Page 82 of Chasing Shelter

“You got a problem with my leadership, talk to the mayor. In the meantime, you will not mess with my station. Clearly, being at a desk is too much temptation for you to run your mouth. So, let’s take that desk away from you. Patrol for the rest of the month. I see your ass anywhere close to that chair, you’re suspended.”

A few officers snickered. Two of them high fived.

Redness crept up Will’s neck. “You can’t do that.”

“Check with the mayor,” Gabriel said helpfully. “Because I cosign that assignment.”

“I’d like to toss in prisoner trash pickup next weekend,” Sergeant Yearwood said as she walked out of the copy room. “My old bones are so over your shit.”

Laney Yearwood had been with the department since she was eighteen. Now, at sixty-three, she was ready for retirement, and her tolerance for assholes was practically nil.

I shot her a grin. “Now, that’s a mighty fine suggestion, Sergeant Yearwood.”

She flipped me off. “You call me Sergeant Yearwood again, we’re gonna have problems.”

I chuckled. “Noted.” All amusement left my expression as I turned to Will. “Why is your ass still in that chair, Deputy? Do I need to relieve you of duty, or can you handle a simple patrol?”

Will’s teeth gnashed as he stood and stalked out of the station. Applause erupted as he did. God, I loved my team. At least ninety-five percent of them.

Beth moved into the bullpen from reception. “What’d I miss? Will looks pissed as hell, so I know it was good.”

I shook my head and moved toward the back hall and the holding cells we had there. I knew the rest of the crew would fill her in. Gabriel followed behind me, sticking close as we turned into the room that housed the two cells.

They didn’t get a whole lot of use. Mostly for drunk and disorderlies, or waiting for suspect pickup on larger cases. We didn’t keep people here longer than overnight. They’d get transferred to county.

As I stepped into the room, it felt smaller than normal, the air thick and reeking of sweat and alcohol. A pair of bloodshot eyes lifted to glare at me. “Can’t keep me here,” Jasper spat.

“I don’t have anything to do with this. Conflict of interest and all that.”

Jasper stood, wobbling before he struggled toward the bars. “You got your pigs on me,” he slurred. “Trumped-up charges.”

“Sir,” Gabriel began, all false politeness, “you appeared inebriated to multiple officers on the scene. When we ran your ID, we saw you were on parole. It’s within our rights to require a drug test because of that. We’re just waiting for those results to come back. I’m sure you understand.”

Jasper spat through the bars, narrowly missing Gabriel’s shoe. “I understand that my bastard brat put you up to this. Gonna sue all your asses.”

“Good luck with that,” I muttered.

“You,” Jasper sneered. “You think you’re so much better than me. But I’m in your blood. Your veins. You’ll never get me out.”

A coldness swept through me. One so brutal it sliced like a blade. Because despite Jasper’s blustering, he spoke the truth.

A twisted smile spread across his face. “You have no idea what’s coming for you. But it’s gonna be fun as hell watching you lose everything.”

24

ELLIE

The soundof a key in the lock had me bounding off the couch and crossing to Trace and Keely’s front door. By the time Trace opened it, I was already there. Everything about him looked exhausted, and it had only been a few hours.

“Keely?” he asked, shutting the door and leaning against it.

“Asleep. We took Gremlin for a walk. Did face masks. Read stories. She passed out halfway throughGoodnight Moon.”

Trace let out a breath, leaning harder against the door as if he wanted the wood to swallow him whole.

“That bad?” I asked quietly.

Trace stared straight ahead, but I knew he wasn’t seeing me. It was something else entirely. “He’s in my head. Worse, he knows it.”

---