Page 21 of Hurting Hunter
As she navigated through the maze of desks and chairs, her foot caught on a loose wire, sending her stumbling forward. The box she carried launched out of her grasp like a ship breaking from its moorings, sailing straight toward Ethan.
Instinctively, Ethan stepped forward, catching the box before itcrashedto the floor andscatteredits contents. A heartbeat later, he reached out to steady the rookie, gripping her shoulder just in time to prevent her from a graceless dive to the floor.
"Whoa there." He took her in. "Detective Danielle Harper?"
The young woman, now steadied and upright, pushed a lock of curly hair out of her face and met his gaze. "Yes, that's me, but please call me Dani. Sorry about the, um, entrance," she added. Hercheeks colored with embarrassment and clashed with her fierce hair.
Closing his eyes, Ethan sent up a prayer for patience.
Ethan set the box down on his desk with a sigh. "Well, Dani, welcome to the team. Seems like you've already got the knack for making an impression."
Dani laughed. The sound was bright. "I guess I do. I’m just eager to get started. Heard a lot about you, Detective Stephenson. It's an honor to be working with you."
The officer who had been packing Green’s desk shouldered passed them with a muttered, "Good luck!"
Fucking A!
Ethan watched as the young detective collectedherself.
Bogus assignment.
Green gone.
A rookie in his space.
This wasn't how he’d envisioned his day going.
He expected to have more time with Green, to ease into the transition and to brace himself for a new partner when the moment was right, not to be blindsided like this.
"Detective Stephenson?" Dani's voice broke through his thoughts. "I really am sorry about that. First-day nerves, I guess."
Ethan nodded. "Just be careful," he managed to say, his tone curter than he intended. He couldn't help but feel resentful. Dani was the embodiment of everything his situation didn't need—youth, inexperience, and with a knack for chaos.
"Alright, Detective Harper. Let's get to work then. But keep your eyes open. This isn't about gangs orstreet-leveldeals. There's more going on here than meets theeye, and weneed to find out what before we're in over our heads," he said, his voice low.
Dani nodded. "Understood, Sir."
Ethan spread out the various case files across the desk, the photos, and reports creating a mosaic. Dani leaned over the table, her finger tracing the edge of a photo showing a cluster of ECO members gathered outside a rundown bar.
"Based on the intel, these guys seem more into their bikes and brotherhood than anything else," she observed, her tone thoughtful. "Doesn't quite fit the profile of a group involved in drugs, guns, and trafficking."
Ethan cocked his head. "You sound pretty certain about that.” His tone was flat. His voice didn’t betray his churning emotions.
Dani’s gaze narrowed as she scanned the next photo—a candid shot of bikers at a charity run. "From what I've read, the ECO might bend some rules, but the pushing drugs and weapons? That involves a level of cruelty I don’t associate with them based on the case histories I’ve reviewed."
"You’ve been doing your homework." Despite his initial skepticism and reluctance, his interest grew. He shuffled through the photos, each one a supposed lead into ECO activities that seemed increasingly misaligned with the darker crimes he was supposed to investigate.
"There’s a lot that doesn’t add up. Weapons and drugs? Maybe. I don't think so, but anyway…" Dani's hands flew in the air as she punctuated her words. "Trafficking? No way. These men wouldn't do that. And besides. The victims' accounts, the operational signatures... they don't scream 'biker gang'. More like professional, cold, detached."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know about the trafficking-ring specifics?"
"I've read up on your cases, Sir," Dani replied. "There’s a pattern to your investigations. And this—" She gestured to the files spread out before them. "—isn't it."
Ethan leaned back and he grinned. The pieces clicked into place, not just the case puzzle, but his understanding of Dani. At first glance, Dani was a clumsy rookie. Someone who would irritate and hinder Ethan. What his captain apparently hadn't realized was she was intuitive, smart, and analytical. And she was challenging the narrative they were being sold.
"You think we’re being sidetracked," Ethan stated.
"I do," Dani said, her eyes meeting his. "We’re supposed to be chasing shadows here while the real monsters go unnoticed."
