Prologue
Gage
Idon’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a cop. When I was little, my brother and I would play that game Cops and Robbers, and I wasalwaysthe cop while my brother Graham was always the robber. Funny how life works out. Now Graham isalwaysin some kind of trouble, and I’m always bailing him out. Literally and figuratively. Luckily, he lives in Missouri, so I don’t have to witness any of it firsthand, or worse, arrest him.
But there are days, like today, that I wish I did something else.Anythingelse. Hell, re-upping in the army sounds pretty damn appealing after the shit that went down today. That’s because today I have to arrest a friend. Well, a friend of a friend, I guess you’d say. No, she’s a friend. Believe me, I tried to get out of it. I told the captain I knew the suspect personally, but he didn’t bat an eye. Instead of understanding, he snapped, “You’re the senior uniform on duty, Golden. Get out there and do your goddamn job.”
So one of the rookies and I take off, heading to Tayler and Quinn’s place, with me hoping like hell Quinn won’t be around for this. The second the door swings open and Tayler Sorenson smiles at me, my stomach flips. Then again when she uses her nicest voice and says, “Oh hi, Gage. What’s up?”
Then once more when Luke Green appears behind her. “Hey, man.”
For a second I forget why I’m here. I’m supposed to be in cop mode, but that left me on the ride over, I guess. “Uh, hey.” Yeah, I sound like an idiot. As quickly as I can, I clear my throat and do what I came to do. “Tayler Sorenson?”
She’s still smiling at me.God, this sucks.“Yes.”
“I need to ask you to come with us.”
She laughs. She thinks this is a joke. Man, I wish it were. “Why?” she asks, tilting her head just a little bit. I’d say it’s adorable if any of this was fun.
Apparently the rookie officer, Lance Finch, has had enough of my hemming and hawing. “Tayler Sorenson, we’d like you to come with us. If you come with us willingly, we won’t cuff you.”
I want to cuffhim, the jackass. That was unnecessary. I told him in the fucking squad car that I’d handle this–, that I knew Tayler personally, but this guy just has to play bad cop whenever he gets the chance. The guy drives me nuts.
“Cuff her? What the fuck, Gage?”Luke snaps. “What’s going on?”
I get why he’s pissed. Hell, I’m angry about this too, but I’ve got a job to do, and I’m not about to let Finch take the lead on this. Looking at Tayler, I say, “Tayler, where were you last night between the hours of ten and midnight?”
“Here.”
Okay. That’s good. She was home. This is going to be a piece of cake. Please, for the love of God, don’t tell me you were alone.
I look at Luke. “Were you here as well, Mr. Green?”
“No. I was at work.”
Not the answer I wanted, so I shake my head because damn it. “You were alone, Ms. Sorenson?”
“Yes. I was alone until Luke got home.” She looks at Finch, then at me. “What’s going on?”
“Tayler Sorenson,” Finch starts up again, “you’re under arrest for the murder of Kara Becker.”
I want to punch this asshole.
“Murder?” Luke and Tayler say at the same time. “Under arrest?”
I want to give her some advice. If I could, I’d say things like “Don’t say a word” or “Just come with us now and get a good lawyer,” but I can’t. Luckily, Luke says everything I’d say if she were mine. Which she isn’t. Neither is her best friend, Quinn. Sadly.
“Tayler,” Luke says to her, “I’ll call my lawyer. Just go with them. But, babe?” He sounds like he knows what he’s doing. “Say. Nothing.”
“But I didn’t do anything.” Her voice is a little whiny, but I get it. Mine would be too, probably. Besides, suspects always say that, but I want to believe she’s telling the truth. I really do.
Luke repeats, “I know, but promise me you’ll wait for the attorney. I’ll be right behind you. Don’t worry, Tayler.”
I watch as Tayler reaches to her right to retrieve something. When she steps back in front of the opening, she’s got her purse. She’s still in sleepwear, but she’s not wearing shoes.
“Tayler, if you’d like to get dressed.” I look down at her feet. “And put on some shoes. We’ll wait.” Strange. It’s the second time in the last eight hours I’ve asked a woman to get dressed.
Finch makes a grunting noise, but I don’t even look his way. I’m so pissed at him that I won’t bother acknowledging him now. I’ll deal withhimlater.
