Free Covert Attraction by Linda O. Johnston Page A

not. But the guy looked so damned caring. So sexy. She might be able to get a moment of amnesia about all the horrible stuff if she could drag him into bed for a minute.
    And here, sitting on her convertible sofa was like dragging him onto her bed, if not into it for sex. But she wouldn’t tell him that.
    Nor would she act on her lust. Too foolish to even think that way.
    She remained tempted nonetheless. Good thing he seemed more inclined to tease in the moments he departed from protective or planning mode—but she even found that too sexy.
    She settled down on one side of the couch and he took the other. “Okay.” She placed her beer bottle on the coffee table in front of them. “I can finish now. I’d been so thrilled to start working for Corcoris in the first place that I didn’t want to believe what I heard. My mom has a rare blood disorder that has been kept under control for years by a Corcoris product. I wanted to be part of the company. Give back to it. And yet...well, I didn’t know whether things had changed or what, but I started to get horrified about the rumors I was told—stuff I tried to look into but could never prove. I tried going to the authorities, and the FDA did conduct an unannounced ‘for cause’ inspection but found nothing. I couldn’t prove it, since I’d been told by someone else, and anything I could claim in court would only be hearsay. But this supposedly mistaken whistle-blower—me—started receiving verbal, unprovable threats and having what looked like, but weren’t, accidents. I had to leave, but, with no ability to testify in court against anyone, I couldn’t get into witness protection.”
    “And Judge Treena heard about you.” It wasn’t a question but a statement from Daniel.
    “That’s right. She saved my life—and I guess she sent you to find all the evidence I couldn’t before other people, ill people who are relying on Corcoris, are killed. Or more are killed. Some of the rumors indicated there’d already been deaths.”
    “That’s right.” His tone was gentle.
    She sat up excitedly. “Have you found anything yet? Oh, I’d be so happy—”
    “Not yet, but I will.” There was no hesitation in his voice, and his craggy, handsome face looked so certain that she again wanted to kiss him. “I’ve been here for about a month already, have been collecting information and working into being accepted so people will talk more around me. I’ve ideas about what kinds of meds and their ingredients I’ll want to sneak out of there, as well as some computer files, but I haven’t gotten much yet. And you?”
    “This is such a different perspective from how I looked at the company before. I’ve only been here five days so far, so I’m mostly just trying to figure out what I need and how to look for it. But I intend to discover whatever evidence there is and get it out of here.”
    Did she sound too optimistic? Hell, she had to be optimistic.
    “Sounds like at least one of us had better do that,” Daniel said, lifting his brows as if just humoring her.
    She stopped herself from snapping at him, keeping her voice calm as she continued, “You have to understand. My family has been receiving threats, and even though they’re supposedly under some protection, that’s why I’m here—to find the necessary evidence to stop Corcoris once and for all.”
    “All right. Here’s the reality. In case you haven’t figured it out by now, finding that evidence is my job.” His expression had turned stern, but she ignored it.
    “It’s our job,” she corrected. “And there’s something else, too. Have you met Milt Ranich or heard anything about him? He’s my former immediate boss, and he’s apparently not here any longer. I can’t ask questions about him but I have looked around and put out some feelers about his position. Someone else has it now. He’s the one who told me about the fraud being committed here and probably could have proven it. He also tried