"If I do, will you shut the hell up?" Barrie's voice curled around the words with biting sarcasm. Even her stance cried out aggression, boot-clad feet planted wide and firm, perfectly tapered khakis tucked in tight and taut. She fisted her hands on her hips, enjoying the shock that crossed Brewster's face, the priceless expression of repulsed awe.

"Never thought I'd take you up on it, did you asshole?" She stepped up to him, grinning maliciously as he backed up quickly, banging into the lockers behind him. "How do you want it, big boy? Right here on the bench in front of God and everyone, or maybe in the back of the squad car?"

Curious heads had begun to poke around the bay of lockers as officers coming on and off shift figured out what was going on in row five.

"Hey Sammy, whassamatter, afraid she'll bite it off?" Tuttle's choked laughter floated down the cramped lane.

"Or maybe that she won't be able to find it." Tina Vasquez' light, feminine voice joined the fray. "I heard from the pros down on Fourth that it's a cocktail weenie." Everyone in the district knew that Sammy frequented the whorehouses he was supposed to be busting.

Everyone also knew that he was the biggest horse's ass in a three-county area. Unfortunately for Sammy, he'd picked to wrong day to make a lewd suggestion to Barrie Carpenter.

Standing a statuesque six-foot-three, Barrie was one of the most imposing figures within the Coulterville Police Department. The fact that she was stunning, a damned good cop, and blended in seamlessly with the good-old-boy mentality of the department oldsters frankly terrified many of the younger officers, Sammy Brewster especially.

He'd been taking potshots at her for the last week or so, ever since she'd turned down his offer of dinner and drinks. Since Sammy wasn't the type to take a simple no for an answer, she'd turned him down in that ice maiden voice and manner she knew how to use so well.

Barrie knew what game he was playing, and normally she would blow it off. She was an adult, even if Brewster wasn't. But today just wasn't the day to push her buttons. It was probably better that he had done it rather than some poor, unsuspecting criminal.

She stepped forward again, intimidating the poor bastard with her mere size and presence. Sammy seemed to think that since his daddy was Mayor he could get away with anything. Well today he'd find out he couldn't.

Other officers had begun to crowd into the narrow hallway created by the lockers, eager to see Sammy get his comeuppance, eager to see Barrie in action. She leaned in, placing her hands on either side of his head. "Well lover, what'll it be?"

Sammy's eyes darted from her face to the laughing faces of his coworkers and back to her face again. There was no way out of it, no way for him to save face now, because she'd do it. She'd unzip him in front of everyone and he'd be limp as a wet noodle.

A fine sheen of nervous perspiration covered his forehead, beaded his upper lip.

Barrie began to slide down, that malicious grin now downright deadly. She sat on the bench bisecting the space, reaching for him as he stood there in thunderstruck terror--a hapless deer caught in the headlights of Barrie Carpenter's presence.

"What in the hell is going on here? Since when is suiting up a spectator sport?" Captain Ross' voice boomed down the narrow hallway. Pushing his way through the crowd he cast the officers a disgusted glance. "Get your asses back to work. Carpenter, quit torturing Sammy."

Barrie leaned back casually, beaming a smile at her beloved captain. "Just keeping up morale sir." "Yeah, my ass. Get on patrol before you give that boy a heart attack."