Vixen (Dark Protectors #11.5) - Rebecca Zanetti Page 0,27

motley red color. “She’s cooling it in a cell right now before I question her.”

“Probable cause?” Evan barked.

“Murder. I know she murdered Monte, and I’m going to prove it. Maybe she paid those criminals in anger management to cover for her. Maybe she fucked them all. I don’t know, but I will find out.” Baker’s eyes swirled a furious hue.

Anger settled like a cold punch in Evan’s gut. “You don’t have probable cause, and you know it. Not only have you harassed an innocent woman, one your buddy beat the crap out of for a year, but you’ve opened the county up to a lawsuit now. You’re not fit for the job.”

“You think you can challenge me for the job? I fired you, and doesn’t that look just great?” Baker smiled, showing tobacco stained teeth. “Besides, we both know you ain’t gonna be around for much longer. I’ve seen you shake and tremble. I saw when your leg gave out and you fell into your chair, just a couple of weeks ago. Even if you live through whatever is happening to you, you can’t do this job.”

“A doorknob could do this job better than you have,” Evan growled, his limbs feeling like his own for the first time in years. Could he run for sheriff? Had this whole mating thing cured him, or was this just temporary? He needed to get answers from Tabitha before making any plans. Hope tried to rise in him, and he ruthlessly shoved it down. For now, he had a job to do. “Let Abby Miller out right now. Her lawyers are going to be here any minute, and from the sound of it, they’ll already be planning the lawsuit.” Well, probably.

Baker shifted his belt over his big belly, his eyes darting around. “I’m not out of line here.”

“Wrong.” Evan was done. He grabbed the keys off the hook by the door. “I’m letting her out. If you try to stop me, I will beat the absolute shit out of you in front of the other cops here. The whole town and no doubt county will hear about it, I’m sure. Yeah, I’ll take a battery charge, but it’ll be a first offense, and it’ll hit all the papers. You know what? That might be a decent launch to a campaign for sheriff.”

Baker sputtered, even his ears turning red.

Evan opened the door and strode through the bullpen to the back hallway leading to the cells. Quick movements had him at the farthest cell, unlocking the door.

Abby looked up from sitting on a blanketless cot, her greenish-brown eyes wide. She looked small and defenseless in the claustrophobia-inducing cell. “Detective O’Connell.” She stood, looking over his shoulder.

“Noah is outside,” Evan said, gesturing her toward him, his temper fraying. How dare the sheriff scare her like this?

Relief smoothed her features as she hurried out of the cell. “Thank goodness. I thought for sure he’d come in ripping off heads and everything.” She stopped cold. “I meant that figuratively.”

“Right.” Evan clasped her arm and started down the hall. They probably didn’t have much time before Baker found his balls and tried to stop them.

Pain ticked through Evan’s palm, and he jerked away, looking at the rash on his skin. “Oh.”

Abby kept walking. “Maybe you’re allergic to my laundry detergent.”

He opened the hallway door for her. “Or it’s the mating allergy,” he muttered.

She swung toward him, her jaw slack. “What did you say?”

“Later.” He pointed toward the end of the bullpen, careful not to touch her again. The rash was already abating. It had appeared so quickly. Was it because they were both newly mated? Man, he couldn’t believe any of this was real. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Good plan.” She smiled serenely and nodded at the other officers, picking up her pace until she reached the door to the reception area.

The sheriff stood in his office doorway, his hands at his sides. “I’ll let you go for now, Mrs. Loften. But we’re not done.”

Abby paused by the doorway and turned to face him fully.

Evan stopped and then waited.

“It’s Ms. Miller now.” She smiled. “You’re a corrupt moron, Sheriff Baker. I know it, you know it, and I suspect most of the people who work for you know it. Falsely arrest me again, and I’ll sue you for everything you have.” She looked around at the silent officers at their desks, confidence in her gaze and her shoulders back—so much different from the woman Evan had rescued just a month