Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 Karen Whiddon (best fiction books to read TXT) 📖

truth. You still haven’t released any information about the other cases Randall Bowe tampered with. Drew Orr almost got away with murder before you shot him dead in self-defense. Fritz Emerson’s death was first blamed on Everleigh, who could have spent years in jail if no one pursued it. Don’t you think the very citizens you protect deserve to know how they were ripped off? How innocent people went to jail and criminals got off? Some may still remain behind bars for all we know.”

Melissa leaned forward in her chair, her hands folded on the desk. “You know me well enough, Dominique. Better than any reporter at the Gazette, in fact. We’re conducting our own internal investigation and you have to trust me that any officer or employee of my department will face the appropriate consequences if we uncover wrongdoing.”

“Stop with the formal talk you give all the media outlets. We’re talking about lives, Melissa.”

“My department works at saving lives each and every day.” Melissa wasn’t budging and Dominique didn’t expect or want her to. What she wanted was answers.

“You weren’t there for Charlie Hamm.”

“Since when is grilling my sister part of your story?” Stanton entered the room and sat in the chair next to her.

“She’s just doing her job. And who invited you in here, brother?” Melissa’s eyes didn’t hold scorn or contempt for Dominique or her profession, as she’d faced with the rare cop over the years. Instead, Grave Gulch’s chief of police looked flat-out exhausted. Compassion welled for Melissa, not as Stanton’s sister, nor as the police chief, but as a woman trying to do the right thing against what looked like impossible odds. Dominique knew how draining tracking a serial killer and a kingpin must be, in addition to investigating Randall Bowe. No one was immune to the taxing fight against the tsunami of a crime wave, including Melissa.

“As long as I’m assigned to guard Dominique, you get me, too. We’re a package deal until we catch Jimenez.”

“Mom seems to think you two are reconciling.” Curiosity lit sparks in Melissa’s eyes.

“Hey, please don’t tell them that I’m actually protecting her. I told them that we needed space to figure things out, to repair our friendship. I don’t want them worrying. You know Dad. He’ll have us on a plane to Europe in no time if he finds out.”

“Dominique’s become a target, and it won’t be private for long. I can’t keep our parents from finding out, Stanton. Neither can you.”

“They might not see the papers for a few days. They were gone this morning when we got up. Mom went with Dad on a business trip to California.”

Melissa nodded. “They like to escape from it all a few times a year. So you’re staying out at the lake house for the duration?” She cast her speculative glance on Dominique, who nodded.

“I don’t have a choice. Stanton thinks it’s the safest place for now, and since your parents left I feel better about being there. The last thing I want to do is attract the cartel to them or any other innocent bystander. This makes my desire to wrap this up all the more urgent, Melissa. I’m sure you feel the same. Which is why I need your help here. With each passing day I’m not getting any closer to proving how Charlie was wrongfully imprisoned. All I’m asking from you is for a chance to look at Bowe’s records. Or at least Charlie’s evidence file.” Dominique knew it was futile but she had to ask. It was her job.

“I’m sorry, but until our internal review is complete, I don’t have anything to tell you. Now let’s get on with why I sat you down.” Melissa’s expression was full of concern. “Your social media posts triggered a hit being put out on you.”

“We know.”

“We figured that out.”

Both she and Stanton replied in unison.

Melissa’s brows arched. “Well done, you two. Stanton, you read the DEA report?”

“I did. And no, I didn’t tell Dominique everything.” He turned to her, a question in his eyes.

“I have my sources.” She laughed. “The Associated Press published the news this morning.”

Melissa grinned. “There’s the woman I know.”

Dominique smiled back, until she remembered how and when Melissa knew her. Back when she and Stanton were together. As much as her reporting duties brought her over to GGPD to track down stories, she rarely ran into Melissa. But when she’d been with Stanton, she and Melissa had hit it off and gone out for a couple of girls’ nights. Their budding friendship had wilted after the breakup, mostly because Dominique had avoided not only Stanton but his entire family. Another regret she’d ignored until now.

“I just want the truth to come out, Melissa. Chief.” She smiled, wanting the chief to have no doubt that she respected her position.

Melissa nodded. “I get that. And I also get that Pablo Jimenez isn’t going to rest until he thinks you’re no longer a threat. To someone like him, that’ll be when you’re dead.”

“I’ve already figured that out. Yesterday was a game changer.” Did she have to spell it out again? Melissa knew she was here to file the incident reports with Stanton for both of the attempted killings.

“It’s important that we’re all on the same page here. That includes you, Stanton. Neither of you are to go rogue on this story. I want to know exactly who you’re going to interview and when. I need to know your whereabouts at all times, Dominique. I’m not interested in curtailing your story. In fact, I relish your eventual publication of the truth. I need your help to break these bastards wide open. I also don’t want you dead.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Don’t you agree that it would be better for Dominique to lay low, ease up on the story, until after Jimenez is caught? DEA is closing in.” Stanton’s interjection made Dominique’s teeth grind.

Melissa shook her head. “DEA’s not getting the critical intel fast enough. None of us are. Figuring out the