and I will stay with her.”
“Never a question in my mind.”
“Location?”
“I’ll take you there.” The detective ran a hand across his brow. “There’s one more obstacle. She’s due in court in a couple weeks on another case. Under the circumstances I could ask the judge for a continuance.”
Shadow snickered, almost in satisfaction. “You didn’t learn your lesson last night, did you?”
“It’s too risky to leave the house.”
“Agreed.” Shadow folded his arms across his chest. “She won’t concur.”
“I’ll put a couple more officers on her.”
“Not if our perp’s a cop, Brooks. Steele and I can handle her.”
Shadow’s gaze moved to the double metal doors that opened to reveal Claire and Steele headed toward them. And by the look on Steele’s face, Claire had him by the balls.
As soon as Claire was close enough, Shadow stood and pulled her to his side. She wrapped her arms across his hips and laid the side of her head against his biceps. She released a soft sigh when he placed a kiss to the top of her head.
Convinced Claire wouldn’t pass out from the emotional atmosphere, he prompted Brooks to continue. “What else?”
“Forensics recovered the bullet.”
“How long will the analysis take?”
The detective released a heavy breath and rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “I can do my best to put a rush on it but there’s a backlog a mile long.”
Shadow nodded a silent request at Steele. The other man dialed his cell phone and left the area.
Claire cleared her throat. “So, where are you taking me?”
Shadow gave Brooks the honor.
“There’s a safehouse a couple miles from town.” His Adam’s apple bobbed with a forceful swallow. “I will ask the judge for a continuance on the Gonzalez case.”
Claire answered just as Shadow predicted. “No.”
Brooks ran his index finger under the knot of his tie. “Under the circumstances, I think it would be best.”
Claire shook her head and Shadow felt her heated cheeks against his shoulder. “Matt, the Gonzalez family has waited two years to see their son’s murderer finally convicted. I won’t make them wait any longer.”
Shadow swallowed the urge to tell Brooks to throw in the towel. In some sort of sick way, Brooks’ frustration amused him. Steele slipped back into the cubicle in the middle of the conversation.
“I understand your connection, Claire, I really do,” Brooks continued, “but I won’t allow you to risk your life.”
Steele took a loud, heavy breath. Shadow widened his stance. The force of Hurricane Claire was about to take Brooks to his knees.
“Allow me?” Her eyes glittered with amusement as she stepped toward Brooks and patted him on one shoulder. “It’s nice of you to think you can allow me to do anything.” She tilted her head to one side. “That’s why Katie won’t marry you. Your caveman cop attitude is way out of control.”
Brooks had the decency to fidget. “You know she turned me down?”
Claire just shrugged. “Sometimes I have to use my psychic guns.” Her face softened and she patted him again. “Don’t worry, you work on that attitude and she’ll come around. She loves you.”
For a split second Shadow felt sorry for Brooks. He better than anyone realized the other man’s pain. Claire’s sweet barbed tongue spoke a language all its own.
Steele cleared his throat. “Shadow and I can get her to the courthouse.”
“The house is unoccupied at the moment. I think we should move now.”
Shadow glanced at Claire who stood remarkably quiet. “We’ll follow you, Brooks.”
The detective nodded. “There’s a back exit out of here downstairs though the morgue.”
Steele palmed his keys. “I’ll pull your truck around.”
Shadow nodded as Steele left the room then he focused on the detective. “You better be damn sure this place is safe.”
“You have my word.”
“You’re willing to back that up, right? Because mark my word, if anyone
“Never a question in my mind.”
“Location?”
“I’ll take you there.” The detective ran a hand across his brow. “There’s one more obstacle. She’s due in court in a couple weeks on another case. Under the circumstances I could ask the judge for a continuance.”
Shadow snickered, almost in satisfaction. “You didn’t learn your lesson last night, did you?”
“It’s too risky to leave the house.”
“Agreed.” Shadow folded his arms across his chest. “She won’t concur.”
“I’ll put a couple more officers on her.”
“Not if our perp’s a cop, Brooks. Steele and I can handle her.”
Shadow’s gaze moved to the double metal doors that opened to reveal Claire and Steele headed toward them. And by the look on Steele’s face, Claire had him by the balls.
As soon as Claire was close enough, Shadow stood and pulled her to his side. She wrapped her arms across his hips and laid the side of her head against his biceps. She released a soft sigh when he placed a kiss to the top of her head.
Convinced Claire wouldn’t pass out from the emotional atmosphere, he prompted Brooks to continue. “What else?”
“Forensics recovered the bullet.”
“How long will the analysis take?”
The detective released a heavy breath and rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “I can do my best to put a rush on it but there’s a backlog a mile long.”
Shadow nodded a silent request at Steele. The other man dialed his cell phone and left the area.
Claire cleared her throat. “So, where are you taking me?”
Shadow gave Brooks the honor.
“There’s a safehouse a couple miles from town.” His Adam’s apple bobbed with a forceful swallow. “I will ask the judge for a continuance on the Gonzalez case.”
Claire answered just as Shadow predicted. “No.”
Brooks ran his index finger under the knot of his tie. “Under the circumstances, I think it would be best.”
Claire shook her head and Shadow felt her heated cheeks against his shoulder. “Matt, the Gonzalez family has waited two years to see their son’s murderer finally convicted. I won’t make them wait any longer.”
Shadow swallowed the urge to tell Brooks to throw in the towel. In some sort of sick way, Brooks’ frustration amused him. Steele slipped back into the cubicle in the middle of the conversation.
“I understand your connection, Claire, I really do,” Brooks continued, “but I won’t allow you to risk your life.”
Steele took a loud, heavy breath. Shadow widened his stance. The force of Hurricane Claire was about to take Brooks to his knees.
“Allow me?” Her eyes glittered with amusement as she stepped toward Brooks and patted him on one shoulder. “It’s nice of you to think you can allow me to do anything.” She tilted her head to one side. “That’s why Katie won’t marry you. Your caveman cop attitude is way out of control.”
Brooks had the decency to fidget. “You know she turned me down?”
Claire just shrugged. “Sometimes I have to use my psychic guns.” Her face softened and she patted him again. “Don’t worry, you work on that attitude and she’ll come around. She loves you.”
For a split second Shadow felt sorry for Brooks. He better than anyone realized the other man’s pain. Claire’s sweet barbed tongue spoke a language all its own.
Steele cleared his throat. “Shadow and I can get her to the courthouse.”
“The house is unoccupied at the moment. I think we should move now.”
Shadow glanced at Claire who stood remarkably quiet. “We’ll follow you, Brooks.”
The detective nodded. “There’s a back exit out of here downstairs though the morgue.”
Steele palmed his keys. “I’ll pull your truck around.”
Shadow nodded as Steele left the room then he focused on the detective. “You better be damn sure this place is safe.”
“You have my word.”
“You’re willing to back that up, right? Because mark my word, if anyone
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