License to Thrill

third?"
    "No."
    "Have you ever been employed by Jellico's Gallery and Museum?"
    "Yes."
    James kept his eye on the polygraph, gratified that she seemed to be relaxing. She answered more mundane questions, then the man asked, "Did you steal the item known as the King George letter?"
    "No."
    "Were you born in the state of California?"
    "Yes."
    "Have you ever stolen an item from the gallery known as Jellico's?"
    "No."
    James watched the needles and pressed his lips together at their movement. The man progressed through a series of about six-dozen questions, of which twenty or so concerned the burglary. The dread in the pit of his stomach grew as the questions, reworded in every possible combination, became more pointed. Kat was visibly relieved when the man announced the test was over.
    "How soon will they have a reading?" James asked Valmer, who had remained silent during the exam.
    "They should call me with an opinion later this afternoon," the man replied, noticeably distracted. "I'll notify Kat immediately."
    "Will she be allowed to take the test again?" James asked, looking the man directly in the eye.
    Valmer stared, then sighed and nodded curtly. "I have to leave. Tell Katherine I'll be in touch."
    She appeared a few moments later, and James gave her Val's message. "How did it go?" he asked, studying her face.
    Fanning herself, she attempted a laugh. "I was so nervous, I could barely concentrate. I probably failed the damn thing."
    James reached out with his finger and tipped her chin until her gaze met his. "This lovely face couldn't belong to a liar," he said softly.
    Her shaky smile was not reassuring.

    *****

    "I'm not so sure about this," Kat murmured to James.
    "If you're with us, she may be more inclined to talk," he said as they followed Tenner to Denise's apartment door.
    She inhaled deeply and nodded. "Denise is a late riser, especially on the weekends," she offered nervously when Detective Tenner knocked for the third time.
    It was after eleven o'clock and her stomach churned at the prospect of the impending conversation. For an instant, she hoped her friend was off having breakfast with her mystery man. Yet even though she didn't want to believe the worst, she had to concede that Denise did owe her the truth.
    The truth. Kat nearly laughed aloud. She was a fine one to talk, after losing track of the fibs she'd told during the polygraph. Her only hope now was that someone else would be fingered for the crime. While she didn't relish the idea of visiting her best friend in jail, at the moment it ranked slightly higher than the prospect of returning there herself.
    Denise was knotting the sash on her silk robe when she opened the door. Her friend smoothed a thin hand over her sleep-tousled hair, looked straight past Tenner brandishing a shiny ID badge, and narrowed on Kat, who lagged behind everyone else in the hall.
    "Kat? Is everything okay? What's going on?"
    Kat opened her mouth, hoping some kind of reasonable, non-accusatory explanation would emerge. But Tenner cut in, extending his arm against the door, as if he were afraid she would deny them access. "Ms. Womack, I need to ask you more questions about the night of the break-in at Jellico's Gallery."
    The woman's delicate eyebrows furrowed, then she shrugged. "Sure. Come on in."
    Kat hung back, watching as James allowed Officers Campbell and Raines to precede him. When he waved her forward, she shook her head. "I still don't buy it, James."
    He nodded sympathetically. "Then perhaps your friend will recall a detail that will lead us in the right direction."
    She brightened a little, then entered the messy living area of the apartment. If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn that Tenner's men had already searched the place. But Denise was not particular when it came to orderliness.
    The rotund detective glanced around, then said, "Be advised, Ms. Womack, we have a search warrant for your apartment, and you may be considered a suspect in the burglary. Would you like to call an attorney?"
    Kat's stomach rolled as Denise blanched. "Excuse me?" Wheeling toward Kat, Denise's eyes bulged. "Kat, what the hell is going on?"
    "Denise—" Kat began, but Tenner cut her off.
    "Ms. Womack, do you waive the right to have an attorney present?"
    Her friend flushed red and looked him up and down, glaring. "I didn't have anything to do with the break-in, so why would I need an attorney?"
    "So you do waive your right?" Tenner pressed.
    Denise gestured