Page 15 of Captive

But the moment of levity is quickly tamped down by a sudden darkness that creeps into me. I look at my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks and nose are red from the cold air, but my hair has stayed firmly locked in the braids. I decide I need to drop the young innocence act and go for something bolder when I talk to Rowan. I pull the bands from the braids and shake out my hair. The color has been described as everything from rust to copper but to me it's just red. It's filled with waves. I'd braided it wet, after my last luxury shower where I spent a good ten minutes just letting hot water run over my skin. It's only been two days, but my scalp is starting to yearn for the avocado oil conditioner I've been using on my hair. Maddox had teased me that it smelled good but that he kept having an urge for tortilla chips when he was near me. And that memory takes me even deeper into my suddenly dark mood. Somehow my mention of the station sends a cold chill through me, and the notion that I might never see it again takes hold. There was no basis for the grim prediction. There was just something internal that suggested it. Might have been intuition, might have been just latent worry about the dangers of my assignment or it might just have been a dash ofhomesickness.

I take a deep, steadying breath. I can't let myself go down that particular rabbit hole. It was one of the mental hazards of being undercover. After having lots of people around who supported you and had your back, suddenly you were completely alone in an unknown place, filled with strangers, including yourself. I am no longer Detective Angie Tennyson with a strong, capable partner, a shiny badge and a reliable weapon on my belt. I'm Tawny Smith with little girl braids, no money or phone and one bite of a stranger's sandwich in my hollow stomach. I let that sink in for a second, then head back out to the park. I'm not sure if Rowan is a good place to start or a waste of time, but he's next on my targetlist.

9

Maddox

Ten's carisn't in the lot when I pull in a half hour late for my shift. I'd spent a good chunk of the morning staring blankly at possible sites for the wedding. After an hour or so, where I gave no more feedback than the occasional 'sure if that's what you want' answer, Tiffany snapped shut the laptop and left in a huff to have breakfast with her sister. I was certain my lack of interest in wedding details was going to be the main topic ofconversation.

I climb off my motorcycle and pull off my helmet. Partner intuition tells me something is off. I knew Ten left angry yesterday, and she had every right to be mad. She was also not someone who held a grudge. I check my phone but she hasn't returned a text or replied to myvoicemail.

It occurs to me on the way into the station that Brady or Brodie or whatever the fuck his name is might have dropped her off at work. She mentioned a movie date. Maybe she stayed overnight at his place and she didn't have her car. That scenario made my teeth grind against eachother.

Activity is buzzing and booming as usual in the station as I push through the hallway to the central offices. I'm relieved to see that the excitement about the engagement announcement is over. No one mentions it or slaps me on the shoulder on the way through, which is good. A slap on the shoulder wasn't a good idea with the way I wasfeeling.

My gaze shoots straight to Ten's desk. It's empty. Even her usual clutter has been straightened into a semblance of a rational pile. I catch a glimpse of Clark heading into his office and pick up mystride.

"Hey, Clark." It seems he purposely ignores me and shuts the door behindhim.

I stop and debate whether or not to just barge in. It wouldn't be the first time. Instead, I walk to my desk. Detective Rogers is sitting at her desk filling out paperwork. She and Ten are two of only three female detectives in the precinct. They take lunch break together whenever they are sick of their malecounterparts.

"Hey, Rogers," I say as I drop down onto my chair. "Have you seenTen?"

Rogers is nibbling on a rainbow sprinkle donut. She glances toward the captain's office before answering, like she needs a cue card or some kind of instructions to say the right thing. "Cap'n said she took a leave of absence. I thought youknew."

"Knew what?" I'm sitting up straighternow.

"That she took a leave of absence," she repeats unhelpfully. "I just assumed since she's your partner that she would have toldyou."

"So she told you?" I ask, sounding like a jealoussap.

Rogers shakes her head and her pale yellow ponytail swings side to side behind her. "She didn't tell me. I heard it from CaptainClark."

My chair rolls two feet across the tile floor as I get up and head to Clark's office. I knock once, hard, and don't wait for the damn invite. Clark picks up the phone in an obvious attempt to avoid talking tome.

"I'm just about to make an important call, Maddox. Come backlater."

His laughable ploy doesn't stop me. I walk to his desk and sit down in thechair.

Clark puts the phone down. "Or have a seat," he mutters. "Nice work on the tainted heroin case. The guys in Texas just called me to let me know that Vinny's tip was right. They shut down the wholeoperation."

I'm never one to mince words. "Where'sTennyson?"

"Leave of absence." Clark's never one to mince words either. He doesn't usually avoid eye contact, but he's pretending to be interested in something on his desk. "Now get out so I can make mycall."

"Why? Why the hell would she take a leave of absence, and why wouldn't she tellme?"

"Maybe she just needed a break from you. Like you needed fromher."

I stare at him over the pile of work on his desk. The files for the billionaire murder cases are sitting under the file for the missing girls. "She's not answering herphone."

Clark's big round shoulders bob up and down. "See. That proves my theory that she needs a break from you." He reaches for his phone. There is just enough sweat on his upper lip to assure me he's lying. It's his Pinocchio'snose.

"Not leaving until you tell me where Tenis."

"You'll leave if I have you dragged out in fucking handcuffs." He picks up the phone. "Yeah, it's Clark. Tell Silvana to get his ass in here. His new partner is waiting." He hangs up and flinches when he sees myface.

"You are not partnering me withSilvana."

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