Page 39 of Wicked Sin

“Then no thank you.”

She gives me a patient smile. “All right. So…what do you want now?”

“A do-over on life.”

“That’s not how this works, unfortunately.”

“Do I need to go with the FBI?”

She opens her soda can and leans back in her chair. “No…” she finally says, drawing the word out.Nooooooo.Which I’m hoping means, it would be better if I did, but there may be a narrow legal loophole that allows me to give the FBI the finger. “But we have limited resources.”

“I have cash. I can disappear.”

“I definitely can’t let you do that.”

One of the other detectives, the white woman, appears in the doorway. The captain turns her attention there. “Yes, McBride?”

“Sorry to interrupt, Captain. You wanted to see this.” She hands over a folder and gives me a warm smile. “You’re back.”

I sigh. “Yep.”

The captain looks back and forth between us. “McBride, can you loiter near the briefing Vasquez is giving, and when he finishes, let him know I’ve taken Ms. Reid out to get some food. Be clear about that. That Ms. Reid and I have gone out for tacos.”

My eyes go wide. I must look like a panicked cartoon character because Captain Woods winks at me.

“Don’t worry. You’re not going anywhere. You’re going to stay right here, in my office, where you are safe. I’m going to get some food, and when the FBI cavalry arrives on my tail, I’ll inform them they were mistaken in what they heard because, of course, I would never take a witness out for tacos. That would be ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous,” I repeat in a confused whisper.

“Very,” she says with more confidence than I feel.

“And then what?”

“Ms. Reid, you are not a suspect here, and the LAPD has limited resources. What you and Detective Vasquez decide to do next, while I am getting tacos, is entirely up to you both. He’s on vacation for the next two weeks. If at any point you would like the FBI to protect you, that option is available to you, I’m sure. But I understand you are a young woman with considerable resources of your own, and my detective seems to have his own reasons for backing you up in your concern with how the federal agents have handled this case so far. Best of luck.”

We both stand up. “Thank you,” I say, my heart pounding. “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t thank me, Ms. Reid. Thank Luke. He’s got your back here.” She pats me on the shoulder then gestures for me to have a seat. “This may take a while. Will you be okay if I turn out the lights?”

I nod and sink back into my chair.

She locks up some of her files then flips a switch, giving me one last smile as the room falls dark, and she pulls the door closed.

With a deep breath, I settle in to play the waiting game.

15

Luke

I’m just finishingup when McBride slides into the back of the conference room. “Sarah McBride,” I say, introducing to her to the room. “One of our detectives.”

“Don’t let me interrupt,” she says. “But if you want a taco order, the captain and Ms. Reid are heading out to grab some food.”

“They’re doingwhat?” Ferdinand leaps to his feet.

My eyebrows hit the roof.

“I think Ms. Reid said something about needing fresh air.” Sarah gives him an innocent look of alarm. “You could probably text her if you want some, too.”

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