“I believe we’re ready to begin,” Ben said.

Hudson and Allie took their seats at the opposite ends of the conference table. At times it felt as though they were in a scene from an old Western, locked in some sort of standoff at high noon; but Allie loved every minute she spent sparring with Hudson across the glossy mahogany. He would grumble about how she was the proverbial thorn in his side, but she knew he loved it, too. They challenged each other, brought out their best, and then took it to an even higher level.

If only the other board members saw it that way.

While Allie had enjoyed a sweet victory when it came to preserving the print edition of their flagship paper, most other votes hadn’t gone her way. For that she had two people to thank. One was Duncan Wentworth, a man with money older than most anyone else in the Chicago. Wentworth wielded an undeniable influence despite never having worked a day in his life, and he never missed a chance to patronize Allie’s efforts.

The other member blocking her at every turn was Melanie McCormick, a woman who’d earned her seat on the board through a string of successful divorces. To Melanie, the climb up the corporate ladder had come in the form of wedding vows spoken to men with ten times her net worth. Previous targets had been twice her age, but if her unabashed appreciation for Hudson was any indication, this time she’d set her sights on a much younger man.

Melanie slithered up to Hudson the moment the meeting ended. Having seen the same less-than-subtle maneuver played out at nearly every gathering, Allie had expected nothing less. But there was something different this time. Allie could see it in her eyes. Melanie was upping her game, and Hudson Chase was the coveted prize.

Allie took her time gathering her belongings until she and Hudson were the only two who remained. “What was all that about?” she asked as he strode across the now empty conference room.

“It seems our fellow board member has found herself without an escort for the Ingram Gala this weekend. She asked me to do the honors.”

“She asked you out on a date?” Allie squeaked.

“Don’t look so horrified, Alessandra.” Hudson smirked. “I’ve been told I’m quite a catch.”

“You’re a married man.”

He chuckled. “She doesn’t know that. But I doubt in her case it would make much difference.”

“That’s not making me feel any better.”

“I’m sorry.” His eyes were lit with amusement. “Although jealousy is quite becoming on you.”

Allie glanced down at her bare left hand. When she spoke her voice was barely a whisper. “I hated taking my ring off this morning.”

His gaze softened. “As did I.”

For a brief moment the world around them fell away and they were back in the candlelit barn. The intimacy that passed between them made her chest tighten to an almost unbearable ache. Hudson lowered his head, his lips inching closer to hers.

Behind them someone cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt,” Colin said.

Allie stepped back. “It’s fine. Just going over a few additional items,” she turned, giving him her full attention. “What’s up?”

Colin’s eyes darted to Hudson then back to Allie. Her assistant was far too perceptive to have missed what was going on. But he was also proving to be fiercely loyal. She felt confident he would never breathe a word of what he now surely suspected. “Detective Green is here to see you.”

“Show her to my office and offer her something to drink. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Will do.”

“What’s that about?” Hudson asked once they were alone. The frown that creased his handsome brow revealed his unease.

“No idea. This meeting wasn’t scheduled.”

He gave a tight nod. “She has news then. She wouldn’t stop by to tell you things were status quo.”

“Do you think they’ve connected Julian to all this?”

“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself. See what the woman has to say first,” he cautioned. “And call me as soon as she leaves.”

“Absolutely.”

They stared at each other for a moment more until Hudson blew out an exasperated breath and ran a hand back through his hair. “These platonic good-byes are growing tiresome.”

Despite her agreement, his frustration actually made her smile. “And if people knew we were married you’d what, push me up against the wall? “

“For a start.”

“I think I’m going to like working with my husband. With any luck this charade will be over soon.”

“One can only hope.” Hudson’s words echoed in Allie’s head as she made her way back to her office. Hope. It was what got her through the past few weeks. Hope they would finally be free of Julian’s threats; hope her parents’ murderer would be brought to justice; and most of all, hope that she and Hudson would finally have the future they never thought possible.

But when she stepped into her office, all hope faded. Detective Green sat in one of the chairs in front of Allie’s desk, her back straight and her expression grim. As had been the case every other time they’d met, the middle-aged woman was dressed in a conservative suit, and her sandy brown hair was pulled back in a tight bun. Her green eyes still cataloged every detail of her surroundings, but when she met Allie’s questioning stare, her gaze no longer possessed the confident reassurance that had carried Allie through the darker moments of the investigation. This time her gaze was filled with nothing but apologetic disappointment.

She stood the moment Allie entered the room. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

“Not a problem.” Allie shook the detective’s outstretched hand, then rounded her desk. “I was hoping your visit meant there’d been a break in the investigation. But judging by your expression I’m assuming that’s not why you’re here.” She gestured toward the empty chair. “Please sit.”

“I wish that were the case.” The detective’s suit jacket split open as she sat in one of the leather chairs, offering Allie a glimpse of the badge she wore clipped to her waist and the gun she kept holstered at her side. She drew a deep breath through her nose. “There’s no easy way to say this, Miss Sinclair, but we’ve hit a dead end.”

Allie’s heart pounded in her chest. This couldn’t be happening. Julian wasn’t going to get away with murder. “I thought you identified the shooter?”

Green nodded. “Yes. But we can’t find anything to link him to a third party. No bank deposits, no calls or recent trips out of town.”

Then you’re not looking in the right place, she wanted to scream. But she couldn’t tell the police what she knew, not without incriminating Hudson.

“At this point all indications are he was working alone.”

“With what motive?”

“It could have been a robbery as we first suspected. But without any further information, we may never know if he was working on his own or not.”

Allie’s eyes drifted shut as she took a moment to compose herself. When she opened them, the detective was standing in front of her desk.

“There are no victories in my line of duty, Miss Sinclair; nothing I can do to bring back lost loved ones. But I work hard to try and bring them justice, and a sense of closure for their families. I’m truly sorry I haven’t been able to do that for you.”

“Thank you, Detective Green. I know you’ve dedicated a lot of time and effort to this investigation.”

“If there are any new developments, you’ll be the first to know. But for the time being, at least, the department considers this case closed.”

Allie waited until the door clicked closed, then rested her elbows on the desk and dropped her face into her hands. That fucking bastard. Without a doubt there would be no further developments. Julian had covered his tracks too well. The team Hudson had assembled was the only remaining hope. If they could find something, anything, she could use as leverage against Julian . . .