The same, sickening feeling she got when someone mentioned her father began swirling in her gut. “My dad has nothing to do with this.”Liar.
Ayeah, rightlook fell over Adam’s face. “The man swindled thousands of people out of their entire life’s savings, and he’s about to go to prison for the rest of his life because of it.”
The truth of his words cut deep, but Riley ignored the gaping wound and kept pressing on.
“I’m fully aware of what a lying, conniving bastard my dad is. But that doesn’t mean I can’t—”
“The press has hounded you for months,” he cut her off. “Hell, that’s probably how this guy spotted you in the first place. You’re not eating right. You barely sleep. Add to that your intense focus on this case...Sarge sees all that, and he’s worried. Frankly, so am I.”
“I’m a grown ass woman, Adam.” Riley reached for the door handle. “I don’t need a bunch of men babysitting me. What Idoneed is the chance to do my damn job.”
She climbed out of the car and slammed the door behind her.
“Did I mention, you’ve also been biting everyone’s heads off lately?” Adam shut his door and walked around the front of the car. “Just sayin’.”
“Well, maybe if I had a partner who had my back, I wouldn’t be so quick to bite.” She wanted to take the hateful words back as soon as they left her lips.
Riley didn’tmeanto be such a bitch. She really didn’t. But the fact that no one—not even her own sergeant—was taking her experience and professionalism into account with this whole thing was beyond frustrating.
The snarky comment caused Adam’s strong steps to falter slightly, and she could tell he was itching to respond. But classic Adam, the big guy kept his cool and joined her on the sidewalk.
Deciding to buy him a beer after their shift as a way of apologizing, Riley abruptly changed the subject as they started toward the house.
“Tell me again who this guy is we’re about to pick up?”
Adam’s bushy brows turned inward with confusion. “Weren’t you listening when we got our orders?”
Nope. She’d been too damn steamed to hear a word their sergeant had said.
Maybe Sarge is right. Maybe youaretoo close to this one.
Ignoring the annoying voice in her head, she said, “Refresh my memory.”
With a knowing expression, her partner ran through the basics. “Ronald McClanahan. Twenty-eight. Multiple priors for armed assault and battery.”
“And we’re here now because...”
“Guy’s a suspect in that convenience store robbery last Thursday. You know, the one where the dad and his kid were shot and killed?”
“Damn.” Riley shook her head. “That’s right. The kid was what, eight?”
“And a half. Jensen and Morales are busy interrogating a woman they think helped him get away, so Sarge wants us to bring McClanahan in.”
Careful not to trip, the two detectives trudged up the cracked and broken concrete steps leading to the home’s decrepit porch. Riley raised her hand to knock on the door, but Adam stopped her with a gentle grasp of her wrist.
“Listen, Riles.” His voice was laced with concern. “You sure you’re up to this? If not, I can run you home and find someone else to cover this with me. Wouldn’t hurt for you to take a day off. From everything.”
“I’m fine,” she lied, pulling her arm free to pound a fist on the door. “NYPD! Open up!” Shifting to the side, she faced her partner again. “How sure are we that this is our guy?”
The question had no more left her lips when the door’s decorative glass exploded with an echoing blast.
“Get down!” Riley pulled her weapon from her holster and dropped to the porch.
But Adam was already down.
He was lying on his back, blood gushing from a wound in the side of his neck.
No, no, no!
