The Very Worst Man Read online

  “Yes.” He scooted his cat closer to him and scratched her lower back. Lily’s purr grew louder and she leaned against him.

  She smiled when Lily gave him a love bite for more petting. “Great. I’ll be right back.” Stepping out of the room, she leaned with her back against the wall.

  “Are you all right?” asked Brenda.

  “Oh, sure!” She said in a normal volume and made a shush gesture with her finger to lips. Motioning her away from the door, Alexandra quietly said, “It’s just a relief to be out of there.”

  “Why’s that?” Brenda leaned over to peer in the room’s tiny window, and she pulled her back away from view. “He seems dreamy. If I was younger and he was single, I might offer to see his sick dog.”

  “Cat.”

  “What? He brought a cat in such a big carrier?”

  Alexandra grinned before going to the medicine storage area. “Yes, it’s a cat and she’s not sick. Just here for a rabies shot.” She opened the drawer and pulled out a syringe. “Which is right here.” She shrugged. “I’m not sure if he’s single, despite not having a wedding ring. Do you want to give this to Lily?”

  Brenda held up her hands as if warding off a chocolate cake. “I’d like to, but no, I’m good.”

  She laughed, holding up the syringe. “Very well. Remember you had your chance later on when he’s hitched and off the market.”

  “If he isn’t already married.” Brenda peeked into the room again before flattening against the wall. “He is really good looking. Are you going to try dating him?”

  “God no! I’ll let some other unsuspecting female have him. Someone who doesn’t know he prosecutes innocent men.”

  “You’re kidding!” She pulled Alexandra further from the exam door. “Oh my God! He’s the one who put away Stan! What is he doing here? Does he know who you are?”

  “He is the one and rabies is why he’s here,” she said, wondering why he’d pick her out of all the other veterinarians in the city. “Yes, he knows me and was Dr. Olsen’s patient. Or rather, Lily was.”

  “Oh. Ok.” She made the sign of the cross. “Good luck.”

  “Thanks, the cat is a sweetheart so it’s all good.” Alexandra slipped back into the room.

  “Is everything ok?”

  “Yes, of course.” His eyes felt like twin beams of the darkest amber when directed at her. Her face grew warm under his stare, so she went to Lily, petting her before turning her hind end around for better access to the animal’s leg. “We were just talking out there for a moment. Medical stuff, you know.”

  “Sure.” He watched as she administered the shot. “Will Lily be sore or have any other side effects? She did the last time, but this seems like a smaller needle than then.”

  She couldn’t help but like how he cared about the cat’s feelings. She hadn’t considered liking a patient’s owner dangerous until in a small room with an attractive man. Remembering he asked her a question, she woke up a little from her thoughts and said, “There’ll be some soreness, that’s all. You probably won’t even notice.”

  “I might. I keep a pretty good eye on her.”

  When Lily came over for more back scratching, Alexandra grinned and complied. “Good to hear. She deserves the love. Any pain she might have will be so slight you might not see it. She’ll be fine and with a treat or two, won’t even remember.” She tickled under Lily’s chin, chuckling at the cat’s happy face. “It looks like she’s smiling at me.”

  “I know. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who sees that. Feels weird saying my cat smiles.”

  “It’s not odd. I’ve seen dogs and cats both that look like they’re grinning. Sometimes it’s the markings, and sometimes it’s just their attitude.” Lily stood on the table and put her front paws on Alexandra. “Whoa, girlie. They have personalities, so who knows? Maybe they’re that happy.” She picked up the cat and hugged her, something the young cat seemed to eat up. “Who’s a good kitty? You are, yes you are.” She glanced over at Hayden. “I’m guessing she doesn’t get this sort of affection at home?”

  He laughed. “You would guess wrong.” Putting his hands in his pockets, he grinned at her. “Quite frankly, I’m jealous. She doesn’t do this with anyone else except me. Not even my brother, and everyone loves him.”

  “I’m glad I get to be special.” As Lily rubbed up under her chin, Alexandra looked down at her lab coat. “I’ll need a bigger lint roller after this.”

  “I can help you out with that. I have them stashed everywhere.”

