Bad Boy's Touch (Firemen in Love Book 3)

by Starling,Amy

  I grabbed her by the shoulders. “Take that back, damn it. I'm nothing like that asshole. He never actually cared about you.”

  “Oh, and you do?”

  This was it. The things I'd been feeling, struggling to keep to myself because I didn't understand them... I finally had to admit them to both Madison and myself.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  Confusion filled her eyes, and she wrenched herself away from me. It hurt, because all I wanted to do was wrap her up in a hug.

  “You don't know what it means to care for someone. How could you? You think I don't know about your reputation?”

  “Sure, I've been with a lot of women. I'm not gonna lie.”

  Or maybe I should have lied. Madison's pain was palpable, and knowing I caused it hurt me too.

  “Back in the day, my friends and I did plenty of dumb things. We were young. Irresponsible. But then, one by one, they grew up. They found someone who understood them, who they could love. Now I'm the only single one, but picking up girls at bars doesn't have the same appeal anymore.”

  She put the envelopes of cash into neat stacks, as if she'd rather do anything but look at me.

  “So you think it's that easy, then? You think you can just decide to commit, and that's all there is to it?” She scoffed. “Being in a relationship isn't like a one-night stand with some chick you met at the strip club. It takes work.”

  The word “relationship” scared me a little. Despite feeling bored with the club scene and wanting something more, settling down was a disconcerting prospect. What if I got sick of being with one woman after being used to all the variety and novelty?

  I'd feel like a total asshole if I ever hurt Madison like that.

  “It's true I have no idea what commitment's like, but that doesn't mean I can't give it a try.” I reached for her hand. “We go good together, don't you think?”

  “Dating involves more than just playing around and having fantastic sex.” She blushed.

  “Those things are a solid start.”

  She let me touch her, but I could sense her hesitance. Maybe she was right to be nervous. Some of the things I'd done, if she knew of them, would send her running for the hills.

  “I... I don't know what you expect me to say. This is a bad time to be talking about this stuff.”

  “Then just tell me you're all mine, and we can get back to business.”

  “You're wrong if you think I'm that easy to convince.” She laughed, but then her eyes narrowed as she peered into the dark safe. “Wait a minute. There's something else inside.”

  She pulled out a leather-bound notebook and opened it up. Inside was a bunch of names, dates, and dollar amounts in sloppy handwriting.

  “Looks like some kind of ledger,” I said.

  She looked sick. “I recognize some of these names. Valerie Hicks, went to school with her. Ray Ford works at my local grocery store. He's barely nineteen years old. Nice kid; just got accepted at Harvard.” Her gaze met mine. “What business would they have with Freddy Ventura?”

  I took the book from her shaking hands. “I think, unfortunately, you already know the answer to that.”

  The notebook fell open to the last page written in. This was dated April 28, over two weeks ago. I scanned the names – then spotted one that made me feel as queasy as Madison looked.

  “Maddie,” I said softly. “I think you have to see this.”

  She looked over my shoulder and read the words. “Payment of thirty-five hundred dollars, due Victor Patterson. What... No, that can't be the same person. I don't understand.”

  “How many other guys you know with that name in this city?” I shut the book. “Does it really surprise you? I knew that fella was sleazy the moment I met him.”

  “But he's the chief of police. He gets bad guys off the street. He doesn't work with them.” She closed her eyes. “Harvey told me a story about him earlier. I didn't want to believe it, but I guess it was true.”

  “The question is, what's he being paid for? Doesn't look like he's purchasing from Freddy, like these other ones.”

  The poor woman paced the room with tears in her eyes. When I got up to calm her, she fell against my chest and started to cry.

  I let her sob without saying anything. I wanted to fix it, to make her better, but what could a guy like me do? Just as she said, I really didn't have a clue how to really, truly care for a woman. The last time I tried, it ended in disaster.

  With my arms around her, her crying slowed. Then she looked up at me with a sniffle.

  “I'm sorry. I just... I feel like the world I knew is crashing and burning around me all of a sudden,” she explained. “I idolized Harvey. He was my mentor, and now I find he's willing to throw an innocent man in jail. And Victor? I thought he was one of the good guys. He was my boyfriend. I slept with him! Christ, I feel so violated.”

  I failed to understand what she'd found so attractive about the creep in the first place, but knew better than to say so.

  “I trusted the system, only to find out it's corrupt at the very top. And who knows how much further down the chain that goes?”

  “Yeah, there are bad cops out there. Lots of them, probably. But you're one of the good ones who does things right.” I dabbed her damp cheeks with my shirt sleeve. “At first, I thought you were kind of crazy for being such a stickler for obeying the law. Well, I still think you're kind of nuts, but I respect you for it anyhow.”

  She managed to laugh through the tears. “I'm glad you do, but I'm afraid it doesn't matter. How can anything matter when I no longer know who's doing the right thing? Who I can trust?”

  “Well, I think it's obvious you can't take this stuff to Victor now. So then what are you going to do with it?”

  “I don't know. I could go over his head, but that's incredibly risky. What if his superiors are in on it? And if Victor finds out I tattled on him, I'll be out of a job. Probably worse.”

