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He shrugged. “Anger issues?”
“You know I’ll find out, right? It’s literally my job to find things out,” she reminded him.
“Yes.” Jackson pulled her out of her seat and slipped her bag over her shoulder. “But, right now is your lunch break. You can solve the mystery after we eat.”
She tried to glare at him, and it only made her head hurt, so instead she allowed herself to be led away.
~ ~ ~
The door to Carpenter’s office slammed opened, and Finn turned slightly. He took a fist to his face with only a slight jerk of his head before he jumped to his feet to face Gretchen’s partner.
“How dare you come here.” Neil lunged for him. “I’ll fucking kill you.”
“You’re welcome to try.” Finn batted the other man away before he lifted his own fists.
“You son of a bitch,” Neil spat. “Have you seen what your girlfriend did to her?”
“Stand down, Anderson.” Carpenter stepped between the two men. “That’s why he’s here.”
Neil didn’t take his eyes from Finn’s. “They beat the hell out of her. If I had been a minute later, they would have . . .” His voice faltered, but the fire in his eyes didn’t diminish.
“That wasn’t my fault,” Finn replied. Though he’d carry the guilt for the rest of his life, he wouldn’t let this bastard know it.
“Bullshit. I’ll fu—” Neil lunged for him, and Finn pushed past the captain, slamming the other man against the wall with his large hands around his neck.
“Don’t make idle threats, boy,” Finn threatened through clenched teeth. “I can assure you, anyone who touches Gretchen will pay dearly.” He paused before repeating, “Anyone.”
“Let him go,” Carpenter ordered behind him.
Finn didn’t move. Though his anger was misplaced, the rage inside him at the memory of how Gretchen looked with the makeup washed away made it hard for him to simply let go.
“Finn, he’s her partner. He’s looking out for her, same as you.”
“No.” Finn shook his head and squeezed harder on the other man’s throat. “Not the same as me. Understand that,partner,you’ve never been the same as me.”
His glare clashed with Gretchen’s partner’s.
Neil had been her lover once. That would never be the case again. But Finn wasn’t here about Gretchen’s past lovers, he was here to keep her safe, and he had Neil to thank for saving her from her attackers. That was enough to have him loosening his grip. He gave one final shove before releasing him, impressed when Neil stood and met his eyes coldly, despite the dull pain in his gaze.
“Where is she?” Carpenter’s voice cut through the air of tension growing between the two men.
Neil hesitated to look away. Finally, he glanced toward his captain. “Jackson talked her into lunch.”
Carpenter nodded and turned his attention to Finn. “You better go. She can’t see you here. She’ll be angry enough without knowing you’re a part of this now.”
She could be angry, as long as she was safe.
“We’re pulling Gretchen,” Carpenter told her partner. “I’m going to need you to make her see this is best for the case.”
“She wants Ronnie Sinclair,” Neil explained. “I promised her I wouldn’t pull her from this.”
Finn sneered, and the other man turned to him. “You’re afraid she’ll be mad at you.”
Neil raised a brow. “You ever had her mad at you?”
“For the past ten years.”
Neil’s gaze narrowed.