  She pulled the cat from her, handing her over to Hayden. “What? You don’t have every suit in tabby grey?”

  He laughed, easing Lily back into her carrier. “I know, I should have planned ahead, matching fabric samples to her before having them made.”

  “I’m impressed, Mr. Tailored Suit Guy.”

  “Don’t be, it’s part of the job.” He poked a finger between the bars, and his cat nosed his fingernail before letting him scratch behind her ears. “I did the boots, hat, and western suit for a while.”

  Imagining him as a cowboy type didn’t hurt her feelings a bit. Too bad he wasn’t wearing all that now. Alexandra could get into the sexy, sophisticated cowboy look on a guy and tried to imagine him as such. She fought the nosy neighbor warning inside and asked, “Why did you stop?”

  “I kept getting treated like a good ole boy. Not that I minded, but when the accused is trying to befriend me, I can’t be partial. Especially when they’re guilty.”

  His fairness in presenting a case didn’t sound right to her and she blurted out, “Don’t you want people to be biased against the defendant so you’ll win the case? Even when they’re innocent?”

  Hayden stopped smiling when she’d said “against the defendant.” He was frowning by the time he replied, “This will be difficult for you to believe, but no. I don’t want bias in any case I present. I just want to present the facts. Nothing more and nothing less.”

  She knew better than to start chatting about fairness with him. He’d been a bulldog in the courtroom and had that same dog with a bone look on his face now. “You’re right. It is difficult for me to believe.” She opened the door leading into the waiting room. “I’m also sure you have somewhere else to be that isn’t quite as contentious. If you’ll excuse me?”

  “Of course, Dr. Bromley.” He picked up the carrier and followed her. “Thank you for seeing Lily.”

  Standing in the doorway between the exam room and the lab area, she replied, “My pleasure. You can leave that outer door open for me.” At his nod, she closed the inner door. “Goodness,” she sighed. The man was irresistible up close. Also very irritating, but irresistible.

  She went to the computer, waking it with a mouse shake. Her mind was more on Hayden than the cat’s vitals she entered. She listened for Brenda and Ginny, and hearing their voices out front, she knew they were still here. So was Hayden until the front doorbell jingled open, then closed. She grinned as the two women talked in tones that suggested they gossiped about him. One closed door muted the words but not the voices.

  Who could blame them? He was one of the best looking men she’d ever seen in her life. Even worse, a guy who loved his cat was appealing. Everyone loved dogs and dogs loved them right back, but a cat? She propped her chin up after putting an elbow on the table. Lily had liked her, but adored Hayden and it looked like he adored her right back.

  “Off in la la land over him too?” Ginny asked.

  “What?” She jumped, knowing she’d been caught while daydreaming.

  The receptionist came over, a sly grin on her face. “That man is something else.”

  “Oh gosh, really?” she asked, watching as Brenda came in and stood next to Ginny. Alexandra shook her head at both of them. “He’s not the first attractive guy to walk in, and I’m sure he’s not the last.”

  “If he has a brother, Brenda, I get one and you get the other.”

  “Actually, he does have a brother.” Alexandra stood.
“He’s a doctor too.”

  “Dear God in Heaven, a doctor and a lawyer?” Ginny put a hand over her heart and paused to let Brenda by with the broom. She went on as if the wait had been unbearable. “Tell me he has a third brother just for you.”

  She laughed at the idea of Hayden setting her up with his brother. “He didn’t say. I assume the front door is locked and you have the cash receipts?”

  Ginny waved the bank bag before setting it next to the computer. “You guess right. Too bad you don’t know for sure, though. I thought we finally had you a man.”

  “That’s sweet. Go home,” Alexandra teased. “You too, Bren. I’ll finish cleaning and close up here.”

  Putting away the broom and dustpan, Brenda said, “It won’t take long. Sweeping is done and everyone was pretty good today.”

  “See? Go already and I’ll see you tomorrow.” She heard the side door clank shut and waited for the lock’s click. Once that sounded, Alexandra went back to the computer to finish up Lily’s file. She glanced over the paper from Dr. Olsen: the routine shots, her spay, and boosters ever since. It might take a few moments, but entering her records into the computer now saved having to do it later.

