Page 43 of Stalked

He was surprised she didn’t try to plead her case while it was just the two of them in the car. She had to know that once other people were involved—people not so blinded by their obvious gullibility for her like Steve—it would be harder for her to fool them. To fool him.

But she hadn’t said anything. Not a single word since he’d put the cuffs on her. Hadn’t gotten angry. Hadn’t cried. Hadn’t reasoned with him.

If he hadn’t known better, he would’ve said she’d just shut down. Even now, she had her arms wrapped protectively around herself, around the baby. She was looking straight ahead, but it didn’t seem like she saw anything.

Obviously she hadn’t thought he would figure it out. At least not this soon.

There was only one thing Steve knew for absolute certain. He was going to get some answers. Maybe he couldn’t trust his own judgment around Rosalyn. Was too close to her.

But he was taking her to Omega’s Critical Response Division. He had some of the best profilers and behavioral analysts in the entire world working on his team. He might not be able to get to the truth with Rosalyn.

But they would.

* * *

STEVESAWROSALYNperk up a little when he pulled into the Omega complex. Obviously she hadn’t been expecting him to take her somewhere as sophisticated as his unit.

That’s right, sweetheart—you didn’t just pick some local yokel to mess with. You’re in the big leagues now.

“Not what you were expecting?”

She looked over at him. “I don’t know what you think I was expecting, but no, this wasn’t it.” She turned back to look out the window. Her hands were rubbing at the handcuffs on her wrist.

He wondered if she wished she’d chosen her mark better. Or maybe getting some sort of information about Omega had been her plan all along.

He steeled himself against any softness toward her. He couldn’t allow her to get the upper hand again. The cuffs were probably overkill, but it was a necessary reminder—for both of them—that she was a criminal.

When Steve walked in through the front door with Rosalyn, the guards did a double take. They were probably equally as disconcerted to see Steve in a casual shirt and jeans as they were to see him bringing in a prisoner. Neither were commonplace for Steve.

He went through standard procedures to enter the building, ID scan, weapon check-in. He signed in Rosalyn as being in his custody and walked her through the metal detector. She set it off, of course, because of the handcuffs.

The guard looked uncomfortable. “Um, protocol says we scan all prisoners entering the building, Mr. Drackett.”

“That’s fine.” Steve didn’t really like it, but damned if he’d give her preferential treatment.

Rosalyn raised her cuffed hands in front of her face so the guard could use the wand to run up the front of her body, then down the back. Nothing else set off the detector.

Steve had to admit he was a little relieved. If she’d had a hidden cell phone or weapon on her, he would’ve never been able to trust his own judgment again.

The guard allowed them through and he took Rosalyn’s arm to the elevator and into the division offices.

As soon as he walked into the large open area that housed most of the desks of the Critical Response Division, Steve knew he had made a mistake. He should not have paraded Rosalyn in like this. He should’ve let the locals handle her arrest. There were going to be too many people with too many questions about who Rosalyn was and what was going on.

Personal questions.

Steve wanted answers from Rosalyn. But at the same time he did not want his private life being broadcast all over the office.

He looked over at her. Her head was bowed and her hair was framing her face on either side. Between her hunched shoulders, pregnant belly and handcuffs, she made quite the pitiful picture.

Steve wasn’t surprised when Andrea Gordon, one of the most naturally gifted behavioral analysts Steve had ever known, approached them, her concerned look focused on Rosalyn.

Hell, even Steve felt sorry for her and she’d almost gotten him killed an hour ago.

“Steve, is there anything I can help with?” Andrea asked him.

“In a minute, Andrea.” Steve glanced around until he found the person he wanted. He wasn’t surprised to see him leaning against the wall on the other side of the room watching what was going on.

“Waterman!” Steve jerked his head to the side, indicating Derek should come over.

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