The Illusion of Desire

Inquiry agent, Captain Nicholas Ainsley, needs a challenge to escape his crippling nightmares of war. But he's unprepared for the intricacies of his first assignment. Someone has killed an earl, and Nicholas must tread carefully to avoid getting caught in the web of lies and subterfuge shrouding the victim's privileged life. The clues point to the earl's mistress, Kathryn. Rumors are spreading that the earl cast her aside and that enraged, she killed him with the jeweled knife he'd given her as a gift. When he questions her, Kathryn remains stubbornly silent, even when the victim's family demands her arrest. Despite her obstinacy, however, Nicholas is attracted to her and struggles to maintain his distance. His instincts whisper that the obvious answer may not be the right one, and he ignores the family's threats, determined to uncover the truth. But evidence against Kathryn continues to mount, and Nicholas is caught between his desire for the lovely woman and the facts. If he can't prove her innocence, she will hang, and he will lose the woman who has turned his nightmares into dreams of love.