Page 59 of Broken Rules
Savannah remained at the top of the stairwell, her heart pounding, her stomach twisting, as she waited for the restaurant to empty out. After she heard the cooks leave, she rushed down the stairs and checked to make certain the front door was locked. Then she raced out back, set the alarm, slammed the back door, and sprinted toward her car.
She pulled out of the backlot and headed down the main strip, but instead of turning left to wind through the maze of narrow beach streets to her cottage, she stayed straight. Waves swelled and lapped the shore on her right as she headed out of town.
Fear tore through her, twisting her stomach into tight knots. Soon, she was surrounded by old mills. Her heart raced harder when she spotted Damien’s Harley and not the van. She pulled off to the side and parked. Then she raced to the door and threw it open. Her heart soared when she spied a soft light coming from the loft in the back. She quickly picked her way across the rubble strewn floor.
“Damien,” she burst out when she reached the ladder.
But it was Detective Hastings’s face that suddenly peered down at her.
She cried out and stumbled back.
He rushed down the ladder, coming to her side. “Savannah, are you okay?”
She shrugged off his help. “Where is he?”
His eyes filled with what seemed like genuine concern. “Listen, you can’t be here. My team is on the way. You have to get out of here.”
“Just tell me,” she cried. “Where is he?”
He shook his head. “I can’t do that. Listen, Savannah, I’ve been watching you for a while now, ever since I saw you sneak into your boss’s house.
“You’ve been following me?”
He nodded.
“But...but...how can you be a cop when you’ve always been such an asshole.”
He lifted his shoulders and grimaced apologetically. “I’m sorry for that, but one way to move under the radar is to make the people you need to get close to dislike you. You had no idea I was trailing you, because you couldn’t wait to take your eyes off me.”
She grabbed his suit jacket. “None of this matters. Where is he?”
“I’m not going to tell you.” He straightened, standing tall. “Why don’t you go home and read your books and forget all about this.”
She stood up. “Please, he’s not a bad guy. He’s not in this for the money.” She motioned to the loft. “You’ve seen how he lives.”
Edward took off his glasses and rubbed the palm of his hand across his brow. “Savannah, I’m trying to keep you out of this.”
“But—”
“I know about your parents and Nonna. What will your grandmother do if you’re convicted of aiding and abetting a known thief and are sent to jail for the next 10 years? Walk away, or face the consequences.”
She swallowed hard.
His face softened. “Listen, I’m not the asshole you think I am. I really don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Too late for that,” she muttered.
“Two minutes more and my team walks through that door. You have to go.”
She forced her feet to walk away. Stepping outside, she shivered despite the hot, muggy air pouring off the river. She looked at the wharf where she and Damien had walked together. The tears she had been fighting back, teemed to the surface and she opened her mouth and let her anguish pour out.
