Page 52 of Secrets in Calusa Cove

He pressed his hand on the top of her head. “Do not make me get out the cuffs.” He leaned in. “Because this is not how I envisioned using them on you.” He arched a brow.

“You’re arresting me?” She blinked. Why did every man she ever went to bed with betray her?

“No,” he said. “But I am taking you down to the station to do a gunpowder residue test.”

“I can’t believe you’re going to believe that dick over me.” She narrowed her stare. “I didn’t fire my weapon. Those other idiots that flew by didn’t stop and give a statement. They disappeared, so no witness.”

“I know that. Now get in.” He gave her a little shove, reached across her body, and buckled her in the back seat.

“You’re an asshole.”

“I’ve been called worse.” He sighed before slamming the door and slipping behind the steering wheel. He revved the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.

“I left my long-sleeve salty shirt on your boat,” she mumbled. “It’s my favorite.”

“I’ll circle back and get it for you when we’re done,” he said. “For the record, I know you didn’t shoot anything. This is a fucking formality. I need to do it so I can get this entire town off my ass and let Remy close the complaint against you—proving Tim wrong and a liar.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “You’re too busy letting your emotions get the better of you to listen or even think logically about the situation.”

“Oh, really? How would you feel if someone accused you of the things Tim did?”

“I’d be pissed,” Dawson said. “But I’d like to believe that if I was sleeping with the police chief, I’d be smart enough to let him work for me instead of making his job that much harder.” He rolled to a stop at a light. “Do you think it was fun for me to toss you over my shoulder and manhandle you into this vehicle?”

“Yes,” she said, holding his smoldering gaze.

He cracked a smile. “Okay, maybe a little.” He blew out a puff of air. “But when are you going to trust that I’m on your side?” The patrol car inched through the green light and turned into the station's parking lot.

She contemplated her answer while he shut off the engine and opened the back passenger door.

In true cop form, he took her by the elbow and led her toward the front door, which only added to her annoyance. However, that was tempered when she realized Tim had followed them to the station and was parked across the street.

Fucker.

“Hey, Chief.” Remy stood in the main room of the station. He waved a file. “I took the statement of that other witness.”

“I thought they never stopped at the marina?” Audra glanced between the two men. Remy had been a cop when she’d been a kid. He was a good man. The kind of man who was impartial. He did his job and treated the people of this town with kindness and respect, and that included her and her dad. “What the hell did they say?”

“Relax, Audra.” Remy handed Dawson the file. “They didn’t. This is someone else, and it doesn’t jibe with what Tim reported.”

“Oh,” she said. “Still doesn’t make me feel better.”

“You’ve always jumped to conclusions, and it’s never done you any favors,” Remy said. “What do you want me to do, Chief?”

“For starters, since Tim followed us here, you can tell him I’d like to have a chat. Bring him inside and to your office. I don’t want these two crossing paths.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “You’ll do the residue test. I don’t want anyone coming at me, saying I’m tampering with evidence or playing favorites with my girlfriend.”

Girlfriend?

What the hell?

“Got it, Chief.” Remy smiled and strolled down the hallway.

She followed Dawson into his office. “I’m sorry,” she managed. “I don’t mean to cause you all this grief.”

“It’s okay.” Dawson tossed the file on his desk, waved his hand over one of the chairs, and then took a seat in the big leather one. He let out a very long breath.

“Aren’t you going to look at that?” she asked.

“I already know what’s inside. It doesn’t prove you didn’t fire your weapon, but it gives us something else to look at. Or should I say, someone else.”

“Are you going to tell me who?”

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