Free Mindhunters 4 - Deadly Intent by Kylie Brant Page B

she aimed at him found its mark in his hard belly, although probably to little effect. But he did slow a step, if at least to move out of striking distance. “You can’t think the Mulders are in on this.”
    “If Raiker thought there was a chance of that, he’d have never taken this case. That’s good enough for me. I’m just saying it might be a long time before Whitman reaches the same conclusion. In the meantime, he yanks us around, pretends to accept our help as long as it comes with our babysitter, Travis.”
    She could hardly argue with his logic, since she’d had similar thoughts herself. “Raiker will make sure we don’t get shoved out of the investigative side.” Travis was in sight again, but there was another intersecting hallway up ahead. How many rooms were in this place?
    “Sculpture up ahead.”
    “I see it,” she said irritably. His line of thought had as many twists and turns as this home. The work he was referring to was an abstract metal piece, and she didn’t even try to identify the artist. Her stepfather’s taste didn’t run to anything more recent than the nineteenth century, and most of her artistic experience came from his holdings.
    “Just thinking it’d be a good place to leave your bra.”
    She jerked around, and he raised his hands in false placation. “So we can find our way back to the girl’s room. And don’t think I don’t appreciate your offer to sacrifice this way, leaving a trail for us.”
    “I didn’t offer, I’m not stripping, and you are not coming with me when I go back,” she informed him, fuming. This was always what came of too much time spent in Burke’s presence. Well, all but that one notable time. No one could tie her up in knots the way he could, and the recognition made her furious.
    “Don’t blame me then if we get lost.”
    Her fists clenched in frustration. Certain he’d find it amusing, she mentally counted to ten while she quickened her step. While he displayed his famous charm whenever there was a female in the vicinity, he’d always seemed to reserve his most outrageous remarks for her, and that hadn’t changed since their one disastrous night together six months ago. She was determined that her reaction wouldn’t fuel his need for entertainment at her expense.
    So she studiedly ignored him until Travis finally paused. “These three rooms have been set aside for your use,” he informed them. “We’re around the corner and down the hall.”
    Macy eyed the closed doors of each. Two on one side and one on the other. No way did she want to sleep with Burke next to her. “I’ll take the one over here.”
    Travis shrugged. “Better check which one has your stuff in it. How about we meet at seven A.M. in the front foyer?”
    “Sounds good.” Burke opened the door closest to him and looked at her. “Your things are in here.”
    With a feeling of trepidation, she watched as he swung open the next door. “And here’s mine.” The smart-ass grin on his face told her better than words that he’d figured she wanted to put as much distance as possible between them. “But maybe Raiker wouldn’t mind if you wanted to ask him to switch.”
    “This is fine,” she said stiffly. Whatever excuse she was able to fashion for changing rooms, her boss would recognize her true motive. He had an uncanny gift for spotting disonesty, sort of like a human lie detector. Of course, she wasn’t particularly adept in the art of prevarication. Burke didn’t need to know how uneasy she was in his presence. She knew him well enough to realize he’d exploit even the smallest show of weakness.
    Travis had already disappeared around the corner, so she stepped inside the first room and snapped on the light. The space was roomy, with a king-sized bed and excellent replicas of eighteenth-century antique furniture. She deposited her coat on a chaise lounge and turned back to head across the mansion again.
    And tried to ignore, as best she could, Burke dogging