Meant to Be Immortal (Argeneau #32) - Lynsay Sands Page 0,21

“What are you doing?”

“Leaving you in protective custody where you’ll be safe,” she said easily, giving the cell door a tug to be sure the lock was engaged. “This is the safest place for you until Captain Dupree can arrange someone to guard you. Maybe even until he finds out who tried to turn you into a shish kebab with that fire. Please enjoy your stay.”

Turning then, CJ headed back along the cells, a smile sliding over her lips as she ignored his shouts for her to return and let him out.

“Hey! Come back here! Let me out!” Mac shouted, his gaze dropping to CJ’s behind as he watched her walk away. Realizing what he was doing, he jerked his eyes up to her shoulders instead. It was his staring at her ass as he’d followed her inside that had landed him in the cell. He’d been so busy ogling her legs and butt and even her cowboy boots that he hadn’t paid attention to where she was leading him until she’d distracted him with that flabby turtle business and then had closed the cell door between them. Now he was stuck in the cell. At least temporarily. The moment anyone entered, and surely someone would enter eventually, he would take control of them and make them let him out. As long as it wasn’t CJ who returned, of course. Her, he couldn’t control.

“Women, eh?”

Mac glanced to the man in the cell next to his and quickly read his mind. He’d been pulled in for drunk and disorderly after getting in a scrap at a bar with the man in the cell across from him. Both men were pickled, which was a shame. He might have been able to feed off the one in the next cell if he weren’t. A little mind control on him and the man across the way, draw his neighbor’s hand through the bars, and he could have fed from his wrist. However, alcohol made the man’s blood pretty useless to him. It would just leave him more depleted. He’d have to wait for one of the officers to return and check on him, he supposed, and settled on the hard bench in his cell with a sigh.

CJ was still smiling at what she’d done as she strode up the hall toward the bullpen. In fact, it wasn’t until she was crossing the bullpen itself that her smile began to fade and her footsteps to slow as guilt started to worm its way up through her.

Mac Argeneau had endured a hellish day. He’d nearly died in a fire, had lost everything he possessed, and now she had just rounded out his evening by locking him up in a jail cell.

Poor bastard, she thought guiltily. How cold was that?

Sighing, CJ shifted on her feet, her gaze moving longingly to the door to the reception area and the exit beyond. She wished she could just leave, go back to the bed-and-breakfast, go to sleep, and forget the man and his troubles altogether. But she just didn’t have it in her. CJ’s conscience wouldn’t let her leave him in that cell. But once she let him out, she’d have to keep him safe, and she didn’t want to hang out here either. Maybe she could take him back to the bed-and-breakfast with her? She was pretty sure he’d end up there anyway. The town only had one hotel and it was presently closed for renovations. That was how she’d ended up at the bed-and-breakfast. So, whoever ended up guarding him would either have to take him to their home, or a room would have to be booked for him at Mrs. Vesper’s bed-and-breakfast. She might as well escort him there, get him a room, and sit around in the common area to be sure no one came in and tried to finish the job they’d started with the fire. At least until one of Captain Dupree’s officers got free and could come take over the job.

Hopefully, that wouldn’t take long, CJ thought grimly, and turned, intending to go back and release the annoying man from the cell she’d put him in. But she paused when Mrs. Dupree appeared in the door to the captain’s office and announced imperiously, “My husband, Captain Dupree, wants to talk to you.”

The little woman made the announcement as if CJ had to “jump to” and take the phone. She nearly disabused the woman of that idea and refused to speak to the man,