"Margaret," Reese teased, dropping formality as he took a seat. "What have you been up to?"

She slapped a file folder down on the table. "Work." Avoiding eye contact, she sipped her coffee. "Detectives Rhodes and Garland took over on our follow-up after that mess in Reese's apartment. They got the buyers, some other traffickers, freed a truckload of new victims and, overall, they've wrapped things up nice and tight."

Reese let it go. For now. Finding out info on the human traffickers was more important to him than speculating on Peterson's uninspiring feminine side.

"Glad to hear it." He turned the file around and opened it to peruse names.

"Anyone else hurt?"

"Nope. It was a clean bust. The bastards had only just set up house, so gathering everything was easy. The thing is..." She sipped at her coffee, her demeanor going somber, flat. "They closed off the neighborhood, searched the whole area and found a body in a dilapidated house a few doors down. A young female, bound and gagged."

"Damn." Logan ran a hand through his hair, wincing at the pain caused by the movement. "Got an ID?"

"Not yet. There's a good chance it's unrelated to the traffickers. Early estimate is that she died recently, within the past twenty-four hours."

Reese thought of Alice, of a dark history, and kept quiet. His thoughts churned. He wanted to see her, to hold her.

"Anything to go on?" Logan asked.

"Any ideas?"

"It might not be anything, but then again, it could be." She reached for the file, pushed aside a few papers and withdrew a photo. "She had a very odd tattoo on her forearm."

Reese studied the photo but couldn't quite make out the design of the tattoo.

"What is it?"

"Lines, numbers. So far, no idea what it means. But it's unique," Peterson said, "and it's the only clue we've got. We're hopeful that it'll tell us something."

ROWDY WATCHED ALICE pull into the

apartment parking lot mere seconds before he drove in behind her. After retrieving her from the bus station, he requested-because telling her anything would probably get her back up-that she drive straight home. He informed her that he'd be following her more closely this time.

Thank the heavens, she'd done as asked.

He didn't like letting her drive, but didn't see a way around it. Even now, as he caught up to her on the walkway in, he could see her trembling.

Nerves. The adrenaline dump after her escapade.

Crazy Alice.

He narrowed his eyes against the sun, now streaking the sky in shades of crimson, pink, purple and neon yellow.

He said nothing as they walked side by side into the apartment complex, but his concerns shuffled around again and again, making his head ache.

He knew she'd once been kidnapped, though Reese didn't have all the details yet. From the moment he'd met her, Rowdy had figured she was afraid of something.

From what he'd seen today, she mostly had herself to fear.

Near her apartment door, she asked, "Are you coming in?"

"Damn straight."

She gave him a sour look. "Cash will need some attention." She unlocked her door. "I'll have to take him to the yard -"

The second the door opened, Cash launched out. His body wriggled and squirmed in maniacal excitement.

Alice did a fair job of subduing the dog while hugging and stroking him, talking to him in a soft, sweet voice. She reached inside for the leash. "When he's excited," she said over Cash's loud whining and yapping, "I have only moments before he wets the floor."

"I'll go with you." Rowdy took the leash and attached it to Cash's collar.

He would have offered to take the dog out on his own, but...well, he didn't trust Alice alone just yet. "C'mon. We have a lot of talking to do before Reese shows up."

Cash practically dragged him down the steps. Rowdy took Alice's hand and hauled her along.

Once outside, Cash continued in his effusive greeting...while peeing. Funny dog. Luckily they were already on the grass, and Cash missed his shoes.

At this time of early evening, no one else was about outside. Likely most were at dinner, which was where he needed to be. Chasing after Alice had helped him work up an appetite.

Maybe once he finished up here, he'd head to the bar, grab a sandwich...and maybe a woman.

Maybe Avery.

Yeah, he liked that idea.

Alice stood back, her arms crossed, her annoyance palpable. "I want to know why you were following me."

He shrugged and gave Cash a little more leash. "Reese asked me to keep an eye out."

She did a double take. "You're serious?"

"Why not?" Shadows stretched across the parking lot and the small grassy area.

"It's what I do."

And he was good. Thanks to querying the right people, he knew that Alice was from the area. He didn't know why she'd been kidnapped, but he knew someone- known mostly as a wraith-had rescued her. Reese wouldn't find out shit about the heroic bastard, because apparently the elusive phantom had the law under his control. For all intents and purposes, he moved with impunity and kept a tight lid on his involvement.

But there was no taming the street, and when monumental things happened, when powerful men ended up dead, word spread like wildfire.

"You're not Superman, you know."

Alice tapped one foot. "You don't need to transfer your attention from Pepper to me."

"Actually, honey, I think I do." He shrugged. "Especially given what I saw today."

She stiffened up. "I'll never sleep with you."

Whoa. That was one hell of a mental leap she'd taken. Rowdy grinned at her daring. "Sorry, doll, but I didn't ask."

She deflated. "Do you think I'm attractive?"

Damn it, he did not want to go down this road. When women asked these weird questions, there was never a right answer. "There's something about you, yeah." His gaze went over her slim body and delicate curves, then shot back to her face. "But Reese has already laid claim, in case you didn't notice."

Her frown eased away. "Not that you're asking."

"No."

"Because even if Reese wasn't interested-you are saying he's interested?"

"Without a doubt." How the hell had they gotten off track like this? Cash tugged, so Rowdy meandered farther across the yard.

Alice followed. "Even so, you wouldn't be. Not like that." She shaded her eyes. "May I ask you something, then? Since you're not interested that way?"

"Uh..." Feeling as if he'd lost control of the entire situation, Rowdy tried to distract her. "I think Cash is done.

Maybe we should head in."

"Okay." She took the leash from him.

"Come on, boy. Let's go get a treat."

Hopefully she was talking to the dog.

Rowdy trudged along behind her, trying to figure out a way to get things back on track.

He started with: "About today-"

"I'm thirsty. Would you like a cola or something?" She opened the door and let Cash in. He made a beeline for the couch, so Rowdy followed. He liked the dog.

Hell, he liked Alice, too. But Alice confused the hell out of him. "Sure.

Whatever you've got will be fine."

"Make yourself comfortable."

Cash must've thought she meant him, because he crawled up and over Rowdy's lap, his whole butt still wagging.

Grinning, he watched Alice go into the kitchen. Seconds later he heard ice clinking in a glass.

Figured Alice wouldn't just hand him a can.

She returned with

two.

frosty colas...and sat close beside him on the couch.

Shit. She was by far the pushiest female-who didn't want sex-that he'd ever met. "Alice-"

She shoved a glass into his hand. "I'm not interested in you that way either."

No kidding. Anyone with eyes could see she was majorly hung up on Reese.

"I know."

"But I do like you."

He toasted her with the cola and took a long drink.

"I want a man's perspective, and since we've already cleared the air, I should be able to talk to you without misunderstandings.

You're not interested, I'm not interested and, hopefully, Reese is."

A man's perspective? On what? Dread crawled all over him. "Reese hasn't made it clear to you?"

She frowned in uncertainty. "He's kissed me a few times."

"There you go." And then, curious despite himself, Rowdy asked, "Only a few kisses, huh?"

She nodded. "Reese is a wonderful kisser."

"I'll take your word for it."

Cash army-crawled over to her and, with a smile, she gave him the promised treat, then stroked his back as he gnawed on it. "I'm concerned about...anything else."

Rowdy had a hard time following the conversation.

"Anything else with Reese?"

"With him seeing me. I'm not sure...

That is..." She visibly screwed up her courage. "I'm afraid he'll see me, all of me, and be disappointed."