Rarities Unlimited 04 - The Color of Death

on this type of case can end your career.”
    “That’s my risk to take,” Tessa insisted.
    “Not if you hire me, it’s not. Then I’m in the game with you. Take it or leave it.”
    “I don’t need a partner to share liability. I need an investigator to look into the accounts of the cards involved, gather information, and document what he finds so I can clear Kelly. And I need someone who doesn’t have issues with taking a subordinate role,” she said pointedly.
    Novak laughed. “I’ve got no problem with that. But you need someone who doesn’t have a brain—who will tiptoe around the tough questions. That’s not what people hire me for.”
    “What do they hire you for? I find it fascinating that you’re trying to talk me out of giving you this job. I was told that you wouldn’t be afraid to take on a case like this one. Obviously, I was told wrong.”
    “Ouch—straight shot to the balls,” Novak said with a grin. “But I like you, Swiss. So I’m going to skip the sales pitch. You need to hire a bonded investigator who will do exactly what you ask and never question whether there’s a better way to do things. Or whether there’s another explanation for how Kelly Martin ended up with a fistful of cash and credit cards on a date with a sports star.”
    He held his hand up to stop her when she tried to interrupt.
    “People expect Novak International to get the job done, regardless of the methods—and regardless of what kind of dirt we turn up on each of the players. You need to think about whether this is the type of service you’re looking for.”
    She stood and grabbed her bag, then took her papers off his desk. “It’s not. I’m looking for someone who can work within the system and help me get justice for Kelly—someone who understands the rules.”
    “Then you’d better go back to hoping the police will solve all of society’s problems,” Luke said. “Maybe they’ll buy this kid’s sob story.”
    Tessa whipped around. “Yeah, well I won’t hire an investigator who looks at Kelly and wonders what she did to bring this situation onto herself.” She turned around again and crossed the room. A lifetime of good manners had her stopping in the doorway. “I appreciate your honesty, though. It saved us both a lot of trouble.”
    “Honesty is something you’ll always get from me, Swiss. Whether you want it or not.” Novak called his receptionist to see his almost client out.
    He turned toward the floor-to-ceiling windows and watched Tessa cross the parking lot. He could almost hear the authoritative click of her heeled shoes on the pavement. Watching the irritated swish of her hips under the sage green business skirt, he smiled.
    She was pissed.
    “You’re supposed to be a salesman, boss. Not drive prospective clients out the door.”
    Luke turned to look at the man who had silently entered the office from a connecting doorway behind him. MacBeth, as a potential future partner in Novak International, was being trained in how to handle clients and had been observing the meeting behind a two-way mirror.
    “What can I say? It was too much fun watching her try to control her temper. What did you think of her?” He gestured toward the woman backing up her Honda sedan with a jerky motion.
    “Not what I expected from a junior prosecutor with the D.A.’s Office. She’s a pistol under the cool surface.”
    “Seems strange to have all that fire wrapped up in an Ann Taylor suit with matching suede shoes,” Luke agreed. “I was half-tempted to take the case just to see what has her in a lather.”
    “Sledge Aiken had better look out,” MacBeth noted.
    “Yeah, but there’s something wrong with the setup. How does an eighteen-year-old kid fresh in from Colorado score a date with LA’s newest celebrity, especially when she supposedly doesn’t have any friends here? And how the hell does she end up with almost ten thousand cash and half a dozen credit cards belonging to other people in her purse?” Luke asked.
    “I thought the story sounded odd. That’s why I passed Ms. Jacobi on to you.”
    “And why I passed, period. A celebrity case is hard enough without havingto deal with the shattering of innocence, too,” Luke said.
    “Whose innocence? The girl who was raped or Tessa Jacobi’s?” MacBeth asked.
    “I think they’re uncomfortably linked, my friend.”
    “Then it’s just as well she didn’t hire us. I’d hate to watch someone as nice as the deputy D.A. figure