Hitch

by Anne Conley

  She had priorities here, was trying to gain a foothold in the new department, and suddenly had all eyes on her. Amber couldn’t afford to make mistakes.

  And Dex felt like a mistake.

  Although, she couldn’t put her finger on exactly how.

  On the surface, he was sweet, fantastic-looking, had a similar outlook on life as she did, and was fun to be around. But what about her? She wasn’t looking for a relationship. She didn’t want to be a half of some other whole. Amber was here focusing on her career, getting established before she got distracted with emotions and hormones and stuff.

  And she couldn’t get Eileen out of her head. Eileen, who sat at the desk behind hers, practically bumping into her every time either one of them got up, had had sex with her Dex.

  Pfft. Her Dex.

  And Nguyen had reminded her of her lack of credibility yesterday when she’d gotten back to town after the foray to Dallas. He’d been pissed, telling her this case was a priority and a new recruit to the department didn’t have any business dealing with outside influences, certainly not with the FBI chomping at the bit to get involved and take over.

  He hadn’t specifically mentioned Dex, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out her superior knew about him.

  Meanwhile, Dex just kept showing up. Last night at her home and here today. She didn’t know how she was supposed to resist him when he insisted on taking her in his arms all the time.

  Laying everything out straight for him was a last-ditch effort, and even to her own mind, it didn’t seem fair.

  Well, life wasn’t fair, was it?

  “You’re deep in thought.”

  Amber turned to see Gabby next to her, talking out of the side of his mouth. Dressed in shorts showcasing the whitest legs she’d ever seen, Gabby, like the rest of them was here wearing plain-clothes.

  “Yeah,” she replied noncommittally. “This is weird. I don’t think he’s gonna show.” She said it just to make things sound like she was thinking about the case, staying focused, when the reality was she was distracted as shit.

  “This is your thing. You’re the one who insisted he’d blow the zoo next.”

  “Yeah, well, there are too many of us. He’s probably spooked.”

  “How much longer are we staking out the zoo?” Gabby groused, and Amber had an insane desire to punch him in the mouth. She was just in that sort of mood. It seemed like all the man did was complain about something.

  “I don’t know. Until another lead comes up, I reckon.” They were speaking from the sides of their mouths, trying to be discreet, but Amber chose that moment to just walk away. She strolled to the next enclosure, the African elephants, and watched the powerful pachyderms as they lazily chewed greenery taken from a high basket with their trunks.

  These animals really had the life. Sure, they were out of their natural habitat and behind bars and stuff. But they were being used for education, had the best medical treatment, and never had to hunt and scavenge for their food.

  Why would someone want to destroy that?

  She understood the concept behind animal activism. Amber believed animals were sentient beings and deserved better treatment than being tied to a tree outside all year long, like some dogs. Or cruel treatment. She didn’t think any living creature deserved beatings and torture.

  Why would someone plant explosives in a habitat designed for education?

  That was bothering her about this zoo being the next plotted marker in the Fibi-whatever thingy Dex had figured out. She’d taken it to the task force, and they’d run with it. It didn’t ring true, though.

  If the enclosures were blown apart, the animals would be homeless, or worse, and definitely disturbed. This made absolutely no sense.

  Amber bit her lip in thought as she looked for Detective Chavez.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Dex was pretty certain Amber wouldn’t show at Batons, but since she wasn’t answering his texts, and had made it clear he wouldn’t be welcome at her house anymore, he figured he would see if she would show up here before he decided to waylay her at work.

  He wanted answers, and their personal life didn’t need to be on display in the war room in front of fifty cops. Dex wasn’t sure he wanted to push her this way, but if she wouldn’t give him the time of day, at least he could “bump into her” and see she was okay.

  Dex was itchy. It felt like his skin was too tight, and he could only attribute that to the fact he really needed to talk to Amber. He needed to make her see she was making a mistake by not allowing him in.

  Of course, he might be going about things all wrong. It was clear to him she saw it already, but something was scaring her.

