Lover Beware

working together as they did. When he’d called to inform her that she had been assigned to the French Quarter serial case there had been a long moment of tense silence.
    Jeff was well aware of her past in New Orleans. Knew she’d never completely gotten over Jerry Costos, and perhaps never would. So she hadn’t been at all surprised to find a message waiting for her at the St. Louis when she checked in. CALL ME ASAP , it had read.
    She hadn’t.
    She’d showered and ordered up room service, then fell into a deep exhausted sleep until the phone had awakened her at just after midnight.
    “What’s up, Travelli? Fill me in.”
    There hadn’t been much to tell him. Wouldn’t be until she met with Costos tomorrow morning.
    Lying in the dark, staring at the ceiling with the receiver pressed to her ear, Anna listened to the silence that followed the mention of Costos’s name.
    Finally, Jeff said, “So tell me this Costos jerk is now a hundred pounds overweight and married with a passel of snot-nosed kids.”
    She grinned. “Couldn’t tell you. Didn’t really pay him that much attention.”
    Right. Sure. Like she was going to admit that Jerry Costos was even better looking today than he was six years ago. Like she was going to admit that she had made a point of looking for a wedding ring on his finger, experiencing a tickle of relief that there wasn’t one. Which was absurd and annoyed the heck out of her. If she hadn’t vaulted away all her old feelings for Costos she wouldn’t have agreed to come to New Orleans. She sure as hell wasn’t into masochism.
    “You’re lying, Anna.”
    She sighed. “Look, Jeff, we spent all of ten minutes together. He wasn’t happy to see me in the least and pulled no punches in telling me so. So if you think working with him is going to be a vacation on Fantasy Island you’re wrong. He’s as alpha male as he always was. Testosterone shooting out his ears and I DOMINATE branded on his forehead.”
    “So did you hurt when you saw him?”
    Jeff, why are you doing this to yourself? she wanted to ask.
    “I felt…annoyed.”
    “So you’re telling me you felt nothing. No spark?”
    “When a red-eyed, fire-breathing bull confronts you, the only spark you’re going to feel is the need to castrate him. Which is something someone should have done long ago as a service to all twenty-first-century females.”
    He laughed. “Okay. Call me tomorrow and fill me in on the case. And remember, I’ve got your back. Love ya, kid.”
    “You, too, Montgomery. And thanks.”
    She hung up the phone. It rang immediately.
    “Anna.”
    Speak of the alpha devil. The unexpected, deep tone of Costos’s voice jarred her. Confused her, sending her tumbling back through a time machine of memories she had tried to forget.
    “What’s up?” she asked.
    “There’s been another murder. A young prostitute.”
    She sat up in bed and turned on the lamp. “Same signature?”
    Silence.
    “Hey, are you okay, Costos?”
    “Bad. Real bad. Decapitation and evisceration. Christ, I think I’m gonna puke.”
    “You’re at the scene now?”
    “Yeah. Waiting for the crime scene techs and the M.E.” He paused. “You’ll meet with Captain Killroy and the detectives who’re working this case in my office tomorrow morning at ten thirty.”
    “And the detectives are…? Do I know them?”
    “Donovan and Armstrong.”
    “Michael Donovan? You’re joking, right? When did he get transferred to the Eighth Division?”
    “Two years ago. After his wife died.”
    “Donovan and I haven’t exactly hit it off in the past, Jerry. You know how he feels about the FBI being brought in on his cases. Is he going to make this difficult for me?”
    “I’ve spoken to him at length. He’s cool, Anna. He wants this guy caught, bottom line.”
    “Right.” She sighed.
    “Good night, Anna.”
    “G’night,” she said; then, “Jerry?”
    “Yes?”
    “I don’t think it’s necessary to have the newspapers in on the fact that I’m here.”
    “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll keep your identity close to my office.”
    “Thank you.” Her eyes drifting closed, Anna listened to the following silence on the phone. Drawing in a deep breath, she replied, “See you in the morning, Jerry.”
    Anna hung up the phone, stared at it a long moment, as if willing it to ring again…as it had years ago, Jerry calling her back immediately saying something sappily romantic like, “Had to hear your voice again. Love