Even if he didn’t hear a specific time for this break-in, he’d let Reese know. He’d get things set up in advance so that—

“There’s no reason. He’s just a nice guy.” A pause, and then, “I just know, that’s all.”

Jesus. She thought he was nice? Logan closed his eyes, but that did nothing to alleviate the remorse. Before it was all said and done, Pepper Yates would be badly hurt. By her brother and by him.

In the end, she’d consider him far from nice.

“When you find nothing, then will you let it go?”

Logan held his breath—until Pepper said, “Thank you.”

So she agreed to whatever scheme her brother cooked up? That’s probably how it had gone throughout their lifetimes—Rowdy leading her down the wrong side of the law.

Never mind that she didn’t know he was the law.

“I was supposed to go to his place tonight, but I can ask him over here instead. Yes, I’m sure. I just want it done.”

Logan curled a hand into a fist. Tonight  would be the night. After so many dead ends, he should have been relieved, even exuberant.

Instead, he felt the great weight of his conscience and sadness for what he would lose, and for what he never had.

With Pepper Yates.

* * *

AS REESE STARTED UP the steps to his second-floor apartment, one of his female neighbors came out her door. He paused to give her a smile, a greeting, but she didn’t acknowledge him. She locked her door, checked it twice and went past him as if he didn’t exist.

No eye contact. Not even a quick glance. She avoided him like the plague.

Because for sure, she saw him.

Not like anyone could miss a man of his size. Women teased him about being a hulk. Men walked a wide path around him. He’d been blessed with good genes from the males in his family lineage, giving him height and strength. As a bachelor he had time to hit the gym a few times a week, so he stayed in shape.

Women noticed him, damn it.

But she acted as if she didn’t.

Snooty gal. Alice-something-or-other. Sort of classic looks; baby-fine brown hair cut in a blunt, shoulder-length style, soft brown eyes, very fair skin, average build on the slim side.

He glanced back at her, but she appeared lost in thought as she went out the entry door with single-minded purpose. He’d noticed that about her a few times already. Wherever she went, it was as if she was on a mission. Even when she took out her trash, she did it with extreme focus, as if it took a lot of concentration to get anything done.

It was part of Reese’s nature to size up everyone in the building. Hell, everyone in his area. This particular neighbor didn’t necessarily interest him any more than the others, but male ego deigned that he disliked being ignored. By anyone. He was a friendly guy. Jovial even, damn it.

But he couldn’t be real jovial with a woman who shut him out so completely.

Reese shook his head and continued on to his apartment. It had been a hellishly long day at the station, and he looked forward to a beer, televised sports and a thick ham sandwich. Alice-something-or-other wasn’t worth additional thought.

Arms loaded down with purchases, he got the key in the lock—and heard the maniacal barking.

With a heavy sigh, he opened the door to the destruction of his belongings. The dog, all black with long ears and soft curly fur and a hyper disposition, yowled and barked and whined while running a frantic circle around him.

He left a wet trail everywhere he went.

Great. At least he had hardwood floors. Carpet would have been…no, Reese didn’t want to think about that.

Resigned, he set down the bag and dug out the leash and collar. “Thought I wouldn’t come back, huh?”

Dropping to his back in a submissive posture, the dog wiggled his way toward Reese.

Reese couldn’t help but smile. “I think you’ve already drained your pipes, but we may as well start a routine, right?” He fastened the collar around the dog and attached the leash. After pocketing a few of the plastic bags used for cleanup—a really distasteful idea—he stroked the silky fur along the dog’s back. “Let’s go, Cash.”

With the dog alternately refusing to budge, then bounding this way and that, Reese relocked the door and went back out front. Sweat glued his dress shirt to his skin, heat wilted the tie around his neck, and an old injury set his left thigh to throbbing.

Being more social than Alice-something-or-other, the other neighbors in the building greeted him. One hot blonde flirted, as she always did, but Reese wasn’t dumb enough to bring trouble to where he lived.

Well, except for Cash.

The dog jumped up on an elderly neighbor who didn’t much appreciate it. Before Reese could duly chastise him, Cash charged another dog, only to run out of leash and nearly choke himself. He sniffed every blade of grass, refusing to go, until Alice-something-or-other suddenly returned. Then Cash chose to stare her in the eyes while doing his business.

Great.

Reese figured what the hell, and he stared at her, too.

Even with Cash involved in something so…un-smile-worthy, she smiled at him.

Reese, she ignored, or at least, she tried to.

Screw that. “New dog,” Reese said to her.

“He cried all day while you were gone.” Direct and to the point.

Great. Why waste time with pleasantries? “Sorry about that. He’ll settle down.” I hope.

She nodded and continued on. Reese saw that she carried a bag of jelly beans. Was that why she’d gone out? Just to get jelly beans? Huh.