He hesitated. “No, but this dinner isn’t on my schedule.”
Be yourself. If she were serious about taking the job with Hart, she would be furious that he was so reckless. As it was, she was angry because his disregard for his own safety meant she truly was on duty, so-to-speak. Someone had to watch his ass—and her own. “Mr. Hart, you want to discuss security with me tonight yet you aren’t taking your security seriously. Someone tried to kill you yesterday.”
He bristled at her tone. “I haven’t forgotten.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Truthfully, with the suspect dead, I don’t feel like there’s a threat anymore.”
“Do you know why he wanted you dead?”
“No, but—“
“Which means you don’t know if he was acting alone and killed himself when he failed, or if someone else was behind it and killed him because he failed. Until the police know the motive for the shooting, you need to be extra cautious.”
“I stand corrected, Ms. Morgan. I will talk to the CHP in the morning and accept their offer for assistance.” He smiled. “Unless, of course, you start working for me tomorrow.”
He was about to open the door for her, and she stopped him. “For tonight, do as I say. If you can’t, then we’ll have a problem working together.”
“Fair enough.”
“I’m getting the door.” She waited until Hart was safe in the back before sliding in next to him.
Hart took her to Mulvaney’s, an upscale restaurant in a converted 19th century firehouse, only a few blocks from her apartment. It was one of her father’s favorite places. The food was delicious, but Alex always felt out of place—she preferred pizza and beer.
Hart was about to order a bottle of wine, but Alex declined a glass. “You’re the one who didn’t bring security,” she reminded him. “I’ll have water,” she said to the waiter.
“I can see you will be a stickler for details,” Hart said with a half smile.
“I take my job seriously.”
“Do you really think there is a continuing threat?”
“I honestly don’t know—what did Detective Perry say?”
“I haven’t spoken to him since this morning.” Hart sipped his wine. “I was hoping you might have heard?”
She shook her head and nibbled on warm, fresh baked bread. One taste and she remembered that she’d skipped lunch. She forced herself to eat slowly.
“Full disclosure,” she said. “Jim and I used to go out. We split up about a year ago, so he’s not really inclined to share anything with me.”
“What happened?” he asked.
“That’s beyond the scope of this job interview.”
He laughed. “Is that what you think this is?”
“It’s not a date.” She wasn’t going to lead him on. Hart was attractive and smart—two big pluses in her book—but he could be corrupt. Plus ... she wasn’t attracted to his slick style.
Not to mention just thinking about Matt Elliott’s kiss that afternoon had her squirming in her seat.
“No, but I told you I want to hire you.”
“I assume you know why I left the force.” Might as well get the conversation over with. Hart must have some clue as to why she walked off the job long before retirement age.
He dismissed her comment with a wave of his hand. “Alex—I can call you Alex, right?”
“Of course.”
“I was prosecutor for more than a decade. I know how difficult it is for a cop to turn in another cop. I’ve run up against some less than ethical cops when I was in the D.A.’s office. I lost a case once because of an illegal search. Nothing I could do about it, but believe me—I do not like to lose, especially because of the incompetence of others. Or, in this situation, an over-zealous cop. All I really know about your case is that your partner shot you because you were going to turn him in for doing something illegal. The newspapers weren’t kind, as I recall, but it seems to me—because I do understand how the system works—that you were the victim.”
“I appreciate the understanding.”
“And? I’ll admit, I am curious about what happened. I could find out on my own—I still have friends in law enforcement and in the D.A.’s office. But I’d rather hear it from you.”
She gave him the party line. “My partner was a good cop for the most part, but he had a thing for young girls. When I found out—when he was with an underage prostitute—I lost my temper. Told him I was going to report him. He shot me. I truly believe he just snapped, saw his career gone, realized he would lose the custody battle he was having with his wife over their daughter, and shot me without thinking.” A phantom pain burned in her lower right back as she remembered being shot. She’d been extremely lucky she hadn’t lost a kidney, or been paralyzed. Lucky, as well as having brilliant surgeon Gabriel Storm on call when she arrived at the hospital.