Page 22 of His Fiery Mate

“Why don’t you do that?”

“Because I need to go speak to the chief.”

“You aren’t going to say anything more, are you?”

“I can’t, Nic.”

“I’d say I understand, but I don’t. What I do understand is that you are a good and honorable person, and if you’re going to keep that girl’s clan from scooping her back up, you’d better put a ring on it.”

He grinned. “That’s my second errand. Chief first; ring second, and only because the jeweler isn’t open until later.”

“Go on, Tanner. I’ll make sure Melisandre is okay. I’ll take her back to her place if she likes.”

“Thanks, Nic. I hate leaving her, but…”

“You couldn’t keep your hands to yourself,” she teased.

“Well, she is my fated mate. Ask Asher to explain it to you.”

She tossed him a set of keys. “Take my SUV. Melisandre and I can ferry the vehicles to where they need to be.”

He left with Nicole’s laughter echoing in his ears. He headed to the chief’s office. Normally he would have called and asked to see him, but in this instance, Tanner believed surprise was on his side. He needed to share just enough that the chief could see where the evidence was leading them. But who the hell was the phoenix-shifter, and who did he work for?

He parked Nicole’s SUV outside the chief’s office and headed inside.

“Good morning, Tanner,” said the chief’s administrative aide—an officious little prick named Stuart. “I don’t see you on his schedule. Was he expecting you?”

“No, but it’s important that I see him, Stuart…” Normally, Tanner called him Stu just to piss him off, but this morning he needed Stuart’s cooperation. “In fact, it’s vital.”

“I’m not sure he can fit you in,” said Stuart, looking at the chief’s schedule.

“He doesn’t have a choice,” said Tanner, pushing by him, shaking his head at the god-awful aftershave the man liberally doused himself with. Stuart wasn’t quick enough to recover and get in front of him, so Tanner just pushed open the door.

“Tanner?” said the chief from behind his desk.

“My apologies for just bursting in on you, but as I told Stu, I need to see you.”

Before Stuart could object, the chief raised his hand. “It’s fine, Stuart. Just let the mayor know I might be a few minutes late.”

“Yes, sir,” said Stuart as he backed out of the office, closing the door behind him.

“Now, what was it that was so important?”

“Budget cuts and arson fires…”

“So, Melisandre has determined they were deliberately set? I know she thought so.”

“Not only has she conclusively proved it was arson, she’s found a pattern… and the pattern goes back more than two years.”

“Do tell,” the chief said, sitting back and tenting his fingers in front of his mouth.

Tanner was hard pressed to tell what the chief was thinking or feeling. “Chief, the pattern suggests that every time the mayor and the city council try to impose budget or staffing cuts, we have a rash of fires in the areas that would be most severely impacted.”

The chief sat forward. “Why would the mayor or someone on the city council do that?”

“They wouldn’t.” Tanner let that sink in. “It would be contrary to what they’re trying to do.”

“Does Melisandre think it’s someone within the department?”

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