Undone by Moonlight. Wendy Etherington

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ what writers do, too. So spill.”

      “I’ve been involved with hundreds, maybe thousands of busts. I’ll need access to the files at the department.”

      “What’s the chance of Meyer letting you do that?”

      “Zero.”

      “You’ve got friends inside the department, right? Somebody who can pass on information, give us details about the case against you?”

      He shook his head. “I doubt anyone would risk their own job to break the law and help me. I wouldn’t ask them to.”

      “You don’t have friends, then.”

      “Not everybody is as tight-knit as you and your gang.”

      She scowled. “We’re not a gang, and you shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss, as you’re going to need us in the coming weeks.”

      Weeks? Devin fought a cold sweat. His vow not to get mixed up with Calla was shaky after they’d spent a few hours together. He’d never last weeks.

      Or would he? Was he making too much out of their attraction? He’d been working virtually nonstop the past few weeks, closing several cases. He needed … companionship. Maybe if he gave into his urges, he’d get her out of his system. Then he could be in the same room with her without panting.

      Although telling her that plan would buy him a oneway ticket out the door.

      She waved her hand in front of his face. “Gone to la-la land already?”

      No way. He’d be in a better mood if he had. “This whole thing will be cleared up in a few days. Neither the department nor IAB will take the word of a sole witness.” Which was a good thing for him, since his record wasn’t exactly spotless where the cops’ cops were concerned. “They’ll have to find physical evidence. They won’t, since I didn’t touch the guy.”

      “Evidence like the scrapes on your knuckles?”

      He glanced down at his hands, noting the raw skin on his right. His heart jumped. “I hadn’t noticed them.”

      “You’re confused and probably have a splitting headache. It’s understandable.”

      “No,” he said slowly, “it really isn’t. I’m a trained observer. Why didn’t I see that?”

      “The doctor said you’d have some side effects from the blow to your head. Shock and confusion are numbers one and two. Are you dizzy, as well? You should probably lie down awhile. We can table this discussion for now.”

      “I’m not dizzy,” he ground out. He wasn’t going to let her treat him like a scared kid. Or, worse, a victim.

      The mistakes of the past were rounding on him with a vengeance. He already had a huge blemish on his record. The chances of his lieutenant standing by him over another one weren’t good.

      Infuriated and embarrassed, he turned to pace, wobbled on his feet and grasped the air for balance. She was on him in a second, sliding her arm around his waist. “I’ve got you.”

      Closing his eyes to her compassion, he longed to shoot something—preferably the creep who’d whacked him—but they’d taken his damn gun.

      He didn’t resist when she led him to the sofa, though he knew he should. Ever since he’d woken up, he’d felt as if time were jumping forward, then pausing, rewinding, then jerking ahead again. Yet of all the things he had no idea about, he knew one thing for certain: time moved in only one direction.

      “I expect you’ll remember everything eventually,” Calla said, sitting beside him, wrapping her hand around his. “Though some people who’re severely traumatized never fully regain—”

      “I’m not traumatized.”

      “Whatever you say, Detective.”

      What happened to Devin? Last night she’d— There was the rewind again. He recalled sliding his hand between her thighs, his name on her lips as she … told him to back off.

      Great. The idiotic behavior he’d sort-of remembered earlier hadn’t been imaginary. He should really slink home before he humiliated himself further.

      Her thumb glided across the back of his hand, and he went hard. Oh, good, to add to the complications he had no idea how to solve, now his head wasn’t the only part of him throbbing.

      “Do you want to lie down or continue talking about suspects for your assault?” she asked.

      “Suspects,” he said quickly. Lying down meant a bed and sheets and— “I need to clear this up and get back to my life.”

      Her gaze flicked to his. Her blue eyes were bright and clear and so beautiful. He didn’t belong in the same room with her, much less deserve her loyalty. “I kind of like having you here at my mercy.”

      “I don’t like relying on anybody.”

      “No kidding.” She glanced at their hands. “Not that I want you suspended, I just …” Snagging her tablet of notes from the coffee table, she sat on a bar stool across the room. “The guy who hit you is trying to frame you for assault, get you fired and arrested, sent to prison even. That’s a pretty serious plan for a common street thief. Does anybody stand out among your cases?”

      “I haven’t arrested anybody who was happy about it.”

      “But in-the-moment fury is different than this. This is cold, hard rage. Somebody planned the attack on you.” Her expression full of consideration, she propped her chin against her fist. “They planned it carefully, maybe for a long time. They turned your job against you.”

      The medication must have kicked in because Devin had no idea where she was going. “How so?”

      “The thief-attacker-fake victim lured you to do your job then made you pay for it the way criminals pay. It’s symbolic.”

      “Most convicts aren’t deep thinkers. They look for a quick score. You’re making too much drama out of this.”

      She dismissed the idea with a flick of her hand. “Probably. A writer’s prerogative.”

      “You write travel articles, not mystery novels.” Still, the idea of a plan to take him out couldn’t be dismissed, since that’s exactly what had happened. “So this guy pretends to be a purse snatcher and runs by me. How did he know I’d be in that bar at that time of day? How could he be sure I’d go after him?”

      “He’s watching you.”

      “Nobody tails me without me knowing about it.”

      “But you were distracted yesterday. Your day off, the neighbor’s ceiling fan, the dry cleaning, football, the wedding. Regular guy stuff. You weren’t in police mode.”

      “Cops, even off-duty ones, never stop being cops.”

      “If you say so.”

      He wished he СКАЧАТЬ