“Everything about this offends me, Sergeant. A good man, a man I loved, has been murdered. It offends me on a very deep level.”

“I understand. However, my job is to find out who killed him, and to do that I have to ask you about his sexual preferences.”

Taken aback, Natalie said, “What do you mean?”

“Was he into anything kinky?”

Her cheeks went from blotchy to flaming. “We enjoyed a satisfying sex life if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Did he tie you up?” Sam asked, playing a hunch based on the type of porn they’d found on his computer. “Did he get rough? Want more than the usual deal?”

“I don’t have to answer that,” Natalie stuttered. “It’s my personal business, his personal business.”

“Yes, it is, but aspects of his murder were intensely personal, so if you’d answer the questions, I’d appreciate it.”

Natalie took a long deep breath and exhaled it as she spun a huge diamond engagement ring around on her finger. “He was a creative lover.”

Sam used her trademark steely stare to let Natalie know she’d have to do better than that.

“Yes,” she cried. “He tied me up, he could be rough, he asked for more than the usual deal.” Descending into sobs, she added, “Are you satisfied?”

“Were you? Did you go along with it because you wanted to or because you felt you had to?”

“I loved him,” she said in a defeated whisper that set Sam’s already frazzled nerves further on edge. “I loved him.”

“Did he ever bring other people into the relationship? Male or female?”

“Of course not,” Natalie sputtered. “No!”

“Mrs. Jordan, I’m going to need you to stay available until we close this case.”

“My husband and I are due to leave for Arizona in a few days to visit his parents for Christmas.”

“You’re going to have to change those plans.”

Wiping her face, she said, “Do I need an attorney, Sergeant?”

“Not at this time. We’ll be in touch.”

Chapter 17

“Go ahead and say it,” she muttered to Freddie when they were back in the car.

“Say what?”

“I was too hard on her. I’m a mean, insensitive bitch. Whatever’s on your mind.”

“I feel sorry for her.”

She hadn’t expected that. “Other than the obvious, why?”

“Did you notice the one thing she didn’t say?”

“How about we skip the Q&A, and you tell me what you observed, Detective.”

“She said she ‘adored’ her husband. She never said she loved him. How many times did she say she loved O’Connor? Four? Five?”

Startled, Sam could only stare at him.

“What?” he asked, squirming.

“We might just be making a detective out of you yet.”

Freddie flashed that GQ smile, and damn it if her heart didn’t skip a beat. He was so goddamned cute.