  How did someone overcome someone else’s fear? Was it even possible? Amber seemed unreachable right now. Untouchable. He stared into his scotch, swirling it around the glass, watching the legs crawl down the glass and meld with the liquid at the bottom.

  He glanced around the bar, as if looking for someone, and saw most everyone there was looking for someone.

  If only his issues were as simple as finding random pussy to fill the hole inside that Amber had left. But he knew that wouldn’t work for him. Some guys, yes. But Dex had never been that way.

  So when he saw the woman Amber had been with on that first night he’d seen her take a seat down the bar a ways, he ambled his way over. She might be able to help him.

  “Hey,” he began as she got her beer from the bartender. “Put that on mine, will ya?” He gestured to the bartender to pay for her drink, then turned back to her. Her eyebrows were raised, and she looked at him with a vague smile on her face.

  “Yeah, just buying me drinks isn’t getting you in my panties, Hollerman.” She crossed her arms and leaned them on the bar, classic body language of someone who wasn’t willingly giving information.

  Chagrined, the knowledge he didn’t know how to talk to people at all outside of an interrogation room hit him full force. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to imply that. Just wanted to talk.”

  “Okay, so talk. You don’t have to buy my drink for that.” The woman, whose name Dex still wasn’t sure of, placed her head in her hand and watched Dex with a quirked eyebrow.

  “How about as an apology for my lack of social skills?”

  “I might let you do it for that.” She smiled at him, letting him know she was yanking his chain, and he felt measurably better.

  “You ever see Amber at the station?”

  “Yeah, she’s around. Eileen is up her ass most of the time she’s there, though, so I don’t talk to her much. Don’t want a writeup for misuse of time or some shit.”

  “Yeah? She’s not giving Amber a super-hard time, is she?” Because if Eileen had figured out Amber was his girlfriend, or whatever she was, and was holding it over Amber, Dex would kill her. Well, maybe not kill her, but he would definitely have some words with the woman.

  “Yeah. And Amber’s case is eating her alive. You can tell she wants to make an impression, right? It’s her first case here, and it’s turning huge.”

  “So she’s pretty busy?” Dex knew this was the case but was hoping she would elaborate and give him something he could use.

  The woman sipped her beer thoughtfully, looking at Dex like trying to decide what to tell him. “You pumping me for info?”

  He grinned, unable to hide it. “Yeah, I am. I like her.”

  “Well, something’s bothering her but I can’t tell what it is. Like I said, we don’t talk much. It could just be stress about a new job and shit.”

  Dex thought back to the phone call at his house and wondered if it was someone who’d been bugging her. Was this caller dangerous? Was Amber trying to protect him? Did she even care at all? Was he reading entirely too much into things? He was lost in his own thoughts and didn’t hear the beginning of what the woman said.

  “… animals. I’d hit the construction site, you know?”

  “I’m sorry. What?”

  “I said, if I were protesting somethi
ng to do with the treatment of animals, I wouldn’t blow up their habitat. That would cause too much harm to the animals. I’d hit the construction site.”

  “But he was using the Fibonacci sequence. The next place is the zoo.” Exasperation bled through his tone. He’d been over and over this inside his own head. It was the only thing that made sense.

  “Everyone uses the fucking Fibonacci sequence since Dan Brown did it. My kid did it for a science fair last year. It’s a fucking decoy.”

  Of course it was.

  Slamming the rest of his scotch, he tossed some money on the bar and checked his phone. Still no texts from Amber. Torn between a duty he no longer had and the bubbling emotions for this woman who didn’t seem to return the favor, Dex stood to leave.

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  Dex drove straight to the bridge after leaving Batons and found construction had already begun. Behind temporary cages, heavy equipment and materials were locked up tight. There was even a barge with a crane used to sink pylons parked on the river, ready to get started in the morning.

  He got out his phone and looked up exactly when construction would begin on the expansion of Congress Bridge. The newspaper article he pulled up said it all.

