“Is there a problem?” He watched as she wiggled one foot into a bronze-colored pump. By the time she’d wiggled into the second, his palms were sweaty and he’d missed what she’d said. “Sorry, what?”

“I said my boss called, about a half hour ago. I’ve got an attempted murder I have to deal with.”

That cut his fantasy off as quickly as a faceful of ice water. “A what?”

“Attempted murder. Alexi’s precinct. I can probably plead down to assault with a deadly weapon, but I have to see him today so I can meet with the DA in the morning.” She spread her hands. “I’m really sorry I didn’t catch you before you came all the way over.”

“No problem. I’ll go with you.”

“With me?” She liked the idea, a little too much. “You don’t want to spoil your day off spending it at a police station.”

“I’m taking the day off to be with you,” he reminded her, and picked up her coat where she’d tossed it over the back of the couch. “Besides, it won’t take all day, will it?”

“No, probably no more than an hour, but—”

“So let’s get started.” He walked to her, then turned her around so that he could slip the coat slowly on one arm, then the other. Lowering his head, he sniffed at her neck. “Did you spray that stuff on for the felon, or for me?”

She shivered once before cautiously stepping away. “For me.” Picking up her briefcase, she held it between them like a shield. “I have to go by the office first. We already have a file on the guy. He’s been around.”

“Okay.” He tugged the briefcase away, took her hand. “Let’s go, Counselor.”

Alex spotted his sister the moment she walked into the station. Since he wasn’t any happier than she to be spending his Sunday morning at work, he immediately brightened. Giving Rachel a hard time always lifted his spirits.

Grinning, he strolled over, a greeting on his lips. When he spotted the man hovering around her, the humor in his eyes turned instantly to suspicion. “Rach.”

Still clipping her visitor’s badge to her lapel, she glanced up. “Alex. They got you, too, huh?”

“Looks like. Muldoon, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.” Zack returned the steady stare and nodded. “Nice to see you again, Officer.”

“Detective,” Alex corrected. “I didn’t hear anything about LeBeck being pulled in.”

“I’m not here about Nick.” Rachel recognized Alex’s unfriendly, aggressive stance. He’d assumed it with every boy and man she’d dated since she’d turned fifteen. “I’m representing Victor Lomez.”

“Now that’s real slime.” But Alex wasn’t nearly as concerned about Rachel’s client as he was with the reason the big Irishman was carrying her briefcase. “So, did you two run into each other outside?”