Page 5 of Bosshole

“Not yet.” I crossed my arms over my chest and gave her a small smile. The inspector had a few things right—I didn’t have any control over Zali, and I was a loose cannon—but if she thought that this case was open-and-shut, she had another thing coming. I’d already thrown Zali to the wolves once. I wasn’t going to let it happen again.

“You know as well as I do that if Zali did breach the Reserve Bank’s servers, there will be no evidence of it.” I paused, waiting for that to sink in. She knew that Zali was the best we had. She knew that the techs and even the other cyber investigators were no match for her. They would only find what she wanted them to. “It’s purely circumstantial that she was in Sydney at the time of the break-in.” It wasn’t quite circumstantial. We had a flight plan, and both the security guard and site foreman had described exactly what Zali, Flynn, and Ryder were wearing. The timing also fit perfectly.

“There’s a long way to go before this case is open-and-shut. Confessions from all of them would seal it tight. But there’s no way you’re going to get them to talk.”

The inspector’s laugh was one of disbelief. “You think you can do better?”

“I do.” I smiled serenely at her and watched as she ground her teeth.

She clenched her jaw tight. “Spit it out.”

“I’ve known Zali for a decade. I’ve watched her grow up. Same with Ryder and Flynn.” A pang hit me hard in the chest. I had watched them grow up. I’d seen Zali become a woman I admired. Adored. She was incredible. Her mind was sharper than that of anyone I’d ever met. She had a body made for sinning and a heart as big as they came. I wanted to protect her, to save her from herself and spare Flynn and Ry too. But first I had work to do, and I could only do that from the inside.

“My personal feelings aside, I know how to work with all of them. Let me interview them, find out why they went to Sydney. I’ll get the access code to Zali’s laptop and the USB too. It’ll save weeks of our techs’ time.”

Inspector Puglisi regarded me, her scowl lingering as she looked me up and down, considering my suggestion. She sighed and shook her head, rolling her eyes at the same time.

“Fine, you can interview them, but Chisolm sits in the interview room with you, and she’s authorized to take over if she deems it necessary.”

I nodded. Chisolm being in the interview room was okay with me. She was a straight shooter, by the book, and a damn good cop.

Now, if I could only shake the fear that was settling like an anvil in my gut.

Roe was going to kill me. He would take me apart limb by limb when he found out that I—the man Monroe called his best mate—had been the one to arrest his little girl. I hated myself sometimes. I was dirty, my hands grubby from the way I used Zali and her talents. I’d promised myself just as I’d promised Roe that I’d look out for her. Look where it had gotten us. I had no idea if I could.

The thought killed me. All I wanted was for her to be safe. I’d seen that little girl and her broken dad, and I’d wanted to shield them from the world and all its shittiness. It was why I’d fought so hard to have Zali work for me instead of being charged. My submissions to my superiors had been impassioned, so much so that they’d agreed to let me take her under my wing. It was unheard of. No other rookie had ever had an asset. It had always been senior detectives who’d built up enough experience in the force to cultivate relationships and turn informants. While Zali wasn’t so much an informant as an employee, she’d still been a child, another first.

I was still learning the ropes of my own job and juggling how to supervise Zali at the same time. I hadn’t expected it to go so well for so long, but I also didn’t think it would bomb this spectacularly either. I’d never expected to be arresting her, and certainly not for a crime where the evidence was stacked so high against her.

As a kid, Zali had helped me out with crimes that were safe for her young eyes. She’d honed her talent. She’d learned procedures and where the line was that she couldn’t cross. She did good work. She’d also eventually started putting people behind bars who needed to be there.

Why had she gone rogue? Why had she thought that her actions were a good idea? Why had she dragged Flynn and Ryder into it? Although I doubted there had been any dragging. Both men would have insisted on being there, protecting her the same way I wanted to.

I’d always been able to keep at least some of the heat off her. Having Zali on the books meant that the officers focussed on what work she did for me, not what she did in her spare time. But now? I was struggling to figure out a way I could be the armour she needed.

I stood outside the interview room Ryder was sitting in, ready to interview him. Chisolm and another detective were hovering next to me while Inspector Puglisi watched on the video feed.

I pushed through the door, then closed it gently after the other two detectives entered. Exhaling slowly, I crossed the room and then perched my butt on the edge of the table next to where Ryder was sitting. On the surface, his stillness and silence could easily be mistaken for calm. But I could see the restraint he was employing. The way he practically vibrated with anger would make for a tense interview, but I could handle it. Having backups in the room with me was to protect the case, not me.

Ryder’s hands were cuffed. At least they were in front of him now rather than behind his back. But that wouldn’t do. Not on my watch. They might not trust him, but I did.

“Let me get you out of these,” I murmured, gently taking the cuffs off. When I reached for his hand to check his wrist, Ryder snatched it away.

His eyes blazed. His jaw was clenched tight as he launched himself out of the chair. He stood in a fluid motion, graceful like a lion. The plastic seat toppled as if skittering out of the way.

I didn’t move.

Tasers were drawn.

The detectives who were with me didn’t hesitate.

Fingers on the triggers, they squared their aim.

I raised my arms in a stopping motion.

My heart hammered in my chest.

This man meant as much to me as Zali and Flynn. As Tristan too.

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