  Tomorrow morning.

  Dex looked at everything, knowing he wouldn’t see shit. It was dark, and whoever had set up the Tannerite had probably already done it. He had absolutely no jurisdiction here. In fact, he’d probably be cited for trespassing if he got caught right now.

  Sinking to his haunches, he tried a call to Amber, knowing it was fruitless. Still, he had to get her word. They had been duped and were staking out the wrong place.

  A call was ignored. A text message went unanswered.

  Fuck.

  He debated whether or not to call Nguyen at home. His former supervisor’s number was saved in his phone, and this was official police business, even if he didn’t have a right to call the dude at home anymore. He wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was. He knew the right thing was to alert the man to any leads or tips he had regarding this case, but wasn’t sure the right way to go about it.

  Deciding to take a chance, he called Nguyen.

  At least he was awake.

  “Hollerman? This better be damn good. I’m getting ready for bed.”

  “I don’t think Perkins is hitting the zoo next. I think that was to divert resources. He’s going to hit the construction site.”

  “When?”

  “Tomorrow is when the pylons are scheduled to be sunk. All the equipment is there and ready.”

  “Where did you get this information?” Nguyen’s voice sounded leery, and Dex knew he didn’t want to believe him. Didn’t want him to be right.

  “It just makes sense. Why freak out all the animals at the zoo with explosions and flying shrapnel? Why risk possibly messing up enclosures? That would stress animals out more than anything else, possibly kill them. He would lose all credibility as an activist if that’s his goal, right?”

  A car honked in the late-night traffic behind him. “Where are you?” Nguyen’s voice was suspicious.

  “At the bridge, looking at millions of dollars-worth of equipment that’s going to be blown up tomorrow,” Dex stated calmly, hoping his former supervisor wasn’t about to lose his top.

  “Go the fuck home, Hollerman. I’ll take care of this.” Nguyen’s voice was a low threat.

  Well, he’d done what he could. It was in Nguyen’s hands now.

  But would Amber be involved, and would she be safe?

  “Sir?”

  “What?” the rumbled growl came back at him.

  “Will Officer Banks be on the scene?”

  “She’s on the goddamned task force, it’s up to the force commander to assign duties.” And then the man hung up, not really giving Dex an answer.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Dex had slept about three hours, knowing his gut was right and anxious to get on the scene and make sure Amber was safe. He knew he had no business there, and everything would be handled, but he also knew something was off. His gut burned like never before, and he didn’t know what to think about it. Dex was sure he was doing everything all wrong and knew without a doubt Amber would resent his interference, but he couldn’t help himself.

  After dressing warmly against the unseasonable cold snap Austin had undergone in the night, he drove to Congress Street and found a place to park his car and walk to the site.

  He flashed his security badge at the sleepy operator just getting there, counting on the fact he wouldn’t look too closely.

  “Austin PD. Can I look around on the barge?”

  “Sure. Knock yourself out. Life vests are in the box on the back. Stern. Whatever it’s called. Captain should be here soon. You ridin’ along?”

  “Maybe,” Dex grumbled as he brushed past the guy and ambled toward the barge, ignoring the instructions about life vests.

  The barge would sink the massive pylons to support the bridge while it was being built around them. They had to be sunk a certain amount of time before construction so they could settle, or whatever they would do. Sort of like letting concrete cure before constructing a building on top of it.

  Dex started looking around. He hadn’t gotten far when he heard his name being called over the sound of the wind blowing and soft waves lapping.

  He spun around to see Amber striding toward him, uniform on, belt loaded and swaying, and the predictable fire in her eyes.

  She was pissed.

  His pants stretched as his cock stiffened, as if trying to greet her.

  He shifted and grinned, trying to distract himself from his ill-timed erection.

  “Don’t you flash those dimples at me. You can’t be here.” So angry. He loved it, even if the circumstances didn’t call for his enjoyment.

