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.Morgan projected a relaxed appearance, but under the surface she was struggling to focus on the task at hand: listening.Normally, Morgan’s attention was laser sharp, but today she fought distraction and the primary source was the folder tucked in her briefcase and the woman, standing in the back of the room, who brought it to her early this morning.*Parker had dressed for court even though she had no intention of participating in the proceedings.Her singular goal was to hand off the folder to Jake and Dex and head out.She’d made a late-afternoon appointment with Dean Ramirez and she intended to keep it.But from the moment she reached the courthouse, her plans spun out of her control.She had called Jake the night before and told him the gist of the report, but now that she was here, Ford and Morgan wanted to hear all the details for themselves.Parker felt the heat of Morgan’s attempts to meet her eyes, but she avoided the temptation of reconnecting.Facing the others, she recounted Skye’s eve-of-trial delivery.The guys on the team expressed excitement at the various ways the information could be used while Morgan quietly read the report for herself.Parker watched her bowed head and wished they were alone.She wanted to apologize for storming out of the prep session on Friday.She wanted to know what Gerald had done and if Morgan was hurt because of it.Come to think of it, where was the little bastard? She glanced around, but he was nowhere to be found.As she turned back, she was struck by the powerful impact of Morgan’s eyes boring into her own.They spoke over each other.“I’m sorry.”“Me too.” Parker felt Morgan’s hand on her arm and she registered Dex and Jake had slipped away.She opened her mouth to say more, but the sear of Morgan’s touch blocked out any professional comment she could have made and the personal was, well, too personal.Flushed, she broke eye contact and stepped back.“You should get in there.” She nodded toward the courtroom doors.“And I should go.” She didn’t wait for a response, instead she walked down the wide hall of the courthouse.She knew without looking back that Morgan was rooted in place.Parker was riding the escalator to the first floor when she felt a hand on her shoulder.Jake’s gravelly voice was unmistakable.“Where you think you’re off to?”“Air, Jake.I need some air.”“I don’t blame you for not wanting to settle back in around here.”Parker was startled by his frank assessment, but she realized she shouldn’t be.Certainly, Jake had been privy to the gossip over her departure from the force.Try as she might to put it behind her, fact was the shade of the past would dance its shadows into her professional life for the foreseeable future.“If only it were so simple, Jake.”Jake’s hard yet gentle stare dared her to a different conclusion.“Jake, I have some things I need to do.”He didn’t relent.“But here I was counting on you to help me out.We have a witness to go see.Leslie Hammond.”“I thought she wasn’t back in town until later this week.”“I got wind she blew back in town last night.Accounting for jet lag, I figure she should be awake and moving around by now.Come on, let’s make a trip to her house and see what she has to say.”Parker looked at her watch.She had plenty of time before her afternoon meeting.She could do this small task and feel like she hadn’t abandoned the team altogether.“Fine.You’ll hate riding in my noisy car, though, so you’re driving.”“Fair enough.”*Camille’s friend Leslie had means, though you’d have to know the neighborhood well to realize it.The small Tudor house was situated on a postage stamp lot.Parker figured the house had no more than two bedrooms, one bath, and a small detached garage, but the house’s location, smack in the middle of the M Streets, meant it was valued at close to a half million dollars.Pretty swank for a college student.Jake eased his sedan into Hammond’s driveway, pulling up close to the Porsche 911 nestled against the house.Parker followed him to the door, intent on merely observing this interview.A tousled twentysomething male answered the door, steaming mug of coffee in hand.“Can I help you?”“Maybe.We’re looking for Leslie Hammond?”The affable young man nodded and replied, “I’m Leslie.”Jake glanced at Parker and both attempted to mask their surprise.The man in the doorway grinned.“Let me guess.You expected a nice young lady to answer the door? No worries, it happens all the time.I think my parents are the last holdouts on using old family names long after they’ve gone out of style.”Jake smiled.“Can we come in for a moment?”“You’re not selling anything, are you?”“No, we’re here about Camille Burke.”Leslie’s face paled and he waved them in.Heading to a table in the kitchen, he motioned for them to be seated.“I heard what happened.Weeks after the fact.I’ve been in a remote area of Africa working on a research project.” As he talked he ran his hand through his unruly blond waves.Parker was struck with a thought
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