Page 200 of Chasing Sparks

I grasp his hand and offer what I hope is a reassuring smile. “Let’s go.”

My apartment is less than five minutes fromBlack Lotus,but we’re not even halfway there when blue lights flash behind us.

“What the hell?” Ash grumbles, pulling to the side of the road. “I’m doing thirty.”

“It’s probably some bullshit reason.”

The officer knocks on the window, and Ash rolls it down, irritation playing across his face. “Seriously? What’s up, Drake? Since when does the chief play traffic cop?”

“Hey, Ash. Sorry to startle you, but I wanted to let you know you have a taillight out.”

Ash glances over his shoulder, his brow furrowing. “No problem, I’ll fix it tomorrow. Are we good?”

Drake taps the truck door, ducking his head to shoot me a smile. “Oriana Thorne. We’ve yet to be officially introduced.”

Ash motions between us with a sharp jerk of his hand. “Ori, this is Drake, the police chief. He’s married to Kiki.”

“I love Kiki. She has worked a few fabulous real estate deals for me,” I reply, leaning across Ash to shake the man’s hand. “Tell her I said hello.”

“Will do. Oh, and I hear congratulations are in order. About time, Hammond. You’ve got a good woman in Oriana Thorne.”

The smile drops from Ash’s face, his expression hardening. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“Alright, well, drive safe.” With a last nod, Drake walks back to his car and pulls past us on Main Street.

Ash grips the steering wheel like a vise, staring at the road ahead like it’s suddenly a battleground.

“Are you okay?” I ask, noting the rigid set of his shoulders.

“Fuck no. I think I found the leak.”

What the hell is he talking about? “What leak?”

“Someone here in Sparkwood is working with Kevin Duncan.”

“And you think it’s the police chief?”

“He knew about you being pregnant, which he would have heard from Kiki after she ran into us at urgent care.”

“Right, but I’m not connecting the dots.”

Ash exhales sharply and smacks the steering wheel. “Kevin knows you’re pregnant. That’s why I lost my shit this morning. I knew someone was feeding him information about us—where we were, what we’ve been doing. Since I doubt it was Dr. Fulton, and you haven’t said anything, that leaves one person—Drake.”

“Jesus,” I mumble, my heart thumping against my ribs. “You hear about dirty cops all the time on TV, but you don’t expect them in your town.”

"Think about it," Ash says, his voice vibrating with barely restrained anger. "How else is Kevin getting the girls in and out of Sparkwood without anyone noticing? Drake controls the police routes, the patrols—everything. If he’s in Kevin’s pocket, the whole town is compromised. And what are the odds the chief is handing out tickets tonight? He was waiting for us."

I swallow hard as the reality of Ash’s words sink in.

“Do me a favor. Hop out and tell me if a taillight is out.”

When I walk behind the truck, both taillights are fully lit. I’ll be damned—Ash is right. “They’re both working.”

“Fucking bastard. He was toying with me.”

“Maybe he was stalling you?”

Ash’s jaw clenches. “Or sending a message. Let’s get toBlack Lotus. I need to call Trace.”

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