  Several minutes later, she powered down the computer and took the bank bag. The place sounded so quiet. Alexandra went into exam room two. Taking one of the wet wipes, she went over the surfaces and doorknobs. The place felt larger without Hayden in it, and did she already miss Lily? She grinned when thinking of how soft the cat’s fur had been, and who didn’t love kitty kisses? Getting out the mop and antiseptic spray for a quick swab of the floor, she didn’t rush, the evening stretching out like an empty road.

  Alexandra paused. Really empty road. Fretting about Stan had been the only topic driving her mind for the past six months. Worry about his trial, the conviction, and imprisonment kept her busy. Now that he was set for the penitentiary, she didn’t know what else to do with her time. The mean little voice in the back of her mind reminded her she was wrong. She had a huge task in front of her with finding a way to prove her brother’s innocence.

  Chapter 4

  Hayden stared at his computer screen, rereading the paragraph in front of him for the third time. He leaned back in his chair, frustrated. Every time he tried to concentrate, he’d wonder what Alexandra was doing right now. Thanks to seeing her yesterday, he knew what to imagine when thinking about her. Yesterday was the second time he’d ever seen her smile. Six months was a long time, and he’d forgotten how happiness brightened her face. Some of her affection for Lily had spilled over to him during the exam and he’d liked it.

  He pondered over ideas that helped him see her again. She’d be there for Stan’s appeals, sure, but Hayden didn’t want to see her in a courtroom. Not that he needed to see her again. His interest in her already pushed against the conflict of interest boundary. He saw only one way around the ethics keeping him from befriending her: Find evidence exonerating that deadbeat Stan. He sat up and leaned toward the computer. Stan Bromley’s innocence was like a naturally sweet lemon, possible, but not likely. He’d deserved the death penalty, but had a soft judge. Hayden shook his head. He had a sense for the guilty and Stan swam hard in that pool. He tapped a few keys and pulled up the Bromley file.

  With the courthouse closed for the day and his notes ready for Monday, Hayden had time to go over the case yet again. He scanned the big three: motive, means, and opportunity. Means was a simple one, as was opportunity. Strangling your wife to death would be easy for a husband to do. Brutal, but very easy. He shifted in his chair, going over the motive again. The woman had no life insurance. Adding in funeral and court expenses, Sheila’s death wasn’t exactly a profit center for Bromley.

  Had he needed Sheila out of the way for a girlfriend? That didn’t check out either. The man had several friends and acquaintances, but no real intimate relationship with anyone but his wife. He tapped open a file on Alexandra. She’d not been a witness, but he’d still researched her. A guilty part of him squirmed at his real reason for checking her out. He’d simply found her interesting and wanted to know more.

  He scrolled down the document he’d prepared months earlier, reviewing her background. Seeing the information again, he remembered wondering if one of them was adopted. Everywhere Alexandra excelled, Stan failed. Hayden shook his head at the tension her graduating vet school must have caused in a family with a high school dropout. Clean credit, lived in four places her whole life, nothing but an occasional speeding ticket though not in the past four years. She had a background almost as boring as his own. He closed her file and opened Stan’s.

  The guy had the stuff Hayden’s nightmares were made of. Horrible credit, bad checks, a DWI, even a couple of domestic calls were on there and he knew all that. The domestics helped sell his case to the jury. Usually the first 911 call by a battered spouse wasn’t the first time they’d been beaten, and he’d been quick to point that out to the jury.

  Sighing, he rubbed his temples. Any more digging and he’d be angry at how Stan had missed the death penalty. He closed the file and powered down the computer. Bromley’s grieving widower act had snowed the judge far more than it did the jury. Thank goodness, or they’d have ruled him innocent. Doing so might have made his sister’s life a little easier.

  He’d combed through Stan’s cell phone records as part of the prosecution and noticed something odd but predictable. Every time he’d made a rare call to his sister, his bank balance increased a little. No other event led to the account’s bump, so he figured the man had tapped his sister for funds. Thinking of Alexandra and the hurt in her eyes over her brother, he paused before pushing away from the desk. Later, when he was fresh, Hayden would look again for signs of a wrongful conviction if only for Alexandra’s sake.

