“You begin.”
“Ladies first.”
“What you crave, I suppose, is a full confession, brief and to the point, omitting details. Mr. Belknap, I could almost think you are making love to me (oh, using the word lightly, don’t be alarmed!) to acquire information to be used against me. It may be you are regretting your gestures in my favor. Are you worrying about the reputation of Detective Ordway Belknap?”
“Hardly so late in the day. It’s been already thrown to the dogs. I have an intense distaste for attitudes or I should say I had thrown it at your feet, cold heart.”
“Not so cold as you might think perhaps,” and there was a tremor below the voice. “I seldom meet a man I feel is my match or better. I had hopes of you. You disappoint me.” The acrimony crept back. “To give me to understand that you pass up a brilliant display of your methods when you fail to put your finger on me doesn’t speak well for yourself, John. Even Sergeant Stebbins admits I’m too easy to be right.” She had the audacity to look mischievous.
“Stebbins be damned. It’s just his bull-headed sort than can’t see the obvious for dust. Nadia, you’re beating around the bush most successfully, but though I like to hear you play with words let’s clear the decks. And then my congratulations. Three in an evening is a jolly good bag.”
“Mr. Belknap,” she said with a sudden hard seriousness, “I have killed no one at Thorngate—neither Blake, nor Romany, nor my beloved Bertrand. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Desperate as my case may look the fight isn’t over yet. It’s just begun. I expect to produce a murderer to take my place, and I believe I have my man, using the word to cover the female of the species, under surveillance.”
“Confide in me?”
“No-o-o, I think not. Finder’s keeper’s, until—oh well, until.”
Belknap’s dark face darkened another shade. Even his control was wearing as sharp and thin as an edged tool. This futile fencing with Nadia Mdevani, taken with the savage unaccountable ache she stirred in him, was trying his last ounce of endurance. Yet there seemed to be no other way with her unless it were to eat humble pie; and be damned if he’d bend his nature for any woman.