Free Protecting the Pregnant Witness by Julie Miller

me.”
    Rafe’s eyes narrowed as recognition tried to kick in. “Don’t I know you?”
    Trip had moved to block the man’s path. With his arms crossed over his chest like that, the big guy made an effective roadblock. “His name’s Steve Lassen.”
    There was a name that rang an unpleasant bell. Lassen had once been a respected reporter for the Kansas City Journal, but a rumored drinking problem and a taste for the money that more sensationalistic stories could bring in had turned him into nothing better than a tabloid hound whose reporter’s “instincts” had even jeopardized a couple of KCPD cases.
    Alex Taylor closed the triangle around the reporter, preventing him from moving on. “What are you doing here, Lassen?” Alex taunted. “This press conference is for legitimate reporters. I’m surprised they let you in the door.”
    Lassen smoothed his graying, blond-brown hair into place and turned to Alex. “I got my press pass back, Taylor, no thanks to you.” He tilted his gaze to include Trip in his sneering explanation, as well. “I’ve been following the progress of this Rich Girl Killer. I’ve even scooped my colleagues with a few select quotes and photos of some of the players involved in the investigation.”
    Alex inched forward, stopping just shy of invading the tabloid reporter’s personal space. “You only scooped the competition because you were contaminating crime scenes before they’d been cordoned off and were harassing potential witnesses.”
    Lassen held his hands up as if he was daring to be arrested. “You’ll be pleased to know I no longer have any interest in your fiancée, Ms. Kline. Unless, of course, as a member of the District Attorney’s office, the Rich Girl Killer case lands on her desk. But I’m guessing his capture will be big enough news in Kansas City that the D.A. himself will handle the case.”
    “Gentlemen.” Captain Cutler’s authoritative voice intervened. “We have no reason to detain Mr. Lassen.”
    “Ah, a voice of reason.” Lassen’s smirk turned into a smile as Cutler’s order drew his attention beyond Trip and Alex. “If you fine gentlemen—and beautiful young lady—will excuse me.” He pulled a business card from his pocket and turned his full attention to Miranda. “Maybe you and I could get together sometime and talk about what it’s like for a woman like you to wear so much body armor. But later. I don’t want to miss a single detail of what Detective Montgomery has to say about the investigation. Word on the street is he’s got a surviving witness who can identify the RGK.”
    “A woman like me? What did he mean by that?” That’s right. Set Randy Murdock off with some comment that hinted she was too blonde and too pretty to be a SWAT cop. Then the rest of them could stand back and let her cut Lassen off at the knees.
    “Easy, Murdock,” Cutler warned as she crunched the business card in her fist. He motioned Trip and Alex to stand aside and let Lassen join the press conference. “He’s practicing his Constitutional right to be a jackass.”
    “Montgomery’s witness won’t survive for long if Lassen scoops her identity.” Rafe avoided saying Josie’s name, but he had to put it out there. “Even if he just speculates on who the witness might be, he could be signing a death warrant. Maybe he’ll do the right thing and just print the composite photo Montgomery handed out. Only put people on the lookout for Donny Kemp, or whoever he is now.”
    “He won’t do the right thing,” Alex said. “That guy makes my blood boil. I hate him even saying Audrey’s name.”
    “How do you think he’s scooping anyone else on Montgomery’s investigation?” Trip asked.
    Alex had an answer that made them both snicker. “Because he hangs out with the same lowlife devil scum as the RGK.”
    The captain’s cell phone rang, and Rafe’s vibrated on his belt. One by one they all were being summoned. The entire team’s attention shifted