Page 53 of Dina's Favorite Mistake

I want him to stay.

But he can’t.

And I won’t ask.

“Well, shit,” Steve swore softly when they stepped out into the late morning sunlight.

She stiffened, fearing the worst. Her eyes settled on the police cars waiting on the curb. A familiar face greeted them—Chief Inspector Morales who had been in Rafa’s office the day of Jasper’s birthday party.

“Captain Morgan, we need to talk.”

Chapter Sixteen

“Listen, can we just talk here? I don’t see the need to go down to your station,” Steve protested as Morales tried to walk him to an idling SUV emblazoned with PFM insignia.

“Steve, don’t say anything! I’m getting a lawyer!” Dina called out, her phone to her ear as she glared at Morales.

“You’re not under arrest,” Morales said with consternation. “He’s not under arrest!” He shouted at Dina. “He doesn’t need a lawyer.”

“Then let him go,” she argued.

“I’m doing this for his own safety.” Morales shoved him toward the vehicle. “Get in before you get shot or worse.”

“Dina!” Steve shouted, terrified she would be the next target. “Get back inside! Now!”

She opened her mouth to argue, but his tone must have conveyed how serious he was. She nodded and fled back into the building, hopefully right back upstairs to her mother and Jose.

He shook off Morales’ hand and climbed into the SUV. If there was an urgent threat, he needed to survive long enough to get back to Dina. Once he was inside, Morales hopped on the opposite side and then scowled at him. “What are you doing here?”

“What are you doing here?” Steve shot back.

“My job! A job that you’re making unnecessarily harder with your bullshit!”

“My bullshit?”

“You’re interfering with our investigation. You’ve wormed your way into the family. You’re keeping information from us. You’re engaging in shootouts.”

“I didn’t worm my way into anything. The family invited me to stay with them. I’m not keeping information from you, and I only engaged in that shootout because someone tried to kill us first!”

“What are you even doing out there with the family?”

“I’m staying with friends,” Steve said truthfully.

“Friends? You’re friends of the Farias family?”

“Yes.”

“Really? For how long?”

“Long enough.”

“Do your superiors know?” Morales demanded. “I have a hard time believing they would have sent you here with double conflicts of interest.”

“You don’t need to worry about my superiors. The only thing you need to worry about is finding and apprehending Diego.”

“Which I cannot do if you’re interfering!”

“How am I interfering? I’ve stayed out of the way of your investigation. I haven’t questioned any subjects. I’m not out shaking down leads. I’m not chasing after Diego on my own.”

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