All I've Ever Wanted - Adrianne Byrd [6]
Chapter 4
Aaliyah Hunter clenched her teeth while her anger simmered. She knew damn well that Det. Collier had heard her asking him for an interview. She didn’t have much time before other members of the press arrived on the scene. She’d already tried talking to the other members of the police force on the scene, and they’d all told her that they weren’t able to comment at this time. That was a lot of crap.
“I have to figure out some way to get an exclusive.”
“Good luck,” Reggie Weiss, her cameraman, said from behind her. “It seems that everyone is avoiding us like the plague.”
She turned and flashed him an irritated glare. “I’m quite aware of that. Thank you.”
Reggie shrugged. “Forgive me for stating the obvious.”
Aaliyah returned her attention to the crime scene, and particularly to Det. Collier. Maybe she should have thought twice before crossing him. She shook her head to dispel any thoughts of wrongdoing on her part. Hell, she’d just been doing her job. Why couldn’t people understand that?
A cool breeze ruffled her hair and sent chills down her spine. She cursed. There had to be something she could do here other than freezing her butt off.
“You know, there’s always the possibility that they really don’t have any information,” Reggie offered. “I’d say, judging by your friend’s expression, that he doesn’t know what the hell happened out here.”
“Great. Are you suggesting that we now do our investigative reports by reading body language?”
“Hey, there’s no reason to take my head off. I’m not the one who burned the bridges.”
He was right, she realized. Her gaze locked on Collier. He was a fine specimen of a man. At six foot two, he had a body of a pro athlete, and a face of a movie star. What red-blooded woman wouldn’t be attracted to him? Even now, as she stared at him, she could feel her pulse quickening. In truth, when she’d made the decision to reedit her exclusive interview with him six months ago, it had been a direct result of a lovers’ quarrel—for him, a one-night stand.
A slow smile curved her lips. It hadn’t been easy to seduce the dedicated detective, but the reward had been well worth the work. He’d surprised her by being a tender and sensual lover. So much so, that she still dreamed of that night. So much so, that she’d vowed to have him again.
Kennedy’s heart stopped, or at least it felt that way. She stared at the man she’d seen in the woods, Keenan Lawrence, the leader of The Skulls. She couldn’t believe that she’d run into him here of all places.
“Mommy, come on,” Tommy called, tugging on her arm.
Wordlessly, she pried her purse strap loose from the bus seat, and then managed to turn away from the gang member’s black glare. She could feel his gaze burning through her, as she somehow managed to get the children off the bus. Only then was she able to heave a sigh of relief.
However, that relief didn’t last long. Throughout the church service, Kennedy badgered herself over the way she’d behaved on the bus. If Keenan hadn’t suspected her before, she’d just given him a reason to. She shook her head and vowed to do better if their paths crossed again.
Maybe I should call the police. Kennedy almost laughed aloud at the thought. To go to the police would be like signing her own death warrant. She looked down at Tommy and realized that she had a lot more than just her own life at stake. She knew the streets well enough to know that The Skulls were a force to be reckoned with and no amount of police protection could protect you from the infamous gang.
When it came time for every head to bow, she prayed for forgiveness, guidance, and above all, wisdom. Cowardice was a bitter pill to swallow, she realized.
After the service, Pastor Warner approached Kennedy. “Ms. St. James, I’m glad to see you. The missus and I wanted to thank you for helping with the children’s Bible study last week. I swear, I don’t know where