Page 56 of Death Raiser

Of course, the VicPD would have Spiral under surveillance, and of course, they would make note of Estelle arriving and who she arrived with. I wasn’t being watched, but I’d definitely been caught.

I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut.

Buddy chose that moment to find something particularly interesting off the sidewalk and lurched in that direction, yanking me with him. I staggered to the side and cursed as he led me through tall, wheat-coloured grass.

Buddy wagged his bushy white tail and snuffled the underside of a dense green bush.

“This better not be a dead body,” I said. It wasn’t. I’d sense the death energy, but I’d once told Ka…Connor…that I’d never get a dog or take up running for fear of discovering bodies. It definitely seemed like a thing.

“No, just a partially eaten hot dog,” Connor said.

I peered over to the side, trying to see past the fluff and failed. “How do you know?”

He shrugged and looked away. “I thought I saw the wrapper. You know, those white ones with the ruffled edges.”

I sighed and tugged on the leash, not hard, just a gentle tug to say, “Let’s go.”

Buddy immediately popped his head up and panted over his shoulder at me.

“He’s having the time of his life,” I said.

“And he saved you from answering my question.”

“Saved me? He saved you. I was about to ask why you were following me.” My words might’ve been snappy, but I already knew the answer.

“The place was under surveillance. But also, Jacobs was there. He was following up with questions about the security feed for our last case, and discreetly trying to observe the owner.”

“I thought you already served a warrant and grabbed the files.” And everyone in the precinct had watched the footage of us dirty dancing. Heat flamed my cheeks.

Connor grimaced. His gaze cut away while he probably deliberated whether to tell me about the dancing. “About that security footage…”

“Jacobs already told me.”

He swallowed and nodded. “I’m sorry. I would’ve preferred to keep that moment just between us.”

“It is between us. Your colleagues are a bunch of perverts.”

He laughed and shook his head. “I’m still debating how to sneak the files out of the evidence room without jeopardizing the case.”

“Why would you do that? So no one else can watch us or because you want the footage all to yourself?”

Something flashed in his gaze, something dark and seductive and it pulled me in. I wanted to see more of this side of Connor, more of this simmering heat. “Maybe it’s a little bit of both.”

With a small step, he moved in close, his body brushing mine, his head angled down to peer into my eyes.

I sucked in a breath. Close up, Connor did things to my heart.

“And maybe…” He licked his lips. “Maybe I decided that I’d prefer to make newer, hotter memories with you rather than trying to relive an old one.”

We were in the middle of a park. Now was not the time or place to jump Connor. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath.

“You smell delicious, Lark,” he whispered.

“Let’s get back to the warrants before my mind goes completely into the gutter.”

“Why? Mine’s already there and would enjoy the company.”

I groaned and opened my eyes to find Connor’s gaze flashing with amusement and irresistible heat. “Why? Because we’re in public.”

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