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“I knew I saw a glimmer of recognition in his eye yesterday when we were at their house.” He spins at Miles and points.
“I’m a grown woman, Mark,” I reply. “Who I see on my off-time is my own business.”
“Not when it’s a suspect in a case you’re investigating!”
Miles pushes past Mark and stands in front of me, blocking the guy from getting to me. “You don’t talk to her like that.”
I like how he’s protecting me, but I did this to myself. Of course, he could have stayed in the bedroom, but that wouldn’t have been fair either.
“For the last damned time, the Bridger brothers arenotsuspects.” I step around Miles’s big frame. “I don’t care what kind of beef you have with their old man. They’re not him.”
Mark rolls his shoulders back. Points at me this time. “You’re off this case, Hopkins.”
I sigh, knowing I just fucked up my career. “Fine. Whatever.”
“I ought to go to the sheriff about this.” Mark sounds petty. Like a high schooler.
“Go ahead.”
“But I won’t.”
God, here it comes. He’s going to want something in return. A blowjob? Or something even more disgusting? Not that he’d tell me his expectations in front of Miles.
“All right. Thank you.” It’s easier to placate the man than argue.
“You’re a good cop, Sadie. I don’t want to take you off the case.”
“Then don’t.”
“Are you willing to forget about him?” Mark gestures to Miles.
I look at the guy who’s only been nice to me. Kind. Attentive. Thorough.
No.
The word is lodged in the back of my throat, and it desperately wants out.
But I also love my work, and this dead body is the most exciting case to come out of Bayfield in the little over a year that I’ve been here.
“Mark,” I say. “Who I see is my own business. If evidence comes to light linking Miles to the body, I will stop seeing him or I will recuse myself from the case. But until then, there’s no reason for me not to see him.”
A giant cement block lifts from my shoulders.
I stood up for myself. I stood up for Miles.
It feels damned good. What’s happening between us is real.
Why didn’t I just do that in the first place instead of telling Mark that Miles had come over to talk to me about the case? Instead, I made what we did seem naughty or illicit. We are grown-ups on our own time doing our own thing.
I offer a glance up at Miles, whose jaw is clenched, and he’s glaring daggers at Mark. His anger is directed at my partner right now, but I’m sure some of it is for me. That I asked him to hide in the bedroom in the first place. He probably thinks I feel it was tawdry and wrong.
It doesn’t feel wrong. It feels…right.
God, one night and I’m in trouble. I ache for him to tell me I’m his good girl once more. To look at me as he did last night. Even a short time ago.
He has to forgive me. He has to. I don’t want to give him up.
“Have it your way, Hopkins. I think you’re headed for heartache.” He nods to the files he brought over. “Analyze those. I want a full report Monday morning.”
