Expired Getaway (Last Chance County #7) - Lisa Phillips Page 0,95
going on very soon. Bridget would be here, and things would settle. She and Sydney would spend time together. Sure, he was scared she would shut him out and fight for custody of their daughter, instead of the alternative—getting to know both of them and maybe becoming a family for real. But he would wait to find out.
He knew what he wanted. But what he needed was time to find out what she did.
Aiden figured if he had to take a test, Basuto could too. “And you?”
“I’ll take the lieutenant’s exam.” He paused. “If you sit for the sergeant’s.”
Aiden stared him down. Both of them would get a promotion. Did Conroy agree, or was this just the sergeant throwing out ideas to see what stuck? “I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I ask.” Basuto stood, closed his notepad and pocketed it in the cargo pocket of his pants. “I have to go catch up with the feds now.” He blew out a long breath. “Some hub-bub at the old warehouse store building tonight involving their case.”
“The Capeiras?” If that’s what it was, it would be where Bridget had gone. He hoped she was all right. Given her friend’s presence, he was worried.
Basuto nodded. “Apparently the feds found your girl and her friend fighting off the Capeira foot soldiers they had located.”
“Is she okay?”
Basuto shrugged.
“Are you still on duty?” He might be working, but that didn’t mean he was still on shift.
“No.” Basuto checked his phone. “Technically, I clocked out half an hour ago.”
Aiden stood, all that adrenaline surging anew. He grabbed his keys and phone. “Stay here with Sydney.”
“Donaldson.”
“I need to know she’s okay.” He told Basuto the alarm code. “Lock up behind me.”
He raced around to the garage. He needed some of the erratic sensations to dissipate a little, otherwise he’d wind up driving like a crazy person.
Aiden headed for the warehouse and found an ocean of cars with red and blue flashing lights. An ambulance. Cops everywhere, feds, and a few from Last Chance PD, like Conroy and Mia. He shut off the car but didn’t get out. He’d have to fight the ocean of people in order to find Bridget. Instead, he sent her a quick text letting her know he was here.
Exhaustion rolled over him like a wave crashing on the beach as adrenaline dissipated. He was safe. Sydney was safe. There were so many cops here. Of course Bridget was safe as well. She had to be.
Thank You, Lord. Aiden didn’t pray that enough, and he should. Mostly he tended to hold on for dear life while expecting the worst. But that wasn’t what’d happened today. They were okay. The man who tried to murder him tonight, while his daughter slept in her room, was in police custody now.
His hands started to shake more and more until his whole body fought the tremors. He gripped the steering wheel and sucked in long breaths until he could think again. But what filled his head was more of that sense of relief and gratitude. Knowing what could’ve happened, hadn’t.
Once the feeling passed, he climbed out of the car.
The first familiar face he spotted this time was Millie. Aiden made his way over. “Hey.”
She nodded, every bit the authority figure that any of these feds were. And given her position as Bridget’s boss, that didn’t surprise him. Bridget had huge amounts of respect for her. “Things aren’t going well right now. Capeira was supposed to show up, and we were all set up for a sting operation.”
“Didn’t go as planned?”
“He never showed. We think someone tipped him off.”
“And Bridget?” He didn’t want to sound too needy, but it was what it was. Millie probably already knew that her employee was the only reason he was here.
“I heard you had a fun night.” She lifted her brows.
Aiden shrugged. “We got the guy who has been killing people, making it look like they OD’d.”
“Donaldson!” Conroy jogged over.
Millie waved and walked away. Without ever telling him where Bridget was.
His chief slapped him on the shoulder and left his hand there. “Are you okay? I heard what happened.”
Aiden nodded. “I’m good. Basuto and Frees got there in time.”
Conroy squeezed his shoulder. “I was tied up here, or I’d have come over too and made sure myself.”
“No worries.” He tried to spot Bridget. Wherever she was. “It’s all good. How about here?”
“The feds want Capeira, but he’s proving to be one step ahead of them at every turn.”