Connor rounded the corner.
“Hey, guys. What’s up? Aren’t you getting enough attention
from these newshounds? Damn, I’ve finally got the vultures behind a perimeter.
That’s all they’ll need to see — two of Chicadia Falls’s ‘finest’ coming to the
firehouse. They’ll smell a story for sure and try to break through the barrier.
Christ, did you have to drive up in a squad?”
Connor’s annoyance was only somewhat contrived, the strain
of the last two days showed on his handsome face.
Peter Maze faced Connor head on in sheer cop mode. His eyes
were hooded, his voice and face expressionless.
“Nate sent us to pick up Erin. We need to take her to the
station.”
Connor started. He looked from the two men to Erin and back
again.
“What are you talking about?”
When neither of the officers responded, Connor turned to
Erin, annoyance crossing his face.
“What’s going on, half pint? Surely that cuz of mine knows
you’re on duty.”
When Erin didn’t answer, Dan Coulter broke in.
“We’re here on official business, Connor. Detective Stryker
sent us to bring Ms. McFadden to the station.”
“What the hell? Ms. McFadden ? You mean Erin? What the
hell are you talking about, Dan?” Connor’s voice rang with exasperation.
Looking from one impassive cop to the other, his gaze landed on Erin.
“Do you know what this is about, Erin?”
He frowned, as though seeing her pale face for the first
time.
“What’s going on, half pint?”
When she just shook her head and looked at the floor, Connor
whirled on Peter Maze.
“Okay, Pete, I’ve had enough. Why are you here?”
“It’s like we told you, Connor. Detective Stryker sent up to
bring Ms. McFadden to the station. That’s all I can tell you. Now if you’ll
excuse us.” Maze started to move past Connor.
Connor put up his hands stopping him.
“Hell, no. Absolutely not. If Nate wants to see one of my
rookies in the middle of a shift, I damn well want to know the reason.”
When none of the three answered him, Connor turned to Erin.
“Erin, do you know why Nate wants you at the station?”
She met his eyes and struggled to speak. When words wouldn’t
come, she just shook her head and gazed at the floor.
Seeing the determination on their faces, Connor finally
seemed to understand that the officers were not leaving without her. This was
actually happening.
He looked down at Erin. “Do you want me to come with you,
Erin?”
When she shrugged and avoided his eyes, he turned to the two
policemen.
“Look, I don’t know what the hell is going on. But let me
make one thing clear. I don’t appreciate you coming into my firehouse to ‘pick
up’ one of my people without an explanation. If Nate needs to see Erin, I’ll
drive her over. I just need to get in street clothes.”
“Sorry, Connor. But Nate told us we needed to bring her over
in the squad.”
Connor faced Dan Coulter and glared at him. His voice was
tight.
“I don’t give a good goddamn what my cousin told you, Dan.
But you can tell him that I will bring Ms. McFadden to the
station in my car when I’m damned good and ready.”
He nodded to Erin.
“Erin, come with me to my office. You can wait for me there
while I change.”
He turned to the two policemen.
“Good day, Gentlemen. Please tell Detective Stryker that I
will see him shortly, and that he better have a damn good explanation for
this.”
Grabbing Erin by her arm, Connor strode to his office.
~~~
Connor pulled into a reserved spot in front of the police
station. Hopping out, he was over at the passenger side before Erin could open
the door. Helping her out of the car, he led her up the short sidewalk through
glass doors at the front of the low brick building. He nodded brusquely to the
armed security guard standing by the x-ray chute. Impatiently he emptied his
pockets, dropping his keys and change in the plastic dish. He took Erin’s purse
from her, put it in a plastic basket, then shoved both
“Hey, guys. What’s up? Aren’t you getting enough attention
from these newshounds? Damn, I’ve finally got the vultures behind a perimeter.
That’s all they’ll need to see — two of Chicadia Falls’s ‘finest’ coming to the
firehouse. They’ll smell a story for sure and try to break through the barrier.
Christ, did you have to drive up in a squad?”
Connor’s annoyance was only somewhat contrived, the strain
of the last two days showed on his handsome face.
Peter Maze faced Connor head on in sheer cop mode. His eyes
were hooded, his voice and face expressionless.
“Nate sent us to pick up Erin. We need to take her to the
station.”
Connor started. He looked from the two men to Erin and back
again.
“What are you talking about?”
When neither of the officers responded, Connor turned to
Erin, annoyance crossing his face.
“What’s going on, half pint? Surely that cuz of mine knows
you’re on duty.”
When Erin didn’t answer, Dan Coulter broke in.
“We’re here on official business, Connor. Detective Stryker
sent us to bring Ms. McFadden to the station.”
“What the hell? Ms. McFadden ? You mean Erin? What the
hell are you talking about, Dan?” Connor’s voice rang with exasperation.
Looking from one impassive cop to the other, his gaze landed on Erin.
“Do you know what this is about, Erin?”
He frowned, as though seeing her pale face for the first
time.
“What’s going on, half pint?”
When she just shook her head and looked at the floor, Connor
whirled on Peter Maze.
“Okay, Pete, I’ve had enough. Why are you here?”
“It’s like we told you, Connor. Detective Stryker sent up to
bring Ms. McFadden to the station. That’s all I can tell you. Now if you’ll
excuse us.” Maze started to move past Connor.
Connor put up his hands stopping him.
“Hell, no. Absolutely not. If Nate wants to see one of my
rookies in the middle of a shift, I damn well want to know the reason.”
When none of the three answered him, Connor turned to Erin.
“Erin, do you know why Nate wants you at the station?”
She met his eyes and struggled to speak. When words wouldn’t
come, she just shook her head and gazed at the floor.
Seeing the determination on their faces, Connor finally
seemed to understand that the officers were not leaving without her. This was
actually happening.
He looked down at Erin. “Do you want me to come with you,
Erin?”
When she shrugged and avoided his eyes, he turned to the two
policemen.
“Look, I don’t know what the hell is going on. But let me
make one thing clear. I don’t appreciate you coming into my firehouse to ‘pick
up’ one of my people without an explanation. If Nate needs to see Erin, I’ll
drive her over. I just need to get in street clothes.”
“Sorry, Connor. But Nate told us we needed to bring her over
in the squad.”
Connor faced Dan Coulter and glared at him. His voice was
tight.
“I don’t give a good goddamn what my cousin told you, Dan.
But you can tell him that I will bring Ms. McFadden to the
station in my car when I’m damned good and ready.”
He nodded to Erin.
“Erin, come with me to my office. You can wait for me there
while I change.”
He turned to the two policemen.
“Good day, Gentlemen. Please tell Detective Stryker that I
will see him shortly, and that he better have a damn good explanation for
this.”
Grabbing Erin by her arm, Connor strode to his office.
~~~
Connor pulled into a reserved spot in front of the police
station. Hopping out, he was over at the passenger side before Erin could open
the door. Helping her out of the car, he led her up the short sidewalk through
glass doors at the front of the low brick building. He nodded brusquely to the
armed security guard standing by the x-ray chute. Impatiently he emptied his
pockets, dropping his keys and change in the plastic dish. He took Erin’s purse
from her, put it in a plastic basket, then shoved both
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