State's Evidence: A Beverly Mendoza Legal Thriller by R. Barri Flowers Page B

complaining. She would take rain and cool
temperatures any day over snow and cold .
    Grant reached over and planted a wet kiss on
Beverly’s mouth. “I’ve been wanting to do that all day,” he said
breathlessly. And much more. But that would have to wait till
later.
    Beverly had to take a moment to recover.
“Maybe you should have done it earlier,” she gasped, “and saved us
both some suffering.”
    He laughed. “Believe me, I would have if we
both hadn’t been so preoccupied with things—”
    Things .
    Such as preparing to become a judge? Was this
when he would spring it on her? Or would that be pillow
talk?
    “That was smart of Dean to hand you this
case,” Grant said instead, starting the ignition. “I certainly
can’t think of anyone better equipped to put that asshole
away.”
    “What about you?” she felt obliged to ask.
“Or are you losing your touch, Mr. Nunez?”
    “Not exactly.” Grant regarded her. “I
couldn’t have taken the case even if I wanted to,” he said.
    “Oh... ?” She met his eyes expectantly.
    “Conflict of interest.”
    “What conflict of interest?”
    Grant’s full brows descended over his gaze.
“I happened to be the prosecuting attorney who convicted Rafael
Santiago in Judge Crawford’s courtroom,” he said matter-of-factly.
“He not only threatened Crawford, but me as well. I’m sure any
competent defense attorney would have tried to beat that drum to
get the case thrown out, or overturned on appeal. Why take the
chance?”
    “You mean it could have been you Santiago went after?” Beverly’s mouth was agape, horrified at the
thought.
    “Could have been,” Grant allowed, pulling
onto the street. He couldn’t help but think about being shot to
death while they were making love. Maybe not a bad way to die, but
not exactly a good way either for someone who had his whole life
ahead of him perhaps to share with the lady at his side. “Who’s to
say it might not have happened sooner or later, had he not been
identified?”
    Beverly shivered at the prospect that Grant
could have been killed and she could have been raped. I
don’t even want to think about it.
    “Thank goodness Maxine Crawford was able to
pick Santiago out of two lineups,” she uttered in complete
agreement, feeling even more determined to see to it that the full
weight of the law was brought down on the suspect.
    Ironically the very fact that Maxine Crawford
identified her attacker was contingent upon Santiago allowing her
to live, Beverly realized. Why didn’t he kill her after sexually
assaulting her? Was it that he simply didn’t give a damn that she
might be able to finger him? Or did he feel so cocky that he
somehow believed it was only a snowball’s chance in hell that
Maxine would ever be able to tie him to the crime?
    Well, he was dead wrong.
    * * *
    Grant lived in a Colonial house overlooking
Eagles Lake with plenty of bay windows and magnificent views of the
water and surrounding land. He enjoyed living away from the city
center and having his own little piece of paradise.
    They barely made it past the ceramic-tiled
foyer and inside the Great Room before their hunger pangs gave way
to more urgent physical needs. Standing between an octagonal lamp
table and left-arm sectional loveseat, Grant and Beverly began
kissing feverishly. Their hands were all over one another.
    Beverly had a sharp intake of breath when
Grant nibbled on her ear while sliding a hand underneath her dress
and between her legs. She cupped his face and brought his mouth
back to hers, attacking it again, wanting as much of him as
possible.
    Grant enjoyed the sweet taste of Beverly’s
thin lips, his hands grabbing onto her panties covered buttocks and
bringing their bodies closer together. “You’re really turning me
on, lady,” he hummed, feeling hot all over.
    “I think it works both ways, Grant.” Beverly
watched deliriously as he put his mouth on her linen dress, atop a
breast and onto a nipple. “In fact,