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“Er…” His eyes swing from his partner. To me. To Aubree. “Um.”
“We’re going shopping,” Aubree announces again. Looking to her phone, she flashes a bright smile and waves the device. “It’s after noon, which means we’re off the clock and ready for lunch. Care to join us, Detectives?”
“Wait, what?” My heart stumbles, because what she considers a fun adventure is nothing but a threat in my mind. “Aubree, no—”
“Yup.” Archer snatches my free hand, taking control and nodding his approval when Aubree releases me. “We’re going shopping, Fletch. I know how much you love that.”
He only snorts. “Joke’s on you. Iloveshopping.” Skipping forward, he sidles up beside Aubree and starts walking. “What are you buying?”
“Boots.” She purrs the word and wraps her arm around his when he offers. “Then I was thinking burritos for lunch. You want in?”
“Absolutely.”
“You’re not to insert yourself in an active investigation again,” Archer murmurs for my ears only, dragging me forward so we keep pace with the two ahead of us, but once we fall into step, he releases my hand and remains close enough that his shoulder brushes mine. “Next time you do, I’ll have you in a holding cell for impeding an investigation.”
“You’ll do no such thing. I’m allowed to go anywhere I please, Malone. You’re taking your time solving the case; tells me you need a little help.”
His eyes narrow to slits. “We’re doing the job. We’re going through the steps. I can’t go any faster than we already are.”
“Have you solved your Dowel case yet?”
I smirk when his jaw clenches.
He’s mad, and I’m poking at his ego.
“You’re taking your time, but you’ve skipped some steps along the way.” I wrinkle my lips and smile. “Does it hurt to know your killer walks free?”
“We’re working on it,” he grits out. “I’m following the chain of evidence. All of which,” he adds, a little more chipper now, “led me another step closer to the vigilante just this morning.”
“Oh yeah?”
In front of us, Aubree and Fletch step inside an upscale store that sells, according to the crap in the display, bags and shoes.
I stop by the window as they head in, and turning, I glance up and study Archer as the sun sits behind his head, and the shadows darken his face. “What’d you find, Detective?”
“We got the area he lives.” Archer reaches forward and fingers the hem of my coat, drawing my eyes down and my mind to his broad hands. His thick fingers. His skilled touch. “We know where he possibly works. Where he frequents.”
Considering that for only a moment, I tug the hem of my coat from his grip and turn on my heels to head through the door into Ombre. I don’t bother looking back to check if he’s following. I know he is.
“Very good, Malone. Do you intend to make an arrest soon?” Before I go too far, I twist back with a grin and add, “Though, I don’t think you should. You’re the only one in the city who thinks he should pay for his supposed crime.”
