Page 40 of Flame's Fight

“She looks good.” He says, and I nod. “No lasting effects?”

I shrug. “Not so far, but that doesn’t mean she won’t have nightmares or even some PTSD when she goes back to work.”

He nods as he opens his arms to give her a hug when she walks back to join us.

“Detective Billings is on his way to get me.” She says. We both see the expression on her dad’s face. “What?”

“I didn’t know he was the one handling the case.” Wagstaffe says. “He’s, let’s see, how do I say this?”

“Not a friend of the victim?” Brooke asks.

Mark blows his breath out. “No, he’s not.” He glances at me. “I’m glad you aren’t wearing your kutte. He doesn’t like the Demon Dawgs. Not after how Evie tore him a new one when they arrested Chaos.”

“Ms. Wagstaffe?”

We all turn to see the man of the hour.

“I’m Brooke Wagstaffe.” Brooke says, offering her his hand.

He looks at it before shaking it, holding it a little too long for my liking, so I growl. He flinches and drops her hand as if it burnt him. I see Mark smirk.

“Mark. What are you doing here?” He asks Brooke’s dad.

“Just saying hi to my daughter.” He replies with a smile. “This is her boyfriend, Aaron.” He introduces me.

I stand up and hate having to use the cane, but it’s better than falling on my face. I shake his hand and smirk as he straightens his back to appear taller. We’re about the same height, but I’ve got a good forty or fifty pounds on him. All muscles. He’s shaped like a twig.

“You can call me Mr. Barnes.” I say with a grin. Mark shakes his head while Brooke grins at me.

“Mr. Barnes.” Billings greets me with a sneer. “You’ll need to wait out here. Ms. Wagstaffe, are you ready?”

Brooke nods and leans over to kiss me.

“Give him hell.” I whisper to her and watch her walk away. I share a glance with Mark and see he’s just as worried about her as I am.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: BROOKE

Billings leads me into an interview room where another detective is already waiting.

“This is my partner, Detective Harding. Jake, this is Brooke Wagstaffe.”

I shake his hand as he furrows his brow. “Any relation to Officer Mark Wagstaffe?” He asks me and I nod.

“He’s my father.”

“Oh. I didn’t know.” Harding says, glancing at Billings. “Did you know?”

“I just saw Mark in the lobby.” Billings says.

I find their conversation odd and disconcerting. “Is there a problem?” I ask them.

Billings shakes his head. “No, of course not.” He offers me a smile, but it’s a poor attempt, so I don’t return it. I glance at Harding, but he isn’t looking at me. He’s reviewing the information in the folder before him.

I don’t know if it’s all the warnings I received beforehand or the conversations concerning victims being victimized, but I’m already on alert.

“Ms. Wagstaffe.” Billings starts. “May I call you Brooke?”

I’m usually a casual person, preferring my coworkers and patients to call me Brooke, but I’m feeling the need to take some control here.