Page 17 of Blood Bearon
Rachel was shaking her head. “Fine. I’m sorry for the attacks on your property of course, but Sheriff,” she said, facing her boss directly. “I’m not taking a civilian along on a case like this.”
Sheriff Dottner winced at the vehemence in her voice, but shook his head in disagreement. “Actually, you are, Corningstone.”
The overstuffed teddy bear spoke next to her. “I am more than qualified to assist, Miss Corningstone, and I promise, you won’t find me an anchor.”
“Detective,” she snapped. “It’s Detective Corningstone, and of course, you won’t be an anchor. An anchor stays attached to the ship and doesn’t go wandering off at will.”
Khove smiled tightly. “An anchor’s job is also to secure the ship and prevent it from smashing itself against danger the Captain doesn’t always see.”
She inhaled sharply, about to fire off a hot retort when the Sheriff spoke.
“I’m sorry, am I missing something? Do you two know each other?”
“No!” they both said at the same time, with a bit more forcefulness than necessary.
Sheriff Dottner looked back and forth between her and Khove, before finally latching his glare onto her. Rachel stiffened. Of course, she was the one getting in shit over this.
“I can pull you from the case, Corningstone, if this is going to be a problem.”
“No problem at all, Sheriff,” Khove said, interjecting.
“I can handle it, Sir,” she said tightly when the Sheriff ignored the civilian’s words and kept looking at her.
“Good. Then learn to work together. And solve this case.”
“Yes, Sir. On it, Sir.”
Khove simply nodded.
“Then get out of my office and get to work!” Dottner said.
Rachel turned to go, ready to fling the door open in anger.
Khove, however, beat her to it and pulled the door open for her, holding it wide. Rachel shivered in rage at the calm beatific smile on his face before she marched out of the office, trying to keep the steam from her ears.
Not only had she not managed to forget this idiot existed, but now she was expected toworkwith him?
“Something wrong, Detective?” Khove asked, following behind her.
“I wish I had arrested you last night,” was all she said as she returned to her desk.
10
“That wouldn’t have been beneficial for either of us,” he replied, nonplussed, pausing as Rachel sat down. The Sheriff had finally given him her first name before she’d shown up for work.
“I think it would have been plenty beneficial,” she growled. “Seeing you behind bars would be all sorts of therapeutic.”
Khove casually deposited himself in the chair across from her, hoping that the generous creak as he settled into it was not a sign it was about to give way.
“Putting the criminal behind bars will be even more so,” he pointed out. “Something we have a better chance of doing working together than alone.”
Rachel sighed. “Let’s get this straight,Khove. We are not working together. You are my assistant on this. You will do as I say, go where I say, and that’s it, got it?”
He frowned. “That’s not what the Sheriff said.”
“I’m well aware. But the Sheriff doesn’t know you’re a bumbling, untrustworthy fool prone to sneaking off on your own. If he did, you wouldn’t be here.”
Khove smiled. “Yet you didn’t tell him that.”
