Dead end.I picture me talking to Sheriff Al and explaining the ding to the county’s credit card. Again, Danni has made a fool of me.
From now on, she is not leaving my sight. Outside the apartment, my temper erupts. “Happy?”
“What do you mean?” Her innocent baloney doesn’t deserve an answer.
“Where’s your car?”
“I took an Uber.”
“Good. Me too. Get in.” I open the passenger side door of my waiting vehicle and give her my Marine-perfected glare.
“You cannot boss me around.” She picks up her phone, no doubt to call for her own ride so I snatch it and stick it in my back pocket. “Stop being a drama queen and park your ass in the car.”
She slides into the back seat and I follow. Once we start moving, I grab her wrist and handcuff it to mine.
Chapter 12
Danni
“What? Take this off. You can’t arrest me.” My shouting causes the lady driver to share a worried glance in the rear-view mirror.
“T’hell I can’t.” Cole’s eyes narrow, daring me to say more but I won’t give him the satisfaction. A stunt like his deserves the silent treatment.
His free hand reaches into his back pocket, retrieves his wallet, and he flips it open so the woman behind the wheel can see his badge. “It’s all above board, ma’am.”
Ma’am? You’ve got to be kidding?Other than screaming,help I’m being abducted, what can I do? Deputy Dog took my phone so I can’t call a lawyer or continue my investigation.
At the airport, Cole flashes his authority around and arranges for us to sit together on the next flight home. No one questions my handcuffs.
I picture pleading my innocence with the TSA and shake my head. What a nightmare. My only pleasure comes when I insist we park our asses by our gate. The tiny plastic chairs fit my behind just fine. However, with no room to stretch, Cole’s knees hit his chin.
Serves him right.
After more than an hour, the airline’s representative clicks the mic twice. “Attention Flight number five-sixty-six to Burlington. The weather up north is pretty bad. We’re looking at more delays.”
All of the passengers by the gate let out a collective moan and pull out their phones. They text, call, shout, and curse but it’s a big waste of time. You can’t beat Mother Nature.
“C’mon.” Cole stands and tugs on my leash.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I yank on my hand and the metal digs into my wrist.
“I’m hungry and you’re coming or I’ll drag you behind me.” He squats beside me and glowers as the chain linking us together loosens.
“Fine.” Standing, I trot in order to match his long strides. “Hey! What is wrong with you? Why are you so mad?”
He stops, turns, and scowls. “Think, Danielle. I’m sure you can figure it out.”
“Are you angry because I talked to Arianna?”
“Partly.” He parks us at the closest restaurant where the waitress places menus in front of us.
“I told you to stay out of it.” He fumes and scans the plastic-coated selection of diner fare.
My mouth waters and I swallow hard, as I decide. Other than peanuts on the plane, I haven’t eaten since last night.
I hand over the list of options and glare, first at him, then at my cuffed wrist. “You should be thanking me, not arresting me. My online team is famous. Do you know how many cold cases we’ve solved? Twenty-five.”
Cole purses his lips, raises his right hand, and waves over our server. “I don’t care if you’ve cracked twenty-five-thousand. Stay the fuck off mine.”
