Page 9 of Patrick’s Seduction

Somewhat disappointed, Patrick said, “Give me the gist of it.”

“This female doctor, Fallon Doyle, came to the station today to ask for a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend. He won’t leave her in peace. He’s threatening her.”

“Verbally?” Patrick interrupted.

“Yes, but I get the feeling that he’s capable of violence. She doesn’t feel safe.”

“Well, that alone isn’t really much. Any guy who got dumped might try to get her back. That in itself doesn’t mean that he’ll get violent.”

“True, but the things he said to her…” Anita shook her head. “You know how vampires get when they fall for a woman?”

“Meaning?”

Anita rolled her eyes. “They get all possessive and territorial. I got that same vibe when I talked to Fallon. He said to her that she’s his. No human talks like that.”

“You think he’s not human?”

“Not the way he’s talking.”

“Did you ask her the right questions to find out whether she’s seen him outside during daylight hours?”

“Yes, and he was outside at daylight with her—”

“Then he can’t be a vampire.”

“He can still be a hybrid like you,” Anita countered.

She was right. But there wasn’t much to this case. Just a verbal threat. No violence—yet.

Patrick sighed. “I really don’t see that this case rises to the level where we should get involved. If we had to protect every woman whose ex-boyfriend is still obsessed with her, we’d never be able to do the work we’re hired for.”

“Scanguards’ mission is to protect the innocent,” Anita stated.

Patrick ran a hand through his thick dark hair. “And that’s what we’re doing. But with everything that’s going on, the jewelers’ convention, and the murder in the Presidio, I don’t see how we can spare somebody to protect this doctor. I’m sorry.”

Anita braced her hands on her hips. “Then maybe you should tell her that yourself. Because I don’t have the heart to tell this woman that we don’t believe that her ex is capable of hurting her. I don’t wanna get a call in a few days that she’s been hurt, and have to regret that I didn’t fight harder to get her the protection she needs.”

“Damn it, Anita! Maybe you can talk Cooper into anything you want him to do, ‘cause he’s clearly pussy-whipped, but I’ve got a company to run. I have to use our resources where they have the most impact, and right now, that means I have to find the Presidio killer before he strikes again. Because I don’t wanna get another call about a second body with the heart ripped out.”

Anita shot him an annoyed look. “You’re just as stubborn as your father! Though at least he has the guts to take risks. Clearly, at your young age, you haven’t gained enough experience yet to see when to take a risk.”

Patrick narrowed his eyes. He recognized what Anita was doing. And he didn’t like it one bit. “You’re trying to manipulate me. Let me tell you something: it won’t work.”

6

“He said no?”

Fallon’s heart sank. She was out of options. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Anita. During their talk at the station, the blonde detective had asked her to call her by her first name, and she’d felt a connection to her, knowing they could become instant friends if the circumstances were different.

“What am I gonna do now? I’m scared.”

“I have one last idea.” Anita took a deep breath. “You’ll have to talk to him yourself to get him to take your case.”

Confusion spread in Fallon’s chest. “But you just said he won’t talk to me.”

“He will if he has no other choice,” Anita said cryptically. “We can still catch him.”

She felt Anita’s hand on her arm and allowed her to usher her to the door leading into the hallway, leaving the luxurious lounge, where a buffet of food and drinks of all sorts invited the guests, behind. It looked like the lounge of an exclusive hotel, or the first-class lounge of an airline—not that she’d ever flown first class.