  “I know. I was just checking on things, and the guy didn’t seem too concerned about dangerous guys gaining access to the boat, which sounded dangerous to me.” He shrugged, attempting levity. His feigned I-don’t-care attitude was meant to draw focus away from the fact he couldn’t be here, but she was absolutely right. “Why did you get pegged to check this out?”

  “I don’t know, Dex. Why did I get picked? Did someone ask Nguyen about me working the case last night at home when they shouldn’t even be working this anymore?” Hands on her slim hips only drew his attention to her anger. He tried to chill his libido so he could have an actual conversation.

  “Look, I know you’re pissed at me for something. Although, to be honest, you have no right to be pissed because you haven’t let me explain anything. But I’m just trying to make sure you’re protected.”

  “Which is exactly why I can’t do this with you! This is my job! It’s dangerous!”

  “I know that. But where’s your partner?”

  She looked at the ground, her feet working back and forth on the deck, outlining seams. “Getting coffee.”

  Fucking Gabby. “Exactly. Let’s just check this out together.”

  “You’re a civilian.”

  “Knowledgeable civilian.”

  “You can’t be here.”

  “I’m already here.”

  “Leave, or I’ll arrest you for impeding a police investigation.”

  As tempting as the handcuff thing was, Dex knew she was serious, and Nguyen would relish her arresting him and probably lose all sorts of paperwork to keep him locked up longer than necessary. Meanwhile, Amber would be out here, alone and in danger.

  “Fine.” He turned, dragging his feet. “I’ll go.” His eyes were on the ground, but as he swayed with the barge, they came up, scanning the surroundings.

  Then time slowed.

  He saw Perkins in a building across the street from the river—his blue-gray eye blinking through the scope of a high-powered rifle. Dex shook his head, as that was impossible to see. But as he looked, Perkins’ lips curled into a snarl. Wearing all black, his shape stood out with sharpened clarity against the shadows of the roo
m he was leaning out of.

  Dex was stunned, fear freezing him in this moment in time. He’d been scared before—lots of times. He’d seen the end of barrels of guns at the hands of strung-out junkies, desperate traffickers, and even pissed-off kidnappers.

  But never was the woman he loved in the crosshairs.

  “Amber! Run!” Dex reached back and grabbed her hand just as his suddenly flawless vision watched Perkins squeeze the trigger. To her credit, she didn’t ask any questions; Amber ran for all she was worth.

  Dex looked to his side to see Amber’s arms pumping next to her, her hair flying wildly while she valiantly kept astride of his own pounding feet.

  She was so amazing.

  Pride was snuffed out with the heat of a massive explosion, tossing them up and over. As time slowed for Dex, he felt himself lifted in the air, reminiscent of a childhood with a strong father who would toss him into the air and then catch him. Only this time, there were no calloused hands to land in, only cold, brownish-gray water.

  A sharp, burning pain hit his shoulder, fire radiating from his back, and he knew he’d been hit with shrapnel. He looked for Amber before he hit the water but couldn’t find where she’d been thrown.

  His last thoughts before the darkness of the frigid water took over were of Amber.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Amber had been stunned when she’d hit the cold water. The booming explosions gave validation to the alarm in Dex’s voice when he’d yelled at her to run. He’d seen something, knew what was going to happen, and had done what he could to protect her. Save her.

  When she came up for air, debris floated down around her, but the zipping splash next to her head told her she was still in danger. And she didn’t see Dex anywhere. With a great big gulp of air, she ducked back underwater. Her belt, her shoes, her clothes, and especially her body armor, made her sodden and heavy as the water seeped in. Her limbs became harder to move, but she forced her body anyway. Amber managed stilted, slow-motion type movements, but that was the best she could do. Bullets whipped by her in the water, just a couple, but each one with enough deadly force behind it to scare her. She looked around the murky depths, seeking Dex in the haze. Debris began sinking down around her, and she dodged metal pieces as best she could in her body armor while swimming deeper, looking for Dex.