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“I, um, thank you,” she finally managed. His hands were still expertly removing a few leaves from her person, and the memory of his hard body so close to hers sent a steady stream of thrills up her spine and made her knees tremble. She licked her lips, trying to stem the tide of emotions that suddenly flooded her. How was it possible that a man she hardly knew could have such a powerful effect on her? She didn’t know and she didn’t care. All she knew was that Chase was a very dangerous man, and she better put some distance between herself and this overbearing cop, or else she might bethe next one to fall victim to his treacherous ways. Her lips tightened and her face hardened when she stepped back. “Thank you for saving my life, Detective Kingsley.”

“I don’t think I saved your life, Miss Poole,” he said, also straightening, “but you’re welcome. And now I think it’s time for you to head back into town.”

Anger flared inside her. Who did he think he was ordering her around like this? Maybe it was time she put him in his place.“I’m actually doing a story on you as well, Detective. A story my readers will find fascinating.”

“Is that right?” he asked, eyeing her a little wearily.

“Oh, yes. Lots of rumors have been swirling around about you, and I think it’s important to separate fact from fiction. Set the record straight.”

“As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what I think, too,” he admitted.

“So… would you like to comment on your dismissal from the NYPD?”

Instantly, his face hardened.“You know very well that was a hatchet piece that appeared in theNew York Post. No truth to the story whatsoever.”

“All I know is that you were accused of molesting a suspect’s wife, and that she filed charges against you, which caused your immediate dismissal.”

His eyes were blazing now with fury.“That story was a fabrication and a lie,” he growled. “Nothing about it was even remotely true.”

“Then you won’t mind setting the record straight? Give the good people of Hampton Cove your side of the story? Your version of the facts?”

“It’s not myversion of the facts, Miss Poole. Theyare the facts.”

“And what are those? And why haven’t you told them to anyone before?”

At this, instead of launching into a long-winded harangue about the mayor’s wife and the commissioner, as she’d expected, he simply closed his mouth with a click, and stood there glaring at her, visibly seething with anger.

“Oh, come on, Detective Kingsley,” she prompted. “You can do better than that.” She took a step closer. “Isn’t it, in fact, true that you claim you stumbled upon a secret liaison between the commissioner and the mayor’s wife? That you were consequently the victim of a cover-up, and that these false accusations leveled against you were simply a way of discrediting you so no one would believe your crazy story about the commissioner’s illicit affair?”

His eyes were blazing, his face taking on a darker tinge of scarlet. A vein was dangerously throbbing at his temple, and she took another step closer.

“Where did you hear that?” he finally demanded in a deep, low growl.

She shrugged.“I’m a professional, Detective. I have my sources.”

When he grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a vigorous shake, she knew she’d gone too far. “Tell me who told you about this,” he spat, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that held her spellbound.

“I—I can’t,” she said, suddenly realizing the dangerous position she’d maneuvered herself in. Here she was, all alone in the woods, near the scene where Paulo Frey had been murdered, with a cop who stood accused of molesting a woman and had lost his job as a consequence. Why did she have to come out here alone? And why did she have to provoke this man? She’d poked the bear, and now he was awake and furious and ready to devour her!

“I want you to let me go now,” she said, squirming.

“Not before you tell me who told you about the commissioner.”

“I—I can’t!” she cried.

He shook her again.“Was it your father? Did he tell you?”

“Of course not! I—everyone knows the story. It’s all over town!”

He stared at her at this, aghast.“All over town?”

“Yes! It’s not a secret, if that’s what you think.”

He was still staring at her, his face ashen now. She wriggled out of his arms, and this time he let go, looking absolutely shell-shocked.

“And let me tell you that I, for one, don’t believe a word of it,” she said. “That whole story about the mayor’s wife? I think you made that up. I think you’re a brute and you went too far that day and you molested that woman.”

He blinked, finally coming out of his stupor when her words hit him. Surprised, she watched as a look of torment came over his face.“We’re done here, Miss Poole,” he said in a voice so quiet she had to strain her ears to pick up the words. “We’re done here,” he repeated, then started to walk away from her, his back straight, his shoulders stiff and his demeanor unreadable.