Page 62 of Deadly Designs

“We have them all at the station. I’m headed therenow to question them.”

“You think they’ll give up the pastor?” Christianwondered.

“When you’re up to your eyeballs in charges andstaring at an extended prison sentence, it’s every man forhimself.”

“Keep us posted.”

“Yeah, right. Like you’ve done the same for me.”

“We have,” Christian argued. “I gave you the tipabout Zikes.”

She nodded in resignation. “So, you did. Okay, butyou reciprocate with what you find. We are on the same team.”

“Sit down and eat before you go,” Christian offered.He was mildly surprised when she agreed.

“Only because I don’t remember the last time I ate,”she said around another mouthful of pizza.

Aja Blue offered her a glass of wine, but shedeclined, opting for bottled water. They talked about everythingother than the case, and the blonde detective proved to be wittyand entertaining. She fit in with the group, and the jokes andlaughter provided much-needed levity.

With a resigned sigh, Detective Herbert wiped hermouth and stood. “I have perps to sweat.”

“Uh, what?” Aja Blue wrinkled her nose. “That soundsdisgusting.”

The detective smiled. “Sorry. Cop speak. I meant Ineed to question Pastor Chet and his henchmen and get them totalk.”

“If you need help, let us know,” Christian offered.“Presley and Kayne are interrogation experts.”

Kayne cracked his knuckles and cackled ominously.“I’ll get them to spill their darkest secrets.”

Detective Herbert smiled at him. “Tempting. I’ll letyou know.”

Presley glanced at Christian. “Want me to go listenin?”

It was a great idea. They would have first-handknowledge of what was happening. Plus, Presley knew the ropes sinceshe’d been a detective before joining COBRA Securities. He nodded.“Absolutely.”

“Uh, excuse me,” Detective Herbert cut in with ashake of her head. “That’s not your call.”

“I’ll be quiet. You won’t even know I’m there.”

After an extended beat of time, Detective Herbertsighed. “Fine, but only because I’m tired, you fed me, and Irespect your company.”

Presley gave Christian a thumbs-up behind thedetective’s back and followed her outside.

Once they were gone, Christian, Kayne, and Aja Bluesat in the living room with the television on low and discussed thecase. If Pastor Chet were guilty, that would explain thedestruction of Aja Blue’s shop and Byron Zikes’s death. Hopefully,it would lead to Jay Guitterez’s disappearance and the damage tohis and Aja Blue’s homes. Christian wasn’t sure how the kidnapper’sdeath and the fake nurse fit into the scheme of things, but he’dfigure it out eventually.

It was late, so they bid each other goodnight andheaded to their rooms. Christian followed Aja Blue to her suite,removing her clothes as they headed to bed.

#

Presley Parrish had once been Nicole Herbert. As theyoungest person ever promoted to detective in her precinct, thehonor had humbled her, but it was deserved. She’d worked her assoff, so much so that the job had become her life. Presley had beenobsessed with putting away the bad guys. She’d lived and breathedit, but the men around her had never taken her seriously. Becauseshe was blonde and blue-eyed, they thought she wasn’t capable. Itdidn’t matter who she outshot on the range or who she put on theirback in the boxing ring. They’d overlooked her. She’d grown tiredof the harassment every day at the station. It had come to a headwhen her captain, a man she’d admired, had tried to assaulther.

No, Presley didn’t miss her previous job one bit.

Detective Herbert was also fair-haired and slim.Presley wondered if she faced the same challenges.

“I used to be you,” she told the woman.

Detective Herbert glanced over at her. “Uh, what? Areyou talking about past lives or something? I’m not into thatwoo-woo stuff.”

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