Adele glared athim. “Cut it out. Why have you been dodging me?”
John’s smirkfaded slightly, and Adele caught a glimpse of something authentic in his eyes.Just as quickly, though, he mastered his expression and grinned again. “Well,Adele Sharp, I didn’t know you were into that sort of thing, I’ll keep it inmind for future reference.”
“Why did youduck me?” she said, jabbing a finger into his chest now.
He winced anddaintily withdrew her hand. “All right, hang on there, jabby. No need to dentmy chest. Look, I came down for a drink, saw you sleeping, decided not todisturb you. What’s the big deal?”
“You’ve beenavoiding me,” she repeated. “Agent Paige said the moment you heard I was comingback you took a case—”
“Oh,” said Johnwith a snort, “forget what that vampire says. You can’t trust the woman. Takeit from me, I think she’s sleeping with the executive.”
Adele hesitated.She didn’t think the same, but wanted to stay on task, so she didn’t correcthim. “John, I’m serious, why have you been avoiding me?”
John let out along breath, his chest deflating like a leaky balloon jabbed with a needle. “Ihaven’t been avoiding you,” he said, but there was no conviction in it. “A casecame up. I’m doing my job. Isn’t that what you pestered me about for nearly aweek last time?”
Adele crossedher arms over her chest, causing her suit to wrinkle near the creases of herelbows. “John,” she said, “how stupid do you think I am?”
John leanedback, setting one elbow on the guardrail of the staircase. “Stupid? I’d never,”he said. He met her gaze without yielding.
She clenched herteeth. “You know what,” she said, “fine, if you don’t want to talk, be thatway. I know what happened last time we spoke. Don’t pretend like it didn’t.”
At this, John’scheeks flushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We had some fun. Swamaround that pool of Robert’s. So what?”
Adele raised aneyebrow at him, “Oh? You didn’t try to kiss me?”
It was like she’dshot him. John threw his hands to the sky. “I tried to kiss you? Right, youtried to kiss me.”
Adult shook herhead. “That’s not how I remember it.”
John glared now.“American Princess comes into France, steals a kiss, steals some of my booze,and then makes stories up. You live in fantasy land, little girl.”
“You’reinsufferable. I can’t even believe that I—”
“You what?” John’slips curled into a smile again, and he studied her with a sharklike expression.
Adele staredback, refusing to give in to his predatory gaze. She hesitated, then said, in agentler tone, “I didn’t avoid it because I don’t like you; I mean I don’t, notthat way—I was just taken off guard is all. You didn’t have to leave.”
John snorted. “Idon’t know what you’re talking about. If I did try to kiss you, I guarantee youit was the alcohol. I’m a man, you’re a woman. You’re okay looking, I suppose,”he said, giving her a long, lecherous look.
Adele knew hewas trying to make her uncomfortable, and she refused to give in. She kept hereyes fixed on his and glimpsed a flash of shame. But just as quickly, he sethis jaw, his cheeks compressing a bit. “I’m not the sort to ask twice, AmericanPrincess.”
Adele shook herhead. “So you admit you did try to kiss me?”
He guffawed, andthis time he leaned back, crossing his arms. “You missed me. No, don’t deny it.I can tell. You missed me. Do you dream about me?” He wiggled his dark eyebrowsagain.
Adele snorted. “Look,let’s forget that for a moment. Maybe I shouldn’t have invited you over toRobert’s. I don’t know. I didn’t mean to wound your fragile honor or anything.”
Adele knew itwould injure his pride when she said it, which was exactly why she did. Twocould play this game. It was probably best they kept things professionalanyway. He was a reliable partner. Nauseatingly unprofessional, but reliable.He’d saved her life after all.
“Look, I don’tknow what you’re working on,” she said, “but I could use your help.”
John cleared histhroat. “Look, Adele, I wish I could, but I really am working another case. I’mquite busy. I’m not lucky enough to have multiple agencies supplying me withintel.”
“Fine,” Adele,raising her hands. “No, really, I get it. Whatever you’re working on isprobably more interesting. I’m sure it’s something really fascinating. Notfinancial crime or accounting or a bunch of numbers on a screen or anything—I’msure.”
John’s eyesnarrowed. “I’ll have you know, I’m investigating a very serious, important caseof embezzling.” He tugged at his black shirt, realizing the top button wasundone. Before he finally had done it though, he seemed disgusted by his urgefor modesty and left it unbuttoned, putting his hands on his hips in a defiantposture. “It’s an important case,” he insisted.
Adele hid asmirk. “Never said it wasn’t. I’m sure it’s very important. Very interesting.You can go over the numbers again, and again, and again. You get to talk to allsorts of interesting bankers and accountants.” She nodded. “Fascinating.”
He glared. “Ilike it better when you speak in English,” he said. “At least that way I don’tunderstand your drivel half the time. Actually, no, I like it better when youdon’t speak at all.”
Adele smirkednow, returning the same grin John had flashed earlier. “Oh?” she said. “Pitythat. Because if I could speak, I would tell you we have a case with three deadgirls.” She fixed her eyes on John, some of the humor fading from her tone. “He’skilling them at a three-day pace. We’re on track for a lot of bodies if we don’tdo something quick. There’s no physical evidence, no DNA, no fingerprints. Hesteals their kidneys. Last crime scene had a video, but we couldn’t see hisface. He wore gloves. Found a pool of water suggesting perhaps he had ice inthe toolbox. The working theory right now is that he’s been harvesting theirkidneys to sell on the black market. It’s an organ harvesting case. Which, ofcourse, compared to embezzlement is boring. It’s nothing.”
John’s lipstightened the more she spoke. He was now frowning. As she trailed off, hegrunted, “Interpol have any files?”
Adele nodded. “Robertis combing through them