  He had everything caught up as much as business hours would allow. Now what? A free Friday night and weekend didn’t happen very often. Like someone in front of a stuffed full fridge, the possibilities seemed endless. Driving to Jackson Hole for the weekend sounded appealing, as did visiting Boulder. He stood, stretching. While either place was a nice long car ride, being cooped up for hours didn’t appeal to him. A beer and some food did sound good. Hayden locked up his office, the outer door, and unlocked his car.

  Later when driving past a new restaurant, his stomach growled in response to the food aroma surrounding the place. The parking lot always seemed full, even late at night. Making a u-turn, he hoped it would be too early for the party crowd and too late for the dinner crowd. Right now, he was starving. The open pit cooking smell reached him even stronger as he got out and his stomach rumbled. Feeling close to feral hunger, Hayden stepped in as the hostess held open the door for him.

  “Good evening, sir. How many?”

  “One, please.” He glanced around, looking for anyone he knew. Sports memorabilia decorated the walls. People sat at booths and tables made up of wood and burnt red vinyl. The atmosphere had that luxurious and casual mix he suspected, for the sort of crowd the owners wanted to attract.

  “Bar or table?”

  Large televisions broadcasted the sports channels. Some snowboard competition grabbed his attention, and he replied, “Bar sounds great.”

  “Very good, sir.” She led him on a winding course to the bar and put down a menu. “The bartender will be your server.”

  “Thank you.” He pulled out the comfy stool and sat. Nice, most places didn’t have cushioned seats this cushy. Glancing to his right, he saw a woman sitting a chair over from him. She watched the television and he grinned at how engrossed she was in the sport. Her strawberry blond hair curled with a life of its own. She squealed when the snow boarder took a dive then looked around to see who’d heard. Her eyes hit him like blue green headlights on the darkest night, and he said, “Hello.”

  “Hi handsome!” She ogled him up and down. “Aren’t you a refreshing change? We usually get cowpokes around here, not suited up business types.”

  “I came here from work.” He g
rinned at her full on assault via flirtation. She had a way of pinning him down with a stare.

  “Ah, I see.” The woman paused as the bartender walked over and put down a coaster in front of Hayden. “Well, I’d offer to buy you a drink but I wouldn’t want to insult your manliness or anything.”

  Laughing, he said, “I’d be flattered, but there’s no need. I’ll have a draw beer and whatever the lady would like.” Tapping the glass between them he asked, “Do you have a friend here, or are you saving the place for someone else?”

  “My friend is here with me and will be back in a moment.”

  “Then another, please,” he said to the bartender. “You know, in case your friend is the jealous type.”

  “She’s not. Though she might be if I started dating you first.”

  Dating already? He didn’t even know her name. Alexandra popped into his mind. She was the only one he wanted to make jealous, and he bet she’d not care who he took out. He smiled, feeling somewhat stupid at the moment. A beautiful and single woman sat this close, liked him, and all he could think about was someone else.

  Returning his smile, she said to the bartender, “Thank you and you might need to take this guy’s order before he bolts out of here.”

  “Appetizer platter and what do you mean by that?” He turned toward her. “I’m not going anywhere until I finish this.” Hayden held up his beer for emphasis.

  “I’m very good at reading people and saw the fear when I said ‘dating.’” She shook her head. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I promise I’m taken and was only teasing. Besides, you’d be perfect for my friend. She’s single, works too hard, and could use some fun with a guy who’s not serious.”

  “I wasn’t scared.” His phone buzzed. “You can argue with me about it in a second,” he said and checked the text. It was from his brother and about Sunday dinner, so he shrugged and said to the woman, “Or now is good.” Hayden looked up at a motion beside him to see Alexandra standing there. “Hello, Ms. Bromley.” Without answering him, she took a drink of her cocktail. He leaned forward to talk to the strawberry blonde. “I assume this is your single, hardworking, not serious friend?”