A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1) - Darynda Jones Page 0,141
said to him. “That you’re the only identical twin on the force. Nope. Me and Zee. It’ll be hard to tell us apart at first, but you’ll get used to it.” He flashed Rojas a thumbs-up, then left.
“Hey, isn’t Zee the one with the rifle?”
“Yes.”
“So, they’re not really—”
“No.”
He nodded and looked around the place, sizing it up. “Do I have to wear a uniform?”
“Yes.”
Despite the fact that the Del Sol County Sheriff’s Station brimmed with people of all shapes and sizes, many dressed in black, the atmosphere was subdued and somber. A woman in her late thirties held on to two small children with one hand and a tissue with the other, while others in the room stood with hands folded as they waited.
Sun nodded to her dispatch.
Anita pressed the button on the mic. “Dispatch to two-seven-two.”
The room went completely silent. Moments passed as people waited with a solemn respect.
Anita tried again. “Dispatch to unit two-seven-two.”
The woman in black buried her face in Quincy’s lapel and sobbed. He picked up her youngest child, then hugged her to him, fighting back tears himself.
Anita’s fingers curled around the mic, her knuckles white. “Final call for unit two-seven-two, Lieutenant Bobby Beauregard Britton.” She didn’t wait as long this time. Her emotions barely contained, her voice cracked when she came on one last time. “Two-seven-two is ten-seven. Badge number fourteen-twelve is at end of watch. Rest in peace, Lieutenant. You will be missed.”
The deputies gathered around Mrs. Britton to offer their condolences. Sun took Auri’s hand, her daughter’s eyes shimmering with unspent tears. Cruz scooted closer to her to offer his support as well.
Zee walked up just as Auri and Cruz stole away to a corner, ostensibly to check their phones.
“Mrs. Moore brought muffins,” Zee said, gesturing toward the lobby.
Sun looked over at the giant basket of the cursed pastries, wondering what could possibly be next.
“According to the muffin count, the world is going to end sometime in the next week.”
“Great,” Sun said.
Zee gave her a quick hug before heading toward the widow.
A woman spoke beside her. “This was quite beautiful.”
Sun turned to see Mayor Lomas standing next to her, holding a paper cup of something red. “Mayor. Thanks for coming.”
She nodded, the tips of her bob brushing the tops of her shoulders. “Of course. Have you thought any more about my offer?”
“Offer?” she asked, confused. “Oh, you mean ultimatum? Find out who the mythical Dangerous Daughters are or else you’ll expose my sordid past?” She leaned closer to the pretty blonde. “I think some high school kids beat you to the punch.”
A sly smile stole across her face. “Oh, I bet there’s more. Something you don’t want getting out. Am I right?”
What on earth could she know?
“I just hope you find them. You know, for Auri’s sake.”
A wildfire erupted in Sun’s core. “Did you just threaten my daughter?”
“Why would I do that?” she asked, then turned to walk away.
She went to stop the woman when a shadow slid over her. She looked up and into the startlingly handsome face of Levi Ravinder.
Drawing in a deep, calming breath, she said, “Pretty brave, Ravinder. You showing up here since we never finished processing your arrest.”
“He was a friend.” Clean-shaven, possibly for the first time in years, he wore a charcoal jacket and a black button-down that set off the darkness in his hair and contrasted with the warmth of his amber eyes.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” she said. “You left in a hurry the other night.”
“I had places to be. Are you going to charge me or not?”
“With a felony count of having places to be?”
“With murder.”
“Ah. We’re still investigating.”
“Well, let me know.”
“You’ll be the first.” Her focus kept wandering to the hand wrapped around a coffee cup from Caffeine-Wah, his long fingers dark against the white paper. When it looked like he was going to leave, she said, “I didn’t get a chance to thank you. For the other night. You went above and beyond, and I’m not sure how to repay you.”
He turned her jaw to get a better look at the thin red line across her neck. His touch sent a shock wave of electricity shooting through her.
His amber eyes glistened as he studied the wound. “I was almost too late.”
“Almost is okay. I’m good with almost. I saw your truck parked at Barbie’s this morning.” Barbie was an amazing mechanic. “I hope everything is okay.”
“Routine.”
“I would offer you a ride home, but I don’t think you’d want your family seeing me