Page 16 of Miami Heat (Urban Heat 3)

“Give me the details. I’ll go check it out.”

He hesitated and then looked into her eyes. “It’s a woman, a very beautiful woman.”

“Oh.”

“Usually the men handle the women, don’t they?”

She nodded. Why was he still being so damn cryptic?

“I know for a fact she flew in late last night. I know where she’s staying, but I didn’t go by there. The hotel. She’s under an assumed name, I’m guessing because I couldn’t find out any details on her other than the flight she came in on originated in Texas. No trails beyond that.”

“So what makes you think she’s a shifter?”

“A tip.”

“What kind of tip? From who?”

He sighed. “I can’t give up every single source.”

“And why not?”

“I haven’t confirmed everything. Remember, I’m building the database. When it’s done, I’ll add everyone to it—everyone who wants to be added. Some like their anonymity.”

Sakura rolled her eyes. “Whatever. But I understand you want to be sure. How about I go feel her out a little? Like you said, we’re here, and if there is a female shifter, I want to get my family involved so they can send someone to deal with her. Of course, if I determine she is and I have the opportunity, I’ll take her out. Period.”

Roger flinched. Again, she was reminded the man didn’t belong in the field. He could never handle her as a lover. Sometimes she came home wanting to vent, to unleash some of the stress, and Adam had listened to every detail of what she’d done, even though he’d been there with her. He understood her ritual kept her sane. Roger would never be able to deal with the violence of her job, even hearing it second hand.

“I’ll go with you,” he said, surprising her.

“No, you won’t.”

“Sakura, you don’t have a protector.”

“Adam is in Miami.”

“Where is he now?” he insisted.

She clamped her teeth together. Despite everything, Roger had sensed her confusion over Adam. He might even realize she wasn’t ready to talk to Adam, let alone take him on a job. She kept assuring herself she’d call and get things straight, but a part of her wanted to put that talk off. Besides, I saw him just this morning. I’m not procrastinating.

“Fine. You can go, but you’ll stay in the car. No arguments. Got it?”

He nodded.

“Let’s go now. No time like the present.”

After he settled the bill, they left the restaurant, and Roger handed her a slip of paper with the name of the hotel where the woman stayed. “The Acqualina?”

Roger led her to the car and held the door for her. “Yeah, she’s got an oceanfront suite there. Only two thousand dollars a night.”

Sakura shrugged, and he blinked at her. She chewed her thumbnail thinking. “What’s she doing here? Meeting someone? Damn, I messed up. I usually handle this better. I killed that guy without knowing if he had family or friends like him. She might have had a connection with him, or there may be others.”

“Maybe,” Roger said. “It’s still worth it to go check her out though.”

“Of course. I want to have something concrete to tell Dad.”

The moment they stepped into the Acqualina, Sakura regretted her more modest but still posh hotel choice. Across the lobby at the check-in desk, a guest had just turned from handling business when a waitress appeared seemingly from nowhere with a tray of drinks. She murmured a few words to the guest, and the guest nodded and took what looked like a cool tropical beverage. She sipped it, smiled in relief, and the waitress disappeared. A bellman whisked the woman’s luggage toward a bank of elevators while the woman followed at a leisurely pace.

“Stay here. I’m going to work my charm,” Roger told her.

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