Radclyffe - Sheltering Dunes

“Sorry, everybody in town knows I’ve got a girl. And you know, she’s got a temper.”

Mitch laughed. The line between him and the beautiful officer Tremont was really clear. Good to know. “I’ll be just the ex in town fronting for the Kings, then. Work for you?”

“Fine. Let’s go have some breakfast and really give the town something to talk about. Then I’ll take you to your room—where are you staying?”

“Nowhere yet.”

“I can recommend a place. It’s crowded this week, but they’ll find you something for me.”

“Good enough.”

“When you’re settled, you can send Detective Mitchell over to meet the rest of the team, and we’ll have a talk with Mica Butler.”

*

Bri Parker leaned with her back against the wall in the chief’s office listening to Allie lay out the game plan for convincing Mica Butler to provide evidence against Hector Guzman. Dellon Mitchell, in an open-collared white shirt and black jeans, sat relaxed and confident-looking next to Allie in a chair facing Reese, occasionally adding some new intel about Mica or MS-13.

Bri was only half-listening. Allie had run the case by her earlier that morning to make sure she wasn’t overlooking anything. She and Allie graduated from the academy at the same time, but she’d had a lot more field experience working with Carter on a big case not long ago. So this was Allie’s shot. This case meant a lot to her for a lot of reasons. It was her first lead, and Flynn was mixed up in it to her eyebrows. So Bri didn’t mind riding shotgun on this one for Allie, but she wasn’t about to take the backseat behind this detective from Philadelphia. Mitchell knew her stuff, that wasn’t the problem. Bri didn’t even mind that Mitchell was a little cocky and a lot good-looking. She just minded somebody else getting between her and Allie. Until Reese started assigning them different partners to give them more experience, they’d been together, and they were still a good team. She could give Allie all the backup she needed.

“Anything to add, Parker?” the chief asked.

Bri resisted the urge to straighten to attention. She didn’t want to look like a rookie in front of the detective. “What do we do if she lawyers up?”

“Good question,” Reese said. “If that happens, we have to go with it. Then,” she looked at Detective Mitchell, “it may be necessary to bring charges in order to assure her cooperation.”

“We could threaten that,” Mitchell said, “but I don’t think we have anything that would stick in the long run. We know what Hector has done, but we can’t prove it. She has to know about his illegal activities, but we can’t prove that either.”

Allie said, “But if she thinks you’ve got more than you really do, that could be persuasive.”

“True,” Mitchell said. “But she’ll be a better witness if she’s not hostile. If she comes over to our side voluntarily.”

Bri said, “What about Flynn? Maybe Flynn could talk her into it.”

“I don’t think—” Allie said.

“Who’s Flynn?” Mitchell asked.

“A woman Mica has been seeing.”

“Romantically? That’s good to know. Definitely something we might be able to use.”

“If we have to,” Allie said sharply.

“Of course,” Mitchell said smoothly. “It’s always best to leave civilians out of it if we can.”

“Anything else?” Reese asked, looking at Allie.

“No ma’am.”

Reese nodded. “Bring her in quietly. We don’t want to send up a flag to whoever might be watching her.”

Bri said, “Allie and I could pick her up in plain clothes. People around Flynn’s place know us both. We’re friends of hers. If we bring a cruiser, we might as well take out an ad.”

“Good idea. Can we take your SUV, Chief?” Ali asked. Reese nodded and Allie looked at Mitchell. “You’ll want to stay here.”

“No problem.”

Bri pushed away from the wall and Allie joined her.

“Let’s go change into street clothes,” Allie said, “and then let’s go get her.”

*

Mica tensed at the sound of footsteps outside the partially open bedroom window. Two people. Not trying to be real quiet, but not announcing their approach either. She slid away from Flynn and pushed back the covers. That morning she’d collected her clothes and piled them by the bed, as she’d been doing since she’d left North Philadelphia. She couldn’t run very far naked. Careful not to wake Flynn, she leaned over and grabbed her jeans. If she could get the window open quickly enough—

A knock sounded on the door. Two sharp raps. She relaxed a fraction but kept dressing. Hector’s men would not knock. Beside her, Flynn sat up.

“I’ll get it.” Flynn scooped up a pair of sweats and stepped into them.

The knock came again.

“Look first.” Mica pulled her pants up and yanked her T-shirt over her head. “If you don’t know them, don’t open the door.”

Flynn hesitated, a shirt in her hand. “What will they look like?”

Mica shrugged. “Probably Hispanic, unless he’s recruited some associates up here. And they won’t necessarily be men. Look, Fly—”

“Stay here,” Flynn said quietly, buttoning the shirt. “If I don’t know them, you’ll hear me say I’m busy and to come back later. Don’t go anywhere, okay?”

“Don’t worry about me. Just be careful.”

Flynn kissed her. “It’s probably nothing.”

“Sure.” Mica waited until Flynn disappeared into the living room to ease up the window. She didn’t want to go through. If she did, she knew she’d never come back. If she stayed, Flynn was likely to get hurt. She swung a leg over the sill.

Chapter Twenty-five

Flynn surveyed the empty room and the open window. A cold, sick feeling seeped through her stomach.

Allie said from behind her, “She couldn’t have gotten far. We’ll pick her up.”

“I’ll call it in,” Bri said.

“No,” Flynn said quickly. “She doesn’t have anything with her except what’s she’s wearing. She’s got to go back to her room. Let me go after her. Let me talk to her.”

“What is it going to take for you to get the picture?” Allie said sharply. “She’s running, Flynn. She ran here, she faked her identity, and she’s hidden her past. And now she’s running again.”

“She told me,” Flynn said quietly. “She told me who she is and where’s she’s been. I know what she’s been through. She’s not who you think.”

“Oh, come on.” Allie glanced at the bed. “Pillow talk? And you believe her?”

“Yes, I believe her. Please, you can follow me if you want to, but let me go after her. Let me talk to her. Were you planning on arresting her?”

Allie glanced at Bri, who shrugged. “Not at this time. We only want to talk to her.”

“Then don’t treat her like a criminal.”

“She may be a criminal,” Allie said. “When someone runs, they’re usually guilty. We know she’s part of a vicious gang. And she’s putting you right in the middle of—”

“No,” Flynn said quietly, “no, she isn’t. I know what I’m doing. You just have to trust me on that. And now I need to go if I’m going to catch her. I’m sure this isn’t the first time she’s had to leave somewhere in a hurry, and she won’t need long to disappear.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?” Allie shook her head. “God, Flynn. You’re worth so much more—”

“Allie, I appreciate how you feel about me. I really do.” She touched her bare throat, still not used to being so exposed. “But the collar doesn’t make me a saint. And it doesn’t make me infallible. I’ve sinned.”

“Only you would see it that way,” Allie muttered. “All right. But we’re coming with you. We’ll wait outside, but if she’s there, we can’t let her leave. I’m sorry.”