Hanging On A String — Janette M. Louard

Every Choice Has Its Dangers

Jasmine Spain knows a lot about expectations. She grew up in a family of prominent lawyers, and her parents expected their Ivy League--educated daughter to marry a well-to-do man while making them proud. Instead, at thirty-four, Jasmine is divorced and living in a one-bedroom apartment while working at a mid-sized African-American law firm. It's as far from her parents' social-climbing values as she can get, but at least she can sleep at night--until Chester Jackson, a partner and ex-boyfriend, is found murdered. . .

Jasmine knows a lot of people would have loved to have sent the charming but ruthless Chester to his grave. But when she takes over his case load, she discovers more than she bargained for--a decade-old rape case, shady deals, blackmail. Suddenly the only person Jasmine can turn to for help is the detective assigned to the case, Marcus Claremont. Their attraction is as intense as it is immediate. Born and raised in the projects, the hardworking detective is nothing like the sort of pedigreed man her parents would want for her, but he may be everything Jasmine's ever needed. . .if they can stay alive. . .