Page 34 of Forbidden Secrets
“I did.As long as I could.”
He bit back the urge to argue.She was here.She was safe.That’s all that mattered.
Sawyer spoke into his shoulder mic.“Scene is secure.”He tipped his head to Melanie.“Good to see you, Mel.Been a while.”
“Hey, Sawyer.”Melanie gave him a wan smile.
Sawyer gestured to the deputy.“Get him cuffed and read him his rights.Cut that yarn and haul him out of here.”
He smirked at Gage.“Yarn work something they teach you feds at Quantico?”
“They teach us resourcefulness, smart-ass.”He righted the table.
An image caught his eye.He took the book from Melanie.
“Behind the Shadow Throne.I know this book.”He blinked, stunned, like the world had shifted under his feet.His gaze locked on Melanie’s.“Holy shit, you’re M.Brennan.”
Sawyer peered over his shoulder.“You write books, Mel?”
“Um…yeah.”She looked caught.“Romantasy.”
Sawyer frowned.“What the hell’s romantasy?”
“Romance and fantasy,” Gage said quietly.“This story is incredible.”
“You actually read my book?”Her absolute shock couldn’t be faked.
He shrugged.“My mom just married a guy with a goth granddaughter.Fifteen, wears all black, more piercings than I can count.She told me if I didn’t want to be an ignorant idiot, I had to read it.So I did.Got hooked and blew through books two and three.”
He raised a brow.“When’s the fourth coming out?”
“Soon, I hope.As soon as I finish writing it.”She looked dazed.“I can’t believe you read it.You’re not exactly my target reader.”
“I’ll read anything but crime thrillers.They hit too close to home.”
Sawyer squinted at the cover.“Dude on the front kinda looks like you.”
Gage studied it.“I don’t see it.”
“I do,” Sawyer said.“Dead ringer.”
Blushing, Melanie snatched the book back and set it on the table.
More officers entered the house.Sawyer led the team processing the scene, snapping photographs and inputting notes into a tablet.Melanie confirmed the glass back door had been unlocked and nothing appeared to have been stolen.
“You recognize the guy Gage tied up with yarn?”Sawyer asked.
She shook her head.Gage and Melanie had moved into the kitchen, and were leaning against the counter.Sawyer showed her a photo of Nike.“What about him?”
Her eyes widened.“Oh my god.That’s the guy who was in the truck taking pictures of me.”She swallowed, her voice tight.“Did he say why they broke in?”
She’d wrapped her arms around herself, brows drawn, aftershocks starting to show.
“They’re not talking,” Sawyer said.
“This dude?”He tilted his head toward Black Hat, who now stood cuffed.“His job was to scare the shit out of you.I intercepted a text from the other guy.He was thinking about lighting up the barn.Said it would ‘make their point.’”
Melanie’s voice was steady, but her eyes told a different story.“What point?”
