Page 40 of Bait

Ana screams, but I turn and smile at her, shaking my head as I get to my knees.

“It’s going to be okay, baby.”

“Now, asshole!”

I turn and glare at the cop. “There’s a number in my wallet, back left pocket. I need you to call it.”

“How about go fuck yours-”

“I’m FBI, dickhead,” I growl. “Undercover.”

The cops pause, glancing at each other.

“He’s lying!” Kelly shrieks, and I grin as I shake my head. If she had any sense whatsoever, she’d be using this disruption to get herselfgone. But of course, she doesn’t.

“He’s a professor here, and he’s been fuckingher!” She jabs a finger at Ana. “This girl is sixteen years—”

“I’meighteen,” Ana mutters. “And nothing happened, at all, until I was.”

The cops just look plain confused at this point, and I sigh.

“Back left pocket. The number. You want to settle this? Call it.”

“He islyingto you, officer—”

“Ma’am?” one of the cops finally barks at the hysterical Kelly. “I need you to calm down and take a seat while we figure this out.”

The man goes for my pocket and pulls out my wallet. And sure enough, on a little white card with the logo for a plumbing company that doesn’t exist, is a number. The man starts to dial and brings the phone to his ear. I can hear it ring, and then the muffled voice. The cop frowns.

“They say they need a check in code.”

“Five-five-zero-one-four-nine-eight, alpha alpha bravo.”

The cop repeats the code into the phone and then clears his throat.

“Yes sir, this is lieutenant Reed with the—yes, sir. Yes, sir I’ve got him right—yes, sir.” He glances at Kelly. “Yes, sir, she’s here too. I understand.”

He blinks as he hangs up and eyes his partner.

“He’s right.”

And right then is when Kelly decides to book it. She screams, and she makes it about as far as the door before lieutenant Reed grabs her and hauls her back.

“Ms. Lyne? You’re under arrest. The FBI will be here shortly to take you in and process you.”

He glances at me. “If you could stick around…”

“No problem.”

I stand, and without another word, I turn to Ana and pull her into my arms, kissing the top of her head. I glance up to see both cops eyeing me warily.

“I’meighteen,” Ana mutters at them. “Go stare somewhere else.”

I chuckle as I pull her into my office, leaning down to kiss her.

“This doesn’t change anything, you know.”

“Well, it does.”

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