"I am not going to discuss interrogation techniques with you. Get your butt back to cover. Now!"
"Gabe, he's only a boy." She squeezed his forearm, the rigid muscles unyielding beneath the wool sport jacket.
"Yeah, so?" But the steel bands under her hand eased slightly. His gaze raked over his prisoner. "What are you, eighteen, nineteen?"
"F-fourteen. I'll b-be fifteen next month."
"Big for your age, aren't you? Why are you following Miss Beaumont?"
The teen gulped. His tall body shook in Gabe's grasp.
Tessa studied the boy. "Haven't I seen you at the bank?"
He shuddered. "Y-yeah. The other day."
"That's right. I noticed you in line. Is that why you were watching me, because you recognize me from the bank?"
His head bobbed nervously.
"Let him go, Gabe."
Gabe's gaze burned over the kid again. "What's your name?"
"C-Colin. Colin O'Shea."
Gabe lifted him against the wall. "ID?"
The kid nodded vigorously. "Student ID. B-back pocket."
"Reach one hand around very slowly. Then hold it up."
Gabe silently stared at the ID for a full sixty seconds. "If I were you, I'd quit sneaking around and spying on people. And if you have the slightest thought about hurting this lady…" His arm flexed across the teen's throat and Colin's brown eyes widened farther. "Let's say the idea won't be the best you ever had. But it might be the last."
She tugged on Gabe's sleeve. "You're scaring him."
"I intend to scare him." He drilled his captive with another stare. "You read my message loud and clear?"
"Yeah." He gulped again. "Yes, sir."
Gabe released him, and Colin shot across the grass as if the hounds of hell chased at his heels.
She crossed her arms over her chest to still their trembling. "Was it necessary to scare that boy to death?"
He thrust his fingers through his hair. "Have you seen the news lately? Boys regularly commit robbery, rape and murder. That kid is big, easy to mistake for an adult. He's lucky he didn't follow somebody who shot first and asked questions later."
"Yes, I saw the way you asked questions."
"You think I should have sat him down over a cup of tea and politely inquired about his intentions? Would that be before or after he blasted a bullet through the back of your head?"
She flinched, and he sighed. "I wouldn't have hit him. Basic alpha psychology. Establish dominance, get your suspect cowering and they cooperate." He gripped her shoulders, squeezed gently. "Remember Gregson? The stakes are too high. I can't afford not to play hardball."
"Remind me not to become one of your playmates."
His wicked grin shone for the second time in fifteen minutes, and she had a sudden crazy urge to press her lips to the cleft in his chin.
"Playing hardball with you would be an entirely different game, Houdini."
A flush warmed her from toenails to forehead.
He laughed and stroked his finger under her chin before consulting his watch. "I'd better get you to rehearsal or Steel Lucille will make sure I can't play ball with anyone."
The thought of him with another woman made her queasy. As they crossed the park, her head reeled in confusion. Why should she care? He was a free agent. And she'd soon be a married woman. "The female population of the world would go into mourning, I'm sure."
"Haven't you ever heard of the Goodwill Games? A guy's gotta do what he can to facilitate international relations."
"And they claim patriotism is dead."
He pressed his right hand over his heart. "I regret I have but one libido to give for my country."
"If you start singing "The Star Spangled Banner," I swear, I'll shove you in the pond."
His husky chuckle made her stomach flip. "I'm not much of a singer, but I could show you some fireworks."
"Give it a rest, Cousin Val."
Inside the car, she heaved a relieved sigh. So she hadn't imagined someone following her. Clients had approached her to say hello before. Except Colin hadn't exactly approached her. Perhaps he was shy. After Gabe's macho stunt, the poor kid would probably never dare meet anyone's eye in public.
The clock on the dash read 4:00 p.m. sharp when Gabe dropped her off at the front door of St. Michael's and went to park the car. She started up the steps.
"Tess!" Mel called out. "Wait up." Her friend bounded up the stairs. "Holy crud! Did you run into the makeover fairy?" She embraced Tessa. "You look hot!"
She grinned. "Thanks. Hot is exactly what I was going for."