Janet Maple and Dennis Walker make a good team: she is a top-notch white collar crime investigator, and so is he. Both Janet and Dennis are thrown in for a loop when Janet’s treacherous snake of an ex-boyfriend, Alex Kingsley, is appointed as their new boss, and the case that was supposed to be the highlight of their careers is dismissed for lack of evidence.

To make matters worse, Alex is asking Janet to get back together, and the one man she wishes would ask her out sees her as nothing more than a coworker. Janet’s love life soon becomes the least of her worries, as she begins to suspect that Alex’s rekindled interest in her is driven by ulterior motives. She is determined to get to the bottom of things, but she can't do it alone.

Together, Janet and Dennis team up to solve a tangled white collar crime web that leads to powerful politicians and corporate executives. Armed with their keen instincts and skills, Janet and Dennis are bound to succeed. There is just one glitch: both are attracted to each other, and both refuse to admit it. Will Janet and Dennis solve the biggest case of their careers or will their attraction to each other get in the way?

Catching the Bad Guy is book two of the Janet Maple Series, but it can easily be read on its own.

“There is my favorite investigator.” Dennis Walker sauntered into Janet Maple’s office without bothering to knock. Dennis Walker never knocked. He simply barged in unannounced, the same way he had barged into Janet’s life a little over a year ago, turning it upside down.

“Her fingers tingling from furious typing, Janet looked up from her computer screen. “Today is the big day, huh?” Janet kept her voice cool, making a mental effort not to ogle Dennis’s freshly tanned face. The man would look good even if he were pasty white, not that Dennis’s silky-smooth complexion had ever been pasty white, not even in the dead of winter. But now he looked dangerously handsome. “How was your vacation? Puerto Rico, was it?”

“Turks and Caicos, and it was wonderful.”

Janet nodded. She knew that. She had known the destination of Dennis’s getaway ever since he had posted his vacation schedule on the department calendar two months ago, and she had spent weeks visualizing his trip: Dennis stretched on a lounge chair, sipping one of those resort drinks from a coconut with a dark-eyed lanky brunette lying by his side, or perhaps a blue-eyed blonde. When it came to women, Dennis had only one requirement: they had to be drop-dead gorgeous. Apparently, Janet Maple was not gorgeous enough for Dennis Walker.

“You look like you could use a break, Janet.” Dennis’s comment made Janet conscious of the dark circles under her eyes, which so far were her only reward for burning the midnight oil at work.

“Not everyone has the luxury of taking a week off before the most important case hearing of one’s career.”

Dennis’s eyes locked on Janet’s, his glance acknowledging their never-ending game of verbal tennis. “As I told my boss, I had scheduled my vacation months in advance; the case hearing had been moved three times. I have a life, you know, and I can’t be at the Enforcement Division’s beck and call.”

“Can you believe the momentum the case has gained?” Janet steered the conversation away from the alarming subject of Dennis’s private life, the details of which, despite all the hours she had spent pondering the subject, she wanted to know as little as possible.

“I know. We did all the groundwork and then every single regulator jumped on the bandwagon, including your former alma mater, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.”

Janet felt the usual sting of chagrin that the mention of her former employer never failed to trigger. Yes, her legal career had begun with a position of assistant district attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, but her promising start fizzled to a disappointing conclusion after she was downsized from the DA’s office in the middle of an important case.

As if reading her thoughts, or more likely her expression, Dennis cleared his throat. “David Muller has wreaked enough havoc. It’s high time he was brought to justice.”

“I sure hope that’s going to be the case.”

Dennis frowned. “Why the hesitation?”

“For the very same reason you just mentioned: the case hearing has been postponed three times already.”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door of Janet’s office. The head of the Investigations department, Hamilton Kirk, stood in the doorway. “Dennis, Janet, may I speak to you a minute?” As always, Ham’s facial expression was inscrutable, but the serendipity of his appearance made Janet look at her watch. It was after three p.m.: the Emperial case decision had to have been reached by now, and if the news were good even Hamilton Kirk would not have been able to resist the joy of announcing it.

“Of course, Ham.” Dennis’s tone was smooth, but not smooth enough for Janet to miss the hidden notes of apprehension in his voice.

Together, Janet and Dennis followed Ham into his office. Just why Ham had to insist on going to his office was beyond Janet. Although much smaller in size, her office would have provided sufficient privacy for their discussion, but then she had gotten used to not questioning Ham’s idiosyncrasies.

The moment they reached Ham’s office, Janet understood her boss’s request. Hamilton Kirk had worked for various departments of the Treasury for over twenty years, during which he had acquired vast office paraphernalia—certifications and commendatory plaques, reference guides, and never-ending stacks of bulging folders that contained case materials—but now all of these items were neatly packed in cardboard boxes that lined the floor of Ham’s office.

Both Janet and Dennis looked questioningly at Ham.

“I’m sorry, team,” Ham paused to swallow. “As of today I’m retired.” view abbreviated excerpt only...

Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.