Page 4 of The Crime of Intensity

“It’s Kathleen,” I snap.

Only my friends occasionally call me Kat.

“Put a cork in your food channel and don’t unplug until I’ve had my coffee,” I warn and head straight for the coffee machine to get something to brighten my mood.

’Cause murdering Marvin isn’t worth ruining my career.

CHAPTER TWO

– MARVIN –

I watch the feisty woman’s ass walk away from me and mentally groan. Damn. I’ve wanted nothing more than to bury my cock in any hole that woman possesses ever since I laid eyes on her a few months ago.

Our line of work made our paths cross and has kept us on the same road ever since. However, she keeps pushing me off said road, or wants to run me over for that matter. I know I’m partly to blame and have never cared much about what women think or feel when it comes to my words or actions.

Except when it comes to the dark-haired beauty with her stormy gray eyes that can punch me right in the soul when she shoots a glare. Giving me a deadly glare is all I’ve ever gotten from the woman ever since I opened my mouth in her presence.

It’s why my lips stay sealed as I follow her to the coffee machine. I could certainly use the caffeine. I’ve been riding for hours to get here after one of the agents of the most recent dead body we found fucked up. The female agent got too cocky and now she’s missing along with her colleague.

I could have called Kathleen’s father and explained my concerns, but the woman has been occupying my brain for far too long. It’s time I put an end to it. Not only do I want her under me, I want that smart-as-a-whip head of hers working on this case. I’ve already put things in motion and talked things through with my father who handled the rest for me.

“You can fix your own if you want some,” Kathleen mutters and saunters into her office.

Grabbing a mug, I pour myself some coffee and add creamer before I follow her.

Plunking my tired ass in one of the chairs near her desk I state, “One of the agents who found the last body the serial killer left for us to find fucked up and now she and her colleague are missing.”

Kathleen’s head whips up, a glimpse of eagerness for more details overtakes her eyes. “What did she do to fuck up?”

I can’t help but wince. “She got too cocky and gave an interview in front of the dead body. It all happened before I got there and she didn’t mention anything until I saw it on the damn news.”

Kathleen frowns. “I haven’t seen it, what did she say?”

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I tap the screen and find what I’m looking for. Turning the thing in her direction, I place my phone in front of her and let the video play. Her lips purse and she starts to shake her head while she watches the interview the agent gave.

After a few minutes, she slides the phone back in my direction. “She’s the one who did a stupid, brainless action. I can’t believe she called him that and added how he’ll be apprehended by a woman. It’s as if she’s deliberately provoking him and now he proved her wrong by taking her, and the other agent.”

“Agreed. Also, why I reached out to Rourke and your father when I couldn’t reach you. If that fucker is pissed he could go after all law enforcement women who are involved in this case,” I state.

The part where I mentioned I couldn’t reach her is bullshit because I’m fairly sure the woman has been deliberately dodging my calls.

“So, you want me off the case I’m not even on? Better yet, you’d like me to stay home and twiddle my thumbs.” Her voice has a frosty edge to it.

Fuck. Why am I always stepping on landmines when it comes to this woman?

Kathleen gets to her feet. “Thanks for your concern, but I’m not on this case and I’ve let you handle everything when the killer left a body in my town, and we stumbled onto the buried one the same day.”

She grabs a file and throws it in my direction, letting it slide over her desk so I can grab it.

“I had a hunch and did some digging, do what you want with it, I don’t care.” She points at something over my shoulder. “There’s the door, close it when you get your overbearing ass out of my office.”

Ignoring her ramblings, I thumb through the file she gave me. A slow smile slides across my face.

“You’re thinking the ranch is some kind of connection because a body was buried years ago on the edge of that property and one was recently dumped there?” I muse, completely blown away by the new lead and angle she gave me.

“Eastlynne recently bought that ranch. I remember who lived there and my mind jumped to an idea. You should run names and see if one fits the profile.”

An idea strikes and it would allow me to keep an eye on her, and have her brilliant mind on this case.

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