Spooky Business (The Spectral Files #3) - S.E. Harmon Page 0,94
alarmed squeak. I figured that was a good a time as any to skedaddle.
Danny followed close behind, and we stopped a few yards away. If his crossed arms were anything to go by, I knew I had a lot of explaining to do. I didn’t know where to even begin. I waited for him to take the lead, but he seemed inclined to wait, possibly forever.
Finally, I couldn’t stand the silence anymore. I let out a little growl. “Will you just say something?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know. Something other than giving me that death stare would be nice.”
Danny death stared me some more.
“Are you angry with me?” I asked. “Because we really need to fucking talk about that.”
“I’m not angry with you. I’m just trying to figure out what it’s going to take to keep you away from bullets. Maybe I should just stick you in a plastic bubble.”
“I think that’s a tad excessive.” I paused. “And would you come in for sex or would I come out?”
“Christiansen.”
I blew out a breath. It was never a good sign when Danny started addressing me by last name. “Yep.”
“Do you understand what it feels like to get a call-out regarding your partner and an officer-related shooting?” I focused on his eyebrow barbell as he struggled to keep his words even. “Any idea what it’s like to wonder if you’re the one who’s shot or the one doing the shooting?”
“It’s not like it was my fault,” I said defensively. “That Dillon kid is a real tool.”
Danny looked like he was biting back words better left unsaid. I watched him open and close his mouth three times before he finally seemed to gather himself. He let out a cleansing breath. “Please tell me he at least gave you something.”
“He gave me some guy named Bondo on a silver platter. The guys in the auto theft department owe us a fruit basket.”
“They can get in line. Attempted murder of a cop trumps a fucking boosted car. Anything regarding Joseph? You know, the case we’re actually working on?”
I filled him in on everything Dillon had said. “I think Dillon misconstrued what he saw. The description of the guy and his truck makes me think he was talking about Rex, the PI. The half license plate ought to narrow the search.”
“I thought Joseph just hired the PI to find Delilah.”
“Clearly not. Hopefully, we’re one step closer to finding this Rex guy, and finding out what was on that thumb drive.”
Danny waited for a beat, looking at me expectantly. When I didn’t say anything else, he frowned. “That’s it?”
“That’s it?” I repeated. “I just gave you investigation gold.”
“That gold is turning green in the shower,” he said exasperatedly.
“And what would you have me do?” I demanded. “I follow the evidence. Wherever it leads, I follow. You know that.”
“Yeah, I do. It’s just that this was a bit of a… a bit of a….” He struggled to come up with a term for our investigative work for the day and finally gave up on being delicate. “This was a clusterfuck. An officer shooting and a foot chase through downtown Miami? Tate is going to have me for lunch. And you for breakfast.”
“Are you guys seriously talking about work?” Kevin’s voice was plaintive. “I just got shot.”
“You’re in good hands,” Danny called.
He made another pitiful sound. “Shouldn’t you two be setting up some sort of GoFundMe account? For my injury in the line of damned duty?” At our simultaneous groans, he snapped, “You guys didn’t catch a bullet with your ass!”
I glanced at Danny for confirmation. His lips were compressed as he struggled to hold in his grin. “It was just a graze. Let’s just say the medic said Kevin’s ass is plenty big enough—”
“I heard that.”
“—to withstand the injury with no complications.” Danny’s cheeky grin finally broke through. “That’s his reward for not working out and eating so damn many taquitos.”
“Fuck you, McKenna,” Kevin grumbled good-naturedly.
Ashton disposed of his gloves and said crisply, “We should get you to the hospital.”
“I don’t need a damned hospital,” Kevin insisted. “I need a big ass bandage and the tender loving care of Mr. Jim Beam.”
“It’s procedure.” Ashton turned to Danny and me. “We’re taking him to St. Catherine’s, if you guys want to follow.”
I was almost giddy with relief that Kevin was all right. Crisis averted, I felt comfortable enough to give him shit about the robust nature of his behind. “You know, it’s a good thing he