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"Dammit, Maddix, don't tell me how to do my fucking job," the chief growled back at him. "And what the hell do you expect from my men? How many times has that little bitch called me a liar? She insults the whole police force when she does that."
"I don't care if she personally insults every son-of-a-bitching man on the force, their ancestors, descendants, and future in-laws," Maddix yelled back, his hands flattening on the sleek cherrywood of the desk he stood behind. "Do something!" Nik slipped to the entrance into the empty living room, his lips thinning at the piss-poor security of Maddix's home even as he took advantage of it. Slipping through the darkness, he made his way to the heavy wood door that barred the study. Thankfully, it wasn't locked. Not that it would have posed much of a problem.
"Look, Maddix, she's bringing this trouble down on herself."
"Fuck you, Daniel!" Maddix sounded as though he were ready to have a stroke. 82
"Find the bastard. Now."
Nik stepped into the room. "And when you find him, I want him." Nik was armed. The Glock he carried easily in his hand wasn't missed as the chief of police turned to Nik in shock and Maddix sat down heavily in his chair.
"Thank God," Maddix muttered, shaking his hand as he pushed his fingers through his hair, not for the first time. "Is she okay?" Nik closed the door, locking it carefully behind him as he faced the two men.
"Your chief didn't tell you?" The icy fury threatened to escape. Maddix lifted his gaze to Daniel questioningly.
"It was minor," the chief snapped. "A scratch, nothing more."
"Sweet Lord," Maddix whispered. Leaning forward, he braced his arms on his desk and stared back at Nik. "She's going to be okay?"
"I told you it was a damned scratch, Maddix," Daniel snarled, his large, wideboned face flushing in anger. "Do you think I'd lie to you?"
"What I think is that you'd encourage your men to take less care with Mikayla Martin than any other citizen in this town," Nik answered for Maddix. "Your detective was less than thorough and your crime scene unit negligent. Trust me when I say I'll make certain you pay for it."
"God, Daniel," Maddix muttered again. "You can't handle this in such a manner. You have to take care of her."
"I can't control this, Maddix," the chief argued. "Hell, she's pissed off the entire force. You can't handle it, either."
" I'll handle it," Nik assured them.
It was already being handled. The phone calls Nik had made on the way over had ensured that the situation would receive its own special investigation.
"Why the hell are you here anyway?" Chief Riley snapped, his lips thin, his hazel eyes sparking in outrage. "I don't need you or anyone else telling me about my men or how they should do their jobs."
"I disagree." Nik shrugged. "And you can leave. It's not you I need to talk to."
"Like hell."
"Go, Daniel. You're about as much help as your men were tonight," Maddix growled.
Daniel threw Maddix and Nik both a furious glower before stalking to the door. It took the chief a moment to unlock it before he slammed it heavily behind him. Nik holstered the Glock as he turned, relocked the door, then faced Maddix once again.
"Someone almost killed her tonight, Maddix," Nik said, his voice low, murderous intent clear in his tone. "I don't like how this game is going."
"And you think I do?" Maddix nearly came out of his chair in outrage. "God, Nik, if she dies, the whole world is going to believe I'm behind it. Do you think I'd be that fucking insane?"
Nik moved to the leather chair facing the desk and sat down slowly, propping his ankle on the opposite knee as he stared back at the other man for long moments.
"I think desperate men employ desperate measures," Nik finally answered.
"Fortunately, I also don't think you're desperate yet. Which leaves it up to me to figure out who is. Who is so determined to take you down?"
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Maddix leaned back in his chair, an air of exhaustion surrounding him.
"Hell, just every competitor I have. I've managed to snag some prime contracts in the past years. It's caused several other companies to feel the pinch. But nothing could be pinching them this bad. I know the owners of those companies, Nik--"
"We'll get to that," Nik broke in. "My job now is to protect Mikayla. That means finding out who murdered Eddie Foreman. I find that person, then I find the man who nearly put a bullet in her head. And when I do find him, you won't have to worry about him causing any further problems."
