Page 14 of Enemies in Paradise

“Who gaveyoupermission to be here?” I hate backing down from an argument, even when I know I’ve lost. But if Bear isn’t swayed by the fact his older brothertechnicallygave me permission, then I’ve got to find a different tactic to trip him up.

“Lynette Baker, that’s who. She owns all these fields and the pond.” He points to the same area slated for development that Georgia pointed out the other day. “I’ve got hockey practice here every Tuesday and Thursday, so you need to take your stuff and go.” He crosses his arms and sticks out his chest.

His biceps bulge against the sleeves of his light puffer jacket, as if he’s attempting to intimidate me with his muscles and his ability to withstand the cold without the many layers I’m wearing.

“There’s another field over there.” I point to the area on the other side of the pond. “Plenty of room for you and your friends to play hockey there and me to hit golf balls here.”

I stop myself from asking what kind of bros play hockey in the middle of winter when the field is frozen. He may give off the same chauvinist vibes I’ve been dealing with in the department since I got promoted to detective, but I’m the one playing golf in a frozen field.

“We’re not playing on the field. We’re playing there.” He points at the pond, which I notice is also frozen and big enough to serve as an ice hockey rink.

And also only ten feet behind my target. Which is super annoying because he’s right. It’s not safe for me to keep my target where it is.

“Fine. I’ll move.” I step around him to pull up my target without hishelp, but I’ve done too good a job hammering the stake into the hard ground. “I’ll switch directions, so I’m notpointed toward you. That okay? Or will you turn me in for trespassing?”

My words come out in huffs as I tug the immovable post.

“Not okay.” He says behind me. “You’ve got to pack it up.”

I let go of my target and face him, missing my uniform and badge. I could use some backup right now to push back this bully.

I don’t have a problem taking orders—it’s part of my job—but those orders have to make sense. Which Bear’s don’t. Nobody is in danger of getting hit by a ball if I’m not facing them. My target will be fifty feet away. It’s physically impossible for a ball to ricochet off paper, sail fifty feet in the opposite direction, and hit a moving target.

He’s being ridiculous and punitive, which I’m about to point out to him when I remember something.

“Wait a minute… Lynette? That’s who owns this land? The one who wears tinfoil hats and feeds all the squirrels in town?” I drop my hands from my hips and take the casual stance I use when I’ve got a suspect right where I want him.

Bear shifts his weight and leans away from me, giving me ground. “Yeah… so?”

I cock my head to the side. “I doubt she’ll care I’m here, but why don’t you call her and ask? We can clear this up right now.”

We both know that won’t happen. Georgia’s told me all about Lynette and her conspiracy theories regarding aliens and cell phones. She doesn’t own one. She doesn’t even have a land line.Follow the squirrels.That’s how you find Lynette, according to Georgia.

I know that, and before this trip, I’d only spent two weeks of my life—total—in Paradise. Bear’s lived here his whole life. Pretty sure we both know he’s not getting hold of Lynette in the next five minutes.

His jaw works back and forth before he takes a breath. “You buying Grandpa’s shop means my team only has a few weeks left to practice here before the pond is sold too,” he says with measured calm. “We have no rink after that. Do you understand that? So, why don’t you let us have the little time we have left while we still have it?”

My chest softens, and for a second I’m ready to give in, if only on this.

Until Bear mutters, “Before everything’s ruined.”

I blink, making sure I’ve heard him right. Then I take a step closer, so we’re inches apart. “Because of me? I’ve ruined everything—that’s what you mean?”

This is not a fight I’m backing down from now, the way I’ve had to every time Markham’s implied women are holding back the whole department.

My anger is too big to contain. “You think I’m ruining everything because I want to buy a shop you’ve had years to buy and haven’t? Because I have the money to do it and you don’t?”

Seconds pass with no response from Bear, so I fill the silence.

“News flash, Bjorn. It’s not my fault you don’t know how to buy a business your grandpa practically dropped in your lap. That’s on you.”

That was ugly. I know. Sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my brain, especially lately when I’ve got a lot to be mad about. I don’t know why Bear hasn’t bought the shop, but I do know it’s not his fault my captain is a sexist pig any more than it’s my fault he can’t buy the shop.

When I can’t stand to look at the surprise on his face anymore, I turn away to tug at my target again. But I can’t make it budge. I’m too worked up. I’ve let my emotions get the best of me, which is the worst thing a cop can do.

Bear reaches past me and wraps both hands around the post, and in one swift motion, yanks it out of the ground. “We havepractice for ninety minutes. You can come back when we’re done, but you can’t be here right now. I need my team to focus for the time we have, not wonder why some… out-of-towner is hitting golf balls out here.”

Without another word, he holds the target out to me.

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