Free Dirty Rotten Scoundrel by Liliana Hart

sat across the street. It had once housed a variety of businesses, but the economy had hit the area hard and the only thing left was a Laundromat. I recognized Molly Beamis and Lena Rodriguez as they lost interest in their laundry and came out to stand on the sidewalk to watch.
    I felt their gazes boring into me , and when they started whispering to each other behind their hands, I knew they were thinking the FBI was back for me. If that rumor got out it would be bad for business, and business was already bad enough as it was. I sighed as I watched Molly dig her cell phone out of her pocket and make a phone call. The whole town would be out watching the show before too long.
    We waited as the doors of the black SUVs seemed to open in tandem. A man in a black suit with a thin black tie took the lead and headed in our direction. He pulled off his sunglasses and hooked them in the front pocket of his jacket.
    “You must be Sheriff Lawson,” he said, extending a hand. “I’m Special Agent Greer. You have good contacts. We’ve barely had the warrant for an hour, and it took us about that long to get here.”
    Greer was probably late forties with thinning brown hair and intelligent hazel eyes. He was trim and was a couple of inches taller than me.
    “An hour’s a long time in this business,” Jack said. “This is Doctor Graves.”
    I shook hands with Agent Greer.
    “If you’ll go ahead and open up for us we’ll be out of your way sooner rather than later,” he said.
    “Are you just retrieving or are we going to be here a while?” Jack asked before I could answer Greer.
    Greer’s eyes were shrewd as he stared hard at Jack. “You’ve got an impressive record, Lawson. Good experience and leadership qualities. What are you doing wasting your time here?”
    “I take it that’s the non-answer way of saying we’re going to be here a while.”
    “After you, Doctor Graves,” Greer said.
    “Sure.” I started to move away from Jack and let the team assembled at the door inside, but Jack stopped me with a touch on the arm and then he immediately dropped his hand back to his side.
    “Just so we keep everything nice and tidy, I need to see the warrant.”
    “Of course.” Greer turned and gestured to the SUV he’d gotten out of and the passenger door opened. The first thing I saw was bronze heels attached to an endless amount of legs.
    I felt Jack stiffen beside me and turned to look at him, but his face was impassive as ever. I looked back at the woman and had one of those moments of utter and complete jealousy. Not because of the way all of the men in the vicinity had stopped and directed their attention solely at her, but because she was just one of those naturally beautiful women who commanded her sexuality and used it to get exactly what she wanted.
    Blond hair shimmered under the setting sun, and it fell in waves around her shoulders. Her cheekbones were high and her skin pale and flawless. Her lips were crimson and she smiled smugly as she walked over the uneven ground with a smooth glide that should have been impossible. As she drew closer I saw the tiny mole just above the corner of her lip and caught myself before I rolled my eyes.
    Her suit was the same tasteful bronze as her shoes. The pencil skirt fitted so it showed off those million dollar legs. The matching jacket was buttoned, showcasing a tiny waist and just a hint of cleavage.
    When she reached us she handed the warrant over to Agent Greer and then he handed it to me. I didn’t look at it because the woman hadn’t taken her eyes off Jack during the entire spectacle.
    “It’s been a long time, Jack,” she said, pouting prettily. “Aren’t you going to say hello?”
    I felt more than heard Jack’s sigh .
    “Hello, Lauren.”

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
    “This is Lauren Rhodes,” Agent Greer said, since it was obvious introductions weren’t needed for anyone but me. “She’s an attorney with the Department of Justice. Lauren, this is Doctor