With Visions of Red (Broken Bonds#2) by Trisha Wolfe Page B

tonight?” Detective Quinn asks as he shows me his shield to identify himself.
    “I remember you,” I say. “And I guess I’ve had better nights.” I point to my head. “Your officers have a hell of an aim.”
    His mouth twists into a crooked grin. “Sorry about that. This serial killer case has everyone a bit jumpy.” He nods to my bandaged knuckles. “What happened to your hand?”
    I guess that doesn’t look good. “Club renovations,” I answer quickly.
    Quinn looks at me for a long moment, sussing something out before he says, “Let’s take a ride. We’ll work out the details on the way.”
    “Am I free to go?” I ask, knowing that this is the one thing he’s required to tell me. “Or am I being charged with something?”
    His smile falls. “You’re free to go, but I strongly suggest you offer your cooperation for the time being.”
    I smirk. Damn cops always needing my cooperation. I guess I owe them that much. They were very cooperative during Marni’s investigation. Just provide them with the right evidence, and they did the rest of the work.
    Resigned, I follow him toward his car, the weight of my crime bearing down on me.
    He opens the passenger-side door, and I don’t question why I’m getting special treatment over the rest of the criminals. I take a seat as he walks around the car.
    Time passes in tense silence, thickening the air of the cab as he takes the scenic route to the station. The radio crackles to life, and he lowers the volume.
    “There’s a detective waiting at the station to question you,” he says, startling the quiet.
    I drum my fingers against my knee, my hand itching to get to my phone. “I assume he’s the one who came to the club earlier today looking for my brother.”
    “Yep. That’s the one.” He glances over at me as he takes a right. “Carson’s had a lot of pressure on him lately. I’m not making any excuses for him. Just letting you know. This job wears on even the young detectives. You’d think they’d be able to handle the stress better then the old dogs, but they tend to get worked up pretty easily.”
    “Why the warning, detective? Is there something I should be worried about?”
    “Not if you don’t have anything you feel you should worry yourself over.”
    His vague ramblings are putting me on edge. I go to reach in my pocket, then stop. Probably not the best idea to whip out a rope in his car. That has my thoughts right back on Sadie.
    “Where’s your partner?” I ask.
    Quinn glances at me with raised eyebrows. “Don’t have one. Oh, you mean Agent Bonds.” He sends me a smirk. “Got to you, did she? Yeah, she has that way about her. Gets right under your skin.”
    My fingers curl into fists, and I grip my jeans to keep from reaching into my pocket. Or throwing a punch. I don’t think of myself as violent, but the ACPD is really trying my patience.
    “She might be curious to know that you’re bringing me in,” I say, not caring that I’m giving away my Achilles’ heel. I just need to know that she’s safe. I need him to make that happen. “She was the one who first questioned me, after all. And she was really interested in me today. More so than Carson. Maybe you should call her. She seems like the type that doesn’t like to be left out of the know.”
    The look he gives me borders on rage. “Stay the fuck away from her. Do you understand?”
    Nerve struck. Looks like Detective Quinn and I share the same Achilles’ heel.
    He reaches into his jacket and pulls out his phone. Touches his screen. Then, “Bonds, where are you?”
    My heart leaps into my throat. Just knowing that she’s on the other line—alive; safe—is enough to get me through the rest of this shit. I loose a tense breath, finally able to take my first full one since I saw her leave the club.
    “No, that’s fine,” Quinn says. “Stay there. Just wanted to make sure you’re all right.” A pause where I’m desperate to hear her voice, then he says, “I