Targeted Risk (R.I.S.C. #7) - Anna Blakely Page 0,69
heart stuttered inside her chest every time she looked at him, which was dangerous given their department’s policy regarding romantic relationships between partners. But with his light brown hair and blue eyes, the man was walking, talking sin in a suit.
Taking the wooden pool cue from Eric’s hand, she studied the ever-changing table in front of her before deciding which move she should make next.
“I see Lopez is going away.” He nodded toward the T.V. she’d just been watching.
“Yep. Bastard got what he deserved. So did Thomas Fuller.” She spotted her next target. “Five ball, side pocket.”
Moving like a pro, Riley bent over the table’s edge and lined the cue up. Positioning it between the fingers on her left hand, she bit her bottom lip, took aim, and made the shot. The five-ball rolled across the green felt, falling into the side pocket with ease.
“Nice shot.”
She shot him a grin. “Thanks. That’s another drink you owe me.”
“What does that make, now. Five?”
“Six.” She sauntered up to him and raised a brow. “You’re losing on purpose.”
One corner of Eric’s delicious mouth rose into a guilty grin. “Now, why would I go and do something like that?”
“Same reason you keep bringing me to this hole-in-the-wall bar on the opposite side of the city from our precinct.” Riley handed him the pool cue.
“Why, Detective York.” Eric pulled the cue—and Riley—to his chest. “Are you accusing me of trying to take advantage of you?”
“Of course not.” She rose onto her toes and rubbed the tip of her nose to his. “It’s me who’s planning on doing the taking.”
“Oh, yeah?” He nibbled her bottom lip. “Well, in that case, we should—”
“Hey, turn that up!” One of the patrons sitting at the bar yelled loud enough to break the spell. “And hurry up. My old ears can’t hear for shit.”
“Yeah, yeah. Keep your panties on, Walt. I’m gettin’ it.”
Riley and Eric both looked up at the T.V. as a bright red Breaking News banner flashed across the bottom of the screen.
“We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news. A body of a young woman has been found near the banks of Trinity River. The police are still working on identifying the victim of what they are calling an obvious homicide.”
“Shit.” The beer in Riley’s stomach churned as she listened to the anchorwoman continue on with the story.
“While we have not been told whether or not this case is related to Jennifer Hanway’s or Marie Paul’s deaths, our source did say that the DPD has found several similarities in the three women’s murders. You might remember, both Hanway’s and Paul’s nude bodies were also found near the Trinity River, the coroner’s report showing that both women had been sexually assaulted before they were strangled. We’ll bring you more on this story as additional information becomes available.”
“Jesus,” Eric muttered with a shaking head.
Riley worked to keep her breathing steady. “That’s three, Eric.”
“Yeah, but the Trinity River covers a lot of real estate, Riles. We have no idea where the bodies were found in relation to each other, how this newest woman died...nothing. Besides, it’s homicide’s case, and those guys are solid. They’ll figure it out.”
Eric was right. There was no known evidence linking these newest deaths together. Just because they reminded her of an old case meant nothing. Besides, the killer in that case was dead, which meant it couldn’t be him.
Shaking off the uneasy feeling the new murders had conjured up, Riley looked up at her partner and smiled. “You’re right. It’s not our case, and we have tomorrow off.”
“Yes, we do. Now...” Setting the pool cue to the side, Eric wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back in. “Where were we.”
“I think you were about to invite me back to your place.”
You know”—Eric leaned in for a kiss—“I think you’re right.”
With a soft chuckle, Riley closed her eyes and allowed herself a moment of guilty pleasure. Not that she was embarrassed or ashamed to be seen with Eric. Quite the contrary. Any woman in her right mind would be thrilled to be involved with a man like him.
Eric West was smart, sexy, and one of the best damned detectives she’d ever worked with. He was the whole package and then some. But he was also her partner at the Dallas Police Department’s Special Crimes Unit.
While their Captain—who’d known Eric for years—had a sort of soft spot when it came to Eric, he had no such history with Riley. The newest detective in