo. He's a friend who works K9. If anyone knows what the hell to do, he does.

"Yo, Linc. What you got?"

Usually, I call him for drugs when I need his dog to do a sniff and sit. "I'm doing a favor for my neighbor. I told her dog to sit, and now the damned thing won't move. I need him to take a shit and eat his dinner."

"I thought you didn't like dogs."

"I don't like anyone, including dogs or you. You got a command for me?" I grumble.

Laughter pours into my ear. "Try the 'release' command."

I put the phone down at my hip and look at Daisy. "Release."

Sure enough, the damn dog gallops by me at full steam and runs out the back door. I return the phone to my ear. "Thanks, Theo, it worked."

"No problem, but if you've taken up dog-sitting, I can give you some work. Just let me know."

"Ha ha." I end the call and look around Shelby's home. It's pure chaos. There are scarves tied and draped over furniture, and her drapes are made from different colors of gauze material. An old eight-ball rests on the coffee table. I remember girls playing with them in my childhood and it's her centerpiece. Then we have artificial flowers in every imaginable color. A wreath of them is wrapped around a lamp, another trailing over the back of her couch, and even more filling colorful vases. And cuckoo clocks. There must be twenty of them on the walls. I can't imagine being here when they go off. The woman is a certifiable nut job.

I peer back outside. Daisy has his leg hiked at the fence that separates my backyard from Shelby's. He proceeds to christen each metal post before sniffing a tight circle of grass in the middle of the yard. When he's satisfied he has the perfect location, he turns his back to me, squats, and lays the largest dog bomb I've ever seen.

When his intestines finally empty, he stands, shakes himself, and turns in my direction. "I should have brought my gun," I mutter when he eyes my leg. "Don't even think about it." I'd threaten to bust his balls if he had any. I can't even imagine what kind of horndog he'd be if he wasn't neutered.

I head back inside and follow the directions Shelby gave me to feed her mutt. I fill the large bowl on the shelf in the pantry with two scoops of food. Daisy's head is in the bowl snarfing the food as soon as the dish hits the floor. I pick up the much larger dog bowl and fill it with water at the sink. Daisy's food bowl is empty by the time I have the water dish back in its place.

I head to the door. Daisy gives me sad brown eyes that remind me of Shelby's. What a joke. They say people look like their dogs, and this proves it. "Be good, don't tear up the house, and I'll be back in the morning to let you out."

Daisy actually collapses on the floor with a loud huff and places one Goliath paw across his nose. His eyes say it all-pet me, play with me, don't leave me. I have a cold damn heart because I can't get away fast enough. I refuse to feel guilty. So why the hell do I? I pocket Shelby's key and cross the yard to my place. I start to open my door and swear under my breath. I march back over to Shelby's.

The entire greeting ritual happens again. You would swear Daisy hasn't seen anyone in hours. I search around and find a leash. Off we go. Daisy's shepherd markings look so damn strange with his short kinky fur. This doesn't stop him from holding his head high and acting like he's walking me. We circle the block once. I get the same pathetic look I received the first time I tried to leave as I walk him to the porch. We march around the block again, the hot air causing my shirt to stick to my sweaty skin. I finally head up Shelby's driveway and lock Daisy in the house without falling for the poor me routine. Why do I feel better when the damned dog won the battle of wills and got a walk?

I enter my house and enjoy the minimalist decorating. Unlike Shelby's cluttered home with all her knickknacks, my walls are bare, and I only have the required furniture to collapse in front of the television, drink a cold beer, and fall asleep.

I do exactly that. Before I nod off, the images of the two dead women float through my mind and the world goes gray, then black.

My ringing cell phone jars me awake. I dig it out of my pocket and see it's Kurtis from the medical examiner's office. It's a little after six in the morning.

"Just got the tox back on your latest and it's positive for ketamine."

"Fuck," I whisper into my quiet house.

"That was my response, too. We knew from the wounds that we're dealing with the same killer, and this pretty much confirms it."

"Thanks, Kurtis."

"Sorry, Linc."