  I didn't have any answers. My job was to run into fiery buildings and save people's lives – stuff that didn't involve any corruption or conspiracy, usually.

  “I think you should play along with their game for now. Keep stuff quiet long as you can. See if you can pick up anymore clues as to what's going on here. I got a feeling this goes way deeper than we can imagine.”

  She nodded. “You're right. I need to figure out who's on my side and who can't be trusted – hopefully before the real arsonist attacks again.”

  We polished off the remainder of our food, which was now quite cold. While Madison emptied the chicken bones into the trash, I flipped through a wad of cash, maybe enjoying the smell of it a tad too much.

  “We need to put this someplace safe.”

  She eyed me warily. “And where would you suggest?”

  “I'd keep it away from your house, your car, anything that could be traced back to you. Last thing you want is Victor hunting you down 'cause he thinks you have it.” I showed her the safe I had tucked in the corner of my room. “You can stash it here.”

  “You want me to trust you with over two hundred thousand dollars? For all I know, you're just trying to get close to me so you can snatch the money up for yourself.”

  I entered the safe's combination and made room among the stacks of important papers and other junk. “That's a very clever theory, but I'd never do something so stupid. I'd take you over the money any day.”

  “Bullshit,” she said, laughing. Then she grew serious. “You have to promise me you won't do anything with it once it's locked in there. Don't even think about taking a single dollar.”

  “Promise.” I kissed her to show her I meant it. “I gotta get you to trust me somehow, don't I? Don't want you thinking I'm nothing but a criminal who makes bad decisions.”

  She seemed to relax once I'd locked everything behind the heavy steel door. I felt better about it, too. Madison keeping that cash on her would have only ended in disaster, and I couldn't stomach the thought of her being in that kind of danger.

&n
bsp; “Drop me off at the station, okay? I've got some work to do.”

  I drove her back to work, pulling right up to the employee entrance on the side of the building. For a while, she just sat there, staring at one of the cruisers closest to the door.

  The sign in front of the spot said “Reserved for Victor Patterson, Chief of Police.”

  I squeezed her hand. “Don't let them get to you. You're a tough woman, tougher than they are. Remember that.”

  She managed a smile. “Thanks for supporting me through all of this. If I had to go through it alone, I don't know what I'd do.”

  “You won't have to face this by yourself.” I gladly stared at her ass as she climbed out of the truck. “I want to see you tonight.”

  “I don't know if I'll be up for it after today. And Jenna has off work, so we were going to hang out together for once.”

  “Bring her over too. I'll make dinner for you both.”

  She hesitated. “We'll see.”

  I didn't drive away until she was inside and gone. Then I left, a dopey grin plastered on my face in spite of the hell we were about to go through.

  This wasn't just about good sex anymore. I could get laid anywhere, but why bother?

  As long as Madison gave me her heart, I knew I'd never want or need another woman again.

  Chapter 16 - Madison

  For years, my world had been one of controlled chaos. Now, nothing made sense anymore.

  The squad was like a second family to me. We took care of one another and watched every officer's back. As I walked past them to my desk, I had to wonder which of them were hiding yet another dark secret.

  The real arsonist ran free while Harvey would fight to prosecute an innocent person.

  And maybe most shocking of all: I found myself falling for the man I swore was just a fling.

  When I almost arrested him in that alley, I knew he was trouble. I didn't expect him to be hiding so many good things under that rough exterior of his.

  “Get your hands off me! I've done absolutely nothing wrong!” A man's screams echoed down the hallway. “Just you wait; you'll be getting a very nasty phone call from my lawyer about this. All of you are going to lose your badge.”

  It was James, struggling against the grip of an officer as he shoved him into a holding cell. Harvey's plot, whatever it involved, was already in motion.

  Shane, one of the newer cops in the department, gaped at the scene with widened eyes.

  “So that's him?” he asked me. “That guy is the arsonist who's been burning down the buildings? Wow, what a jerk.”

  “No, Shane,” I said flatly. “It's not. There's been a huge misunderstanding.”

  “But Harvey came in with him. Said the two of you captured him red-handed at the Ventura place.”

  Oh, hell. Harvey had some nerve, dragging my name into this. I wanted no part of his lying and scheming. Brett said I should keep things quiet for now, but I couldn't just let this go on.

  Harvey wasn't at his desk. I didn't have to wonder for long where he'd gone. His booming laughter came from Victor's office.

  I made the decision – probably a real stupid one – to confront both of them together.

  “So you're sure about this?”

  “Definitely, sir. The guy was acting all nervous; had this guilty look about him. It's clear he had a hand in starting the fire.”

  “We'll have his house searched, and his computer too,” Victor added. “We'll surely find something implicating him in the crime, won't we?”

  “Of course.”

  Having heard enough, I burst into the room without bothering to knock. Victor hated when people did that.

  His face turned red as if he were about to explode, but when he saw me standing there, he put on one of his fake, snake-charmer smiles.

  “Ah, there you are, Madison. Congratulations on your capture of the arsonist. I'm sure the fine folks of Waco and Kingston will be relieved to find that he's off the streets.”

