Page 111 of Trigger

I stood in his way and put my hands on his waist, murmuring, “Notworth it.”

Then I turned toward Adam, suppressing the need to wipe that grinoff his face with my fist. “Stop fucking with him, Markland. This is the lasttime I’m telling you.”

“What doyouwant?” Adam grumbled, looking offended. “Iwasn’t talking to you.”

“Just back the fuck off!” I snapped.

Adam stood up, his eyes flashing with anger.

“Why? Who are you? His boyfriend?”

Carter pulled out his gun and pointed it at Adam, causing acollective gasp in the room.

“What the hell is your problem with me?” he bellowed as I tried tohold him back, which wasn’t easy.

“You’re breathing. And Raj isn’t,” Adam replied, his voicedripping with acid.

The pain flashing through Carter’s eyes was too much to bear.

“Ad-dam, stop,” Jordan Slade squeaked. “He will kill you.”

Adam looked at him as if he had gone mad. “What the fuck do youcare, weirdo?”

“First,” I said through my teeth. “Raj’s death is not on him, andyou know it, Adam. Second, who I fuck or don’t fuck is not your problem. Third,if—”

“What the hell is going on?”

Shit.

“Hey, losers!” Chief Bibb bellowed. “Get to work, you bunch ofnobodies. What is this? A conference of assholes? Are you all on vacation? Whatthe hell is going on?”

He looked at Shelly, who bowed her head in shame.

“You’re buying furniture, Costanza, huh? Buying chairs while I’mwaiting for the two weeks’ time of paperwork you owe me?”

“Äldvalen,” Shelly squeaked.

“I don’t give a shit!” Chief Bibb shouted before looking at Adam.“And you? Busting everyone’s balls when you should be on that missing heroincase. What the hell is the matter with you? You’re the oldest one here. Youshould be setting an example, not pissing everybody off.”

Adam looked away, admitting defeat. Smart move.

“And the two of you,” Chief Bibb exclaimed, glaring at Carter andme until his gaze landed on my torn shirt. “I don’t even want to know what thetwo of you were doing.”

I smiled, turning on my charm. “I will tell you, Chief, and I havea very good explanation. As a matter of fact, we were—”

He raised his hand. “Spare me the bullshit, Thorsen. And find anew shirt. You’re going to New Mesa.”

“New Mesa? What for?”

“They had another murder. Make yourself useful and find out what’sgoing on.”

I turned to leave, and Carter followed me when Chief Bibb spoke.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going, Carter?” he said with atired sigh. “Does anyone here listen to the word I say?”

I looked at him in confusion as Carter stopped in his tracks.

“You’re staying here. Thorsen is the only one going.”

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