I lean back and prop my feet on the coffee table. "So am I, but like you said, we both knew what we were dealing with. I'll have a sit down with my supervisor today and go from there."

"Let me know if you need something from me."

"Will do." I yawn before disconnecting.

My feet hit the floor and I walk to the kitchen and the coffee maker. I add the requisite amounts of water and coffee grounds, add about half as much more of the coffee, flip the switch, and hit the shower. I'm still exhausted but take little time under the cool water. I shave, try to ignore the red eyes looking at me in the mirror, and suit up. My gun and badge are on the kitchen counter where I left them the night before. I drink a cup of coffee before heading next door to let Daisy outside.

The weather has gone from hot and dry to hot and humid. Maybe we'll get some rain today and take the edge off the heat wave we're currently suffering. "Sit," I command as soon as I open the door. Daisy sits without jumping on me, and I know I'll be having a nice chat with his owner as soon as I have time. I go through the same motions as the night before and leave Daisy with the same sad expression. I don't have time to walk him and yep, the guilt eats at me.

It's six forty a.m. when I arrive at the courthouse hoping the judge isn't an early bird this morning. I want to be there when he releases Shelby, so I can find out what the hell she's up to. I enter the courtroom right as they open the side door and bring the female detainees in. Their hands are shackled to belts on their waists, and leg shackles impede everything but small steps. Shelby has her head up and her shoulders back, whereas the other women are more subdued. I have no idea what her game is and it's time that changes.

The women sit down and thirty seconds later the judge enters. "All rise," the bailiff says. Everyone stands. Well, everyone but Shelby. The damn woman is certifiable. The last thing you want to do is piss off the judge.

Of course, he sees Shelby's disrespect and looks at her in disapproval. I repeat silently-don't piss off the judge. The first name on the docket is called. My eyes remain on Shelby while the first woman and then a second go through proceedings. Her eyes shoot daggers at the judge as he allows one woman out on her own recognizance and another receives a thousand dollar bond. Shelby stands when the bailiff calls her name. She walks awkwardly toward the judge, and I receive a full-on view of her pissed off expression.

"Do you have steady income?" the judge asks while looking at her file.

"That's none of your business," Shelby answers.

The judge's face turns red and his glacial eyes finally fall on the defiant woman in front of him. "You're standing before me in my courtroom and it is my business, young lady."

"Well, young man, my name is Shelby Ryan. I'm twenty-six years old. You may use my proper name, Miss or Ms., whatever your prerogative. I do not, however, answer to 'young lady,' and if you want me speaking to you with respect, you will grant it to me."

I cover my eyes and groan quietly as the prostitutes titter from the galley. This woman is a complete moron, and I have a feeling I'll be stuck with her dog for the next few months.

3.

Shelby's eyes don't leave the man who holds her fate in his hands. She does finally address him properly, though, "Judge Rictor, I understand you have a way of running your courtroom. I'm sure it's worked for you in the past. I, however, am a humanitarian who was picked up erroneously while offering these fine ladies on the street," she waves a cuffed hand at the gallery, "an alternative to their current lifestyle. A lifestyle, by the way, that harms no one if performed in a clean manner, such as using condoms for vaginal, anal, and oral sex."

Oh. My. Hell.

The judge clears his throat, his red face takes on twinges of purple, and I expect him to blast Shelby. Instead, his gaze focuses on me. "Detective Street?"

I stand. "Yes, Your Honor."

"This wouldn't by any chance be the woman you called me about last night, would it?"

Shelby turns away from the judge and glares my way.

"Yes, Your Honor, it is."

The judge looks from me to her and back at me. "You know her on a personal level?"

This isn't good, and I wonder why I'm here when I have a damn serial case on my hands. "Not quite; we're neighbors."

The judge picks up his gavel. "Then I'll make this easy on everyone and release," he peers back at the file before him, "Shelby Ryan into your custody. Be sure she makes her plea hearing and she understands what's required of her at that hearing."

"Your Honor, that's highly improbable..."

He interrupts me with the drop of his gavel. "Bailiff, call the next name on this morning's docket."