  Harvey stood across from him, looking very smug and proud of himself. For a moment, I thought this had to be a joke. It was just too surreal to be true.

  “Are you insane?” I blurted. “James Ventura isn't the arsonist. Harvey has it all wrong.”

  They weren't smiling anymore.

  “He's the most likely culprit we have for now,” Victor assured me. “It's obvious he wanted his brother's money, so he burned his house down in hopes of killing him so that he might obtain it.”

  “And he told us how he was involved with Melody,” Harvey said. “She was scared to leave Freddy because of his violent nature. By knocking the guy off, she'd be free to leave safely – and run right into James' arms.”

  I slumped against the wall. Why did I even bother with this? I should have known I had no chance arguing with them.

  “I agree, there is a sound motive,” I said slowly. “But the trouble is, you'll find no solid proof he did the crime because there isn't any.”

  Victor clucked his tongue. “You can find exactly the proof you need if you bother looking hard enough.”

  I tried not to cry. If I did, they'd see me as weak and wounded. They'd lunge. I would have no chance.

  “Sir, I... I honestly can't believe what you're saying. I was there at the scene. I interviewed James, and I'm telling you, I do not agree that he had a single thing to do with the fire except for being there when it was set.”

  “You don't have to agree,” said Harvey. “The evidence will tell us what we need to put that guy behind bars where he belongs.”

  They stared me down, their glares challenging. They were trying to break me, to get me to shut up and run away with my tail between my legs.

  With a lesser woman, their tactics would probably have worked.

  Brett's words came to me. He said I was tough. A badass who got things done. He believed in me.

  “There is no evidence,” I said slowly. “So you're going to plant some. Aren't you?”

  I hoped he would at least deny it. Instead, Victor ushered Harvey toward the door.

  “I'll meet up with you later, officer. I have to talk with Madison alone.”

  Harvey didn't even look at me as he headed out. Victor shut the door – and locked it.

  “You're a smart girl, dear. That's why I pursued you in the first place, you know. You've got a fire in you, a passion for law, like no other woman I've known.”

  He strolled the room, watching out the window as a couple of cruisers took off, sirens wailing.

  “Sadly, your view on how it all works is... How shall I say this? Not quite so realistic.”

  “What the hell are you going on about? This job isn't complicated,” I growled. “We stop the bad guys from doing the wrong thing. If they've already done it, then we figure out what happened and make them pay for their crimes.”

  He chuckled. “If only it were so easy in the real world. Sometimes it is; don't get me wrong. And those are the cases every cop likes best, the cut-and-dry ones where there's no doubt who did it. But what do you do when the answer isn't so clear?”

  “You hunt for the truth. You search no matter how long it takes.”

  “Sadly, time is a commodity we don't have. There are dozens of crimes being committed in this city every minute. We simply don't have the man-hours to devote to fully investigating each one.”

  Why did I have to cry so easily? What kind of strong woman teared up when something didn't go her way? It made me feel ashamed.

  “When a crime occurs, civilians want justice. It is our job to give that to them,” he continued. “We are the ones who protect them, who ensure they feel safe in their beds at night. If we don't do that job, they stop believing in us. They begin to doubt, to think we are part of the problem. And a doubting populace is a dangerous one.”

  “So... What? You just plant evidence on innocent people, all so everybody else thinks you're catching the real crooks? And the true culprits go on their merry way, still free to break the law again. In the end, you'r
e only hurting yourselves.”

  “Perhaps they do roam free. Still, as long as the people believe we're making progress in the fight against crime, they remain satisfied.”

  If only somebody over his head heard all this, what would they think? Would it be enough to bring him to his knees?

  Hey, what if I recorded the conversation on my phone? I reached for my pocket while he was turned around, but there was nothing.

  Oh yeah, I'd left it on my desk. Crap.

  “So when Harvey served James up to you on a platter, you knew he was lying – yet you're going to have the guy locked up regardless. Tell me what exactly that's going to accomplish? The true arsonist could decide he isn't finished, and everyone will know you made a mistake.”

  “It's called spinning a story, dear. You seem to forget I'm not some entry-level rookie officer. I know people. I get things done.” He grinned. “That's why you wanted me, isn't it? Don't be shy.”

  I felt like vomiting from disgust. How had I been so blind? Did I seriously chase after Victor for his status?

  “What is it you're getting out of this? Sure, you 'catch' the guy quicker, but so what?”

  He picked up the remote off his desk and flipped on the TV he had hanging on the wall. Right away, a news story popped up about the fires.

  “I don't know if you're aware, but our fine city has been gaining national attention recently. The serial arsonist and his penchant for attacking low-life criminals has swept the country into a fervor. They simply love true-crime stories like this, you realize.”

  Just as he said, they had news reporters interviewing people from Miami to Denver. How had this case blown up so fast without me even knowing it?

  “By capturing this madman, I'll be getting national attention, too. With that comes television appearances, rewards, accolades.”

  “If you're doing this to advance your career, why not just find the real culprit?”

  His stare turned icy. “Just like they found the person who burned down your childhood home, eh? They searched for months with no leads. See how well that worked for you.”