Page 15 of Paws and Claws

"Their place?" Dominic's voice dropped even lower. "The only one who needs to be shown their place is you. Get out. We'll discuss your conduct later."

Bruce stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Dominic just stood there with his jaw clenched and his eyes still fixed on the door Bruce had exited through.

Well, this was new. Sheriff Stick-in-the-Mud actually defending her? Tabitha wasn't sure whether to be grateful or worried about what alternate universe she'd just stumbled into.

7

DOMINIC

Dominic's jaw tightened as he stared at the spot where Bruce had just stormed out of the interrogation room. His lion prowled close to the surface, furious at the other sheriff's behavior.

His gaze swept to the security camera in the corner. The red light was off. Of course Bruce would conduct an unauthorized interrogation without proper documentation. The whole situation reeked of a setup. Bruce had deliberately kept him in the dark about Tabitha's arrest. If Connor hadn't called...

"Hey Connor," he muttered into his phone, keeping his voice low. "I need you to pull the surveillance footage from the parking lot and building entrance for the last two hours. And get me the arrest report Bruce filed."

"That's the thing, boss. There is no arrest report. I checked the system twice."

A growl rumbled in Dominic's chest. "No paperwork at all?"

"Nothing. It's like she was never brought in."

The implications made his blood run cold. An unofficial arrest, no Miranda rights, no documentation - Bruce had crossed so many lines Dominic couldn't even count them all.

"Pull everything you can find. And Connor? Keep this quiet for now."

He ended the call and braced his hands against the wall, letting his head hang between his shoulders. Bruce was up to something. But why? What did Bruce gain by railroading a local witch with relatively minor offenses on her record?

He turned toward Tabitha, who sat unnaturally still in the metal chair. For once, there wasn't a trace of her usual mischievous smile. The sight made his chest tighten in a way he wasn't ready to examine too closely.

He crouched beside Tabitha's chair, his fingers brushing against her wrists as he unlocked the handcuffs. The metal clinked against the table as he set them aside. Her skin felt cold where Bruce's cuffs had been too tight.

"You okay?" His voice came out rougher than intended, his lion still simmering with anger at Bruce's treatment of her.

"Just peachy." Tabitha rubbed her wrists as she stood up, but the usual spark in her blue eyes had dimmed. "Nothing like being dragged in here like a hardened criminal."

"Come on." He placed his hand on her back, guiding her toward the door. "Let's get you out of here."

The police station buzzed with activity as they walked through, but Dominic's presence kept anyone from approaching. A few officers shot curious glances their way, but his stern expression warned them off.

Once outside, Tabitha spun to face him. "What the hell was that all about? Since when does that jerk get to arrest people without cause?"

"He doesn't," Dominic replied. "I rushed here as fast as I could when Connor told me you'd been arrested, and that Bruce claimed he had photos proving you were at the scenes." He paused for a moment. "He was also trying to get me kicked off the investigation."

"Wait." Tabitha's purple hair caught the afternoon sunlight as she tilted her head. "You don't think I did it anymore?"

"No." The admission cost him some pride, but it was worth it to see the surprise flash across her face. "I was wrong to accuse you. And I'm sorry for being harsh and having you followed. I jumped to conclusions without proper evidence."

"The mighty Sheriff Blackmane is apologizing to me?" A hint of her usual mischief crept back into her expression. "Should I check if hell froze over?"

"Don't push it." But his lips twitched despite himself. "Listen, would you want to grab a coffee at the Cauldron & Cup? There are some things we should discuss."

Tabitha studied him for a long moment, her wild magic crackling in the air between them like static electricity. "You buying?"

"Yes, of course." He opened the passenger door of his squad car for her. "Though I'm pretty sure you owe me for about twenty speeding tickets."

"Fourteen, but who's counting?" She slid into the seat, her usual spirit returning. "And I thought those were just love notes from my favorite killjoy."

Dominic shut the door, shaking his head as he walked around to the driver's side. Maybe he'd been too quick to write her off as nothing but trouble. There was definitely more to Tabitha Moon than he'd allowed himself to see.

---