Detective Jake Berkeley noticed the heated glances between his case study and CSI Ryan Wolfe. The way he had marked his territory, the way he'd touched her when Jake had simply asked her to lunch…it was enough to pique his interest.
He watched Ryan take her away, fierce jealousy clouding his eyes, and he smiled to himself when he realized that his new assignment had a lot more going for it than originally assumed.
"This is going to be fun, I think." He mumbled to himself.
"Darrel Reims must have just joined the culinary staff of the S.S. Aquatique. He was hand-selected by the Captain from the Culinary Institute of Miami last December." Keats said as she flipped through his background info.
"That doesn't make any sense. Everyone was all signed up for the voyage to Cozumel as early as last spring." Ryan replied, glancing at the papers over her shoulder.
"Have we interviewed the Captain, yet?" She wondered. Ryan shook his head, giving Detective Tripp a ring on his cell.
"Yeah…on second thought, we would like to question Capt. Walker." He hung up and gathered the files together, waiting for Keats to accompany him to the interrogation rooms. But Berkeley stood in front of her, blocking her path.
"I don't think so, Little Red Riding Hood. Out of your league." He said, smiling at his clever joke. Keats rolled her eyes.
"You're not the first person to call me that." She answered unenthusiastically. Defeated, she sat back down and reread her notes on the case.
"Why can't she sit in on the interrogation? As her mentor, don't you think I have the right to let her come with me?" Ryan asked. His voice was dangerously angry.
"Not when you're sleeping with your protégé, Agent Wolfe."
Ryan walked down the hall alone, his fists clenched tightly. He dared to let out a string of curses, but composed himself to interview the Captain of the S.S. Aquatique.
"So…how long have you been bonking Agent Wolfe?" Jake asked, his feet propped up on her end of the table. She tried to push them out of the way, but he was too stubborn to move them.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Berkeley. There's nothing going on between us." She said, busying herself with other things in an effort to make her statement sound believable.
"Isn't it…against the rules to date CSI Wolfe?" He kept going, seemingly enjoying the effect it was having on her nerves.
Keats ignored him, finding out everything she could about Captain Walker from the database. Berkeley moved his feet from the table to her lap.
"Will you let me do my job?" She squealed. Berkeley placed his feet on the floor, grinning at her. He was satisfied that he had throttled her up a bit and decided to go in for the kill.
"I wonder what would happen if I went to my supervisor and told him you were involved in a torrid affair with CSI Wolfe. I don't think he'd be too happy…"
His voice was condescending, his face ingenuous. He was luring her into something. Keats braced herself for the onslaught.
"What do you mean? It's my word against yours." She said softly. Berkeley gave a casual shrug, unbothered by the comment.
"I have seniority over you. Plus, I bet I can get a few witnesses that saw you two together." He said, glancing at his nails with a jaded expression on his face.
"What are you saying?" She asked. It was better to play dumb than to offer something she didn't have to.
"Maybe we can come to some sort of…fait accompli…" He said, his words sliding over her like silk on glass. She furrowed her brows, deeply troubled by the entire discourse.
"Like money?" She asked.
"Like you." He said. His hand reached over to her knee, sliding up the length of her thigh. Keats shuddered. She stood up, her hands shaking.
What can I do? If he blabs on me, I'm toast. And if I don't do what he tells me to then I'll get kicked out of the program and Ryan will lose his job. But I can't agree to his terms…
"Me? What do you want with me?" She wondered lamely. Jake Berkeley's licentious gaze brought a touch of scarlet to her cheeks.
"How do I explain this? You look so naïve…and virginal. You make a man want to tear you apart, Remington." He grasped her waist and held on tight. She pushed him away, angered at his nerve.
"Anything else but that, Berkeley." She said. She had all but given up on denying her relationship with Ryan.
"Call me Jake. And…there really isn't anything else I want. I just got promoted, so I don't need money. I'm higher than you on the totem pole, so you can't do me any favors…basically the only thing you can do for me…" He edged closer with every word.
"Is…" He leaned in, preparing to kiss her. Keats backed up a few paces.
"C'mon, Red. Put a smile on my face." He whispered in a sultry tone.
Keats resigned herself to feeling helpless. She was backed into a corner, trapped in the lion's den with Jake Berkeley snapping his jaws at her.
"What do I have to do?" She asked hopelessly. He gave a thin smile, knowing he had her right where he wanted her.
"I'm not above a quickie in the locker room." He murmured. Keats shook her head vehemently.
"Suit yourself. Meet me in the parking lot after work. We can do it in my Escalade." He sauntered off, leaving her alone for the first time in several hours.
Keats entered the DNA lab wringing her hands together wretchedly. She needed someone to point her in the right direction. And soon.