Page 19 of The Pushy Pixies Are Going Down
I gave him a nod, pulling my empath magic back in so I didn’t have to feel this guy’s emotions anymore. “Nice to meet you. I’m here for Higgins—”
“I know what you’re here for.” The guy’s jaw clenched. “You want to take over my case.”
“Your…” My breath hitched. “I’m not here to take over anyone’s case. I’m not even interested in being a detective again.Higgins asked for my help, so I’m helping him.” I dropped the envelope with the case file inside on Higgins’s desk. “I’ll see myself out, then.”
If I was going to cause problems with Higgins and his new partner, I wasn’t going to stay. The last thing I needed was drama in my life. I had enough going on without my ex-work partner adding to it.
Even though I’d tried to avoid Higgins over the last few years, he’d insisted on keeping me up to date on things, including his partner status. He’d gone through four other partners before this guy. None of the others had worked out and had been either given a different partner or transferred.
As far as I knew, Higgins liked this guy better than any of the previous options, so I supposed I should try to give him the benefit of the doubt. Didn’t mean I had to stand here and take his animosity, though.
Before I could walk away, Cunningham held up his hand. “No. Don’t. I didn’t mean anything by it. Higgins is waiting for me to bring you back.”
Even though I really wanted to make my escape, I sighed, absently petted Sola, and asked, “Bring me back where?”
“To interview room one. Well, to the observation room, to be exact. His suspect is already here.”
I checked my phone. I wasn’t late. “Already?”
He shrugged as he stood, eyeing Sola for a brief moment. “Came early. Said he wanted to get it over with. Follow me.”
I didn’t actually need him to show me where the room was, but I bit my lip to keep myself from saying that out loud and followed the jerk to the observation room.
To my despair, Cunningham decided to stay in the room with me. So I found myself standing in front of a one-way mirror, staring at Higgins sitting at a table with the suspect, Paul Ferguson, with his asshole partner standing beside me.
I was beyond uncomfortable, and again, in this moment, I really wished I would’ve taken Winter up on his offer to accompany me here.
Why the hell had I told him no? What had I been thinking?
Cunningham sent Higgins a text, and I saw my old partner discreetly check his phone. The look of relief on his face was obvious to someone who knew him well, but I doubted Paul Ferguson noticed.
I glanced at Cunningham, and yep, he’d definitely noticed if the way his jaw tensed was any indication.
Wow. That guy really hated me.
Sola rubbed my cheek with hers, clearly trying to make me feel better. Her magic wrapped around me, encircling me in an invisible protective shield—she clearly didn’t like that guy’s attitude either. I gave her some scritches in thanks and took a breath. With her magic giving me a boost, this should be easier than it used to be.
Hopefully.
Ignoring Cunningham to the best of my ability, I let my empath power out again. His emotions rushed at me, but I pushed past them, keeping them at the back of my mind with all the other noise, and let my magic flow out of me and into the interrogation room.
My magic was familiar with Higgins after years of doing this, so I wasn’t surprised when I watched the purple haze float around him easily. His emotions hit me—relief, annoyance, frustration, hopefulness—but I shoved those into the back of my mind with the others.
Then my magic reached Paul Ferguson, and it was like it balked at him, not wanting to get near his aura. My magic wasn’t a separate entity or anything; it was an extension of myself, so I supposed I was the one who balked at the idea of letting this man’s emotions overpower me.
But I pushed on, letting myself get lost in the emotions, letting go of everything else as I concentrated on the disgusting human being on the other side of the glass.
Excitement, guilt, stress, giddiness.
Who in the hell was giddy when they were in the middle of a damn police interrogation?
My eyes were hooded as I concentrated on my magic more than my surroundings, but I still watched and listened to Higs and Ferguson. It was almost like they were underwater and Ferguson’s emotions were the only thing above water, the only thing coming in completely clear.
Higgins pushed a photograph across the table, tapping it with his finger as he spoke. “Listen, Mr. Ferguson, I need you to be straight with me. Why were you and these three delivery workers taking boxesoutof your sanctuary in the middle of the night?”
Ferguson scoffed. “I told you already. They gave me expired food, so they were taking it back.”
Fear, guilt, stress, delight—delight at deceiving someone.
