Free Force of Attraction by D. D. Ayres Page A

have to move.”
    â€œIt does seem invasive, sir.” One of the Baltimore reps spoke up. “If anything goes wrong, they’ll know where to find Officer Jamieson. Even if she moved, with a bit of snooping they’d have her name, her badge number, everything.”
    Lattimore’s mouth lifted in one corner. “That’s why we’re looking for suitable housing. First order of duty is to get our K-9 teams in sync. To get you up to speed ASAP, I’ve made arrangements for you both to spend a few days at Harmonie Kennels to refresh your skills. So when you go home pack a bag. The training begins in the morning. Ms. Summers has agreed to supervise your training herself.”
    Cole was impressed. Yardley Summers, owner and operator of Harmonie Kennels, was nearly a legend. Everyone in the K-9 law enforcement world knew of her. Her kennel was one of the top training facilities for K-9 services in the United States. They trained canines for law enforcement, local, state, and national, as well as for military and Special Forces use. And Lattimore had arranged for Cole to train under her. Cole was impressed all over again.
    When the meeting broke for the day, the FBI agent slapped Scott on the back. “Sweet deal you got going there, Lucca. All the perks of a live-in girlfriend without the baggage. Tough break, you’re the bracelet on this one.”
    Over Scott’s shoulder Agent Hadley snagged Cole’s eye and winked.
    Cole winked back, pleased when surprise was reflected in his expression. Good. She would rather have given him the finger. But that, she suspected, was what he’d wanted, as proof that his needling had gotten to her.
    Beyond exhausted after spending hours in a boardroom when she would rather have been doing, well, anything else, Cole stifled a yawn as she gathered her things and headed out the door, not making eye contact with anyone else.
    â€œHey. Officer Jamieson.”
    Halfway down the hall, Cole turned back at the sound of Scott’s voice. She’d almost made it out without having to deal with him face-to-face.
    He waited until he caught up with her before he spoke. “Lattimore wants to talk to you.”
    Cole went still. “What about?”
    â€œMy guess? He wants to know what you saw in those photos.”
    â€œHow could he know I saw something of interest in the photos?”
    â€œSame way I did. By watching you. I saw your face as you went through those pictures of Shajuanna. You saw something the rest of us missed.”
    â€œMaybe.” Cole found she was having a hard time looking at him. The last time they’d been this close she’d thrown him out. Because I wanted to kiss him.
    If he had guessed her thoughts Scott didn’t give any indication. “Don’t underestimate Lattimore. He’s got as many eyes as a spider. But before you go in there you need to tell me exactly what you’re going to tell him.”
    Cole shrugged. “It was Shajuanna and the dogs. She’s not pretending to like dogs. There’s real affection there.”
    Scott was nodding when she finished telling him her impressions. “I saw it, too.”
    â€œThen why didn’t you say something? Back me up?”
    He tried to take her elbow but she lifted her arm out of his palm. Undeterred, he angled his body so that his shoulder touched the wall, forming a shield between them and the rest of the hallway. He lowered his voice, as if they were sharing a personal private moment, but his expression was dead serious.
    â€œI know you’re angry as hell at me. But we’ve agreed to give this a go. That means we have to trust each other to have the other one’s back on the job. I’m trying to do that, if you’ll let me.”
    â€œYou didn’t back me just now.”
    â€œThat’s right. You have to be seen as holding your own weight and taking the heat when it comes, too. This is the big leagues. You