again as the detective for the Paradise Valley Police Department, about some of the cases she had been working on, and what they hoped for the future.
She reminded him of the story she had previously shared about the Asian girl she and Molly had found crying in the restroom of the hotel and the suspicions they had that maybe the girl wasn’t just a rebellious teenager, but something far worse.
“Let’s not talk about prostitution rings my first night back.” Colin kissed the side of Emily’s temple. “This evening is about us.”
“Yes, you’re right. No more shop talk tonight.” She smiled and looked up into his eyes and put her hand gently on his cheek.
He dipped his head down and kissed her softly. “I’m so glad to be back.”
Before she could respond, he moved in for another kiss, this time more forceful, more urgent than the last. His arm came off the back of the sofa and drew her closer to him, pressing her body against his.
Colin’s cell phone began to ring. Emily started to pull away so he could answer it. “Leave it,” he said. “They can leave a message if it’s important.” He kissed her again.
After five rings it stopped, but only momentarily. Again it began to ring, but he did not try to answer it, instead letting it go to voicemail. However, the third time the ringing started, Colin looked at Emily and shrugged apologetically. He dug the phone out of his pocket.
“Hello, Colin Andrews.”
“Colin, this is Ernie.”
“Hey, Ernie.” He looked at Emily, with one arm still around her, as she listened to his side of the conversation. “This isn’t a good time to talk.”
Ernie was an older officer that had temporarily taken over as detective while Colin was on his leave of absence. He had been a friend of the Andrews family for a long time and had helped Colin secure the job in Paradise Valley in the first place.
“I’m not calling just to chat, boy, I need your help. I know you’re not officially starting back as police detective until tomorrow, but we have a situation.”
Colin disengaged his arm from Emily and stood up. “What is it?”
“A guy walking along the green belt by the river found a dead body.”
“Tonight?”
“Yeah, about an hour ago. A young Asian woman, maybe fifteen to twenty years old, beaten pretty badly.”
Colin’s gaze shot to Emily and she stood up and listened.
“Where’s the guy that found her?”
“In the back of my vehicle. I thought you’d want in on this.”
“You’re at the scene?”
“Yeah.”
“And the body?”
“The medical examiner and the CSI team just arrived. They’re going over the area where the body was found. We have the place cordoned off.”
“Don’t let them touch the body until I get there.”
“The doc doesn’t always listen to me, but I’ll do my best.”
“We’re on our way.”
“We?”
“I’m at Emily’s.”
“You sure you want to bring her down here? It’s pretty grizzly.”
“As if you think I could stop her.”
Ernie snickered. “Guess you’re right about that, boss.”
CHAPTER 11
“What body?” Emily pleaded.
Colin hung up his phone and stuffed it in his pocket. “Grab your shoes, we have to go.”
“What’s going on?” she asked, slipping into her flats by the front door and grabbing a jacket from the hall closet.
“The body of a young female was found by the river—Asian, Ernie said. I’ll fill you in on the drive over.” He held the door open for her.
“Oh, Colin, no.” Emily gasped as she crossed the threshold. She felt her chest constricting as she envisioned the scene in her mind, wondering if it could be the girl from the hotel restroom.
As they drove, Colin relayed what Ernie had told him on the phone. “Now, I know what you’re thinking, but let’s not jump to conclusions.”
“How do you know what I’m thinking?” Emily questioned, crossing her arms as she frowned at him.
“The prostitution ring?”
“You say prostitution ring
She reminded him of the story she had previously shared about the Asian girl she and Molly had found crying in the restroom of the hotel and the suspicions they had that maybe the girl wasn’t just a rebellious teenager, but something far worse.
“Let’s not talk about prostitution rings my first night back.” Colin kissed the side of Emily’s temple. “This evening is about us.”
“Yes, you’re right. No more shop talk tonight.” She smiled and looked up into his eyes and put her hand gently on his cheek.
He dipped his head down and kissed her softly. “I’m so glad to be back.”
Before she could respond, he moved in for another kiss, this time more forceful, more urgent than the last. His arm came off the back of the sofa and drew her closer to him, pressing her body against his.
Colin’s cell phone began to ring. Emily started to pull away so he could answer it. “Leave it,” he said. “They can leave a message if it’s important.” He kissed her again.
After five rings it stopped, but only momentarily. Again it began to ring, but he did not try to answer it, instead letting it go to voicemail. However, the third time the ringing started, Colin looked at Emily and shrugged apologetically. He dug the phone out of his pocket.
“Hello, Colin Andrews.”
“Colin, this is Ernie.”
“Hey, Ernie.” He looked at Emily, with one arm still around her, as she listened to his side of the conversation. “This isn’t a good time to talk.”
Ernie was an older officer that had temporarily taken over as detective while Colin was on his leave of absence. He had been a friend of the Andrews family for a long time and had helped Colin secure the job in Paradise Valley in the first place.
“I’m not calling just to chat, boy, I need your help. I know you’re not officially starting back as police detective until tomorrow, but we have a situation.”
Colin disengaged his arm from Emily and stood up. “What is it?”
“A guy walking along the green belt by the river found a dead body.”
“Tonight?”
“Yeah, about an hour ago. A young Asian woman, maybe fifteen to twenty years old, beaten pretty badly.”
Colin’s gaze shot to Emily and she stood up and listened.
“Where’s the guy that found her?”
“In the back of my vehicle. I thought you’d want in on this.”
“You’re at the scene?”
“Yeah.”
“And the body?”
“The medical examiner and the CSI team just arrived. They’re going over the area where the body was found. We have the place cordoned off.”
“Don’t let them touch the body until I get there.”
“The doc doesn’t always listen to me, but I’ll do my best.”
“We’re on our way.”
“We?”
“I’m at Emily’s.”
“You sure you want to bring her down here? It’s pretty grizzly.”
“As if you think I could stop her.”
Ernie snickered. “Guess you’re right about that, boss.”
CHAPTER 11
“What body?” Emily pleaded.
Colin hung up his phone and stuffed it in his pocket. “Grab your shoes, we have to go.”
“What’s going on?” she asked, slipping into her flats by the front door and grabbing a jacket from the hall closet.
“The body of a young female was found by the river—Asian, Ernie said. I’ll fill you in on the drive over.” He held the door open for her.
“Oh, Colin, no.” Emily gasped as she crossed the threshold. She felt her chest constricting as she envisioned the scene in her mind, wondering if it could be the girl from the hotel restroom.
As they drove, Colin relayed what Ernie had told him on the phone. “Now, I know what you’re thinking, but let’s not jump to conclusions.”
“How do you know what I’m thinking?” Emily questioned, crossing her arms as she frowned at him.
“The prostitution ring?”
“You say prostitution ring
Similar Books
