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The words come out in a hum as I drift off to sleep.
I’m coming, Mom.
CHAPTER 7
Paxton
“Good job, Riggs,” Lieutenant Cruz exclaims, bending over and giving him a hearty rub.
I shake my head in mock dismay. “How is it that whenever we take down a suspect, he’s the one who always gets the praise? I had to sprint a fucking mile to catch the asshole.”
“Turner, you want me to rub your head too?”
I lean my head to the side, grinning. “If that’s the only way to get praise out of you, I’ll take it,” I say. He rolls his eyes and turns away. Riggs barks once, and I look down at him, shrugging. “He likes you better than me.”
“Good job, Turner. Take the rest of the day off,” Cruz yells over his shoulder before disappearing into his office. I laugh out loud. That’s nice of him, considering today is supposed to be my day off. I should’ve been at the ranch already, but a five-in-the-morning phone call saying they had lost the suspect and needed me and Riggs stat, put a wedge in my plans. Usually, we’re out the door by six in the morning, heading to the ranch to get an early start.
The pep in my step isn’t the praise, it’s because we took down one of the top-level sex traffickers in the area. He thought he was untouchable. He was touched today.
By Riggs’s sharp teeth.
Rolling out behind a desk on his chair, my buddy Liam remarks as I pass him, “Damn, Pax, I saw a video of you jumping over a fence.”
The fence was taller than I thought. I’ll be rolling out my hamstrings tonight. Knowing there’s a video, it’s a good thing I cleared it. That’s one meme that would’ve been stuck with me for decades.
“Track high jump king still has it,” I reply, a grin spreading across my face as I pump my fist in the air. Riggs’s gait is light as he trots next to me with his head held high. Buddy, you’re getting a steak tonight. I find an empty communal desk and sink into the chair. Riggs takes his spot right beside me, and as I wait for the file online to load for the dreaded paperwork that comes with a day like today, I reward him with a rub behind his right ear, his favorite spot. His tongue rolls out in contentment.
“Hey, Paxton.” A voice interrupts my post-operation duties. When I glance up, Lucy’s leaning on the half wall of the cubicle. She’s a relentless court clerk with a knack for pursuing officers. Unfortunately, she’s set her sights on me.
A practiced smile masks my true thoughts. “Hey, Lucy.”
“I’m glad you grew out your beard.” I nod, keeping my focus on the computer. I had been hoping she preferred the clean-shaven men, considering that’s when she seemed to notice me. “Where were you last night? I called you.”
This conversation wouldn’t be so awkward had I given her my number. But I didn’t. It’s clear she used the department system to find my information because I know there isn’t a soul here who would have handed it over to her without being blackmailed.
I turn in my chair, dropping the smile. “I was busy with stuff.”
“Too busy to answer your phone?” she presses. What is with this woman?
My brow raises at her persistence. “Look, Lucy, I’m not interested.” I opt for direct. Riggs raises his head, watching her. As a fully trained K-9 for Austin PD, he’s been my partner for three years. Couldn’t have been assigned a better one. And today, he most definitely proved his worth.
Lucy’s gaze shifts down to Riggs, and then her eyes bounce around the surrounding cubicles before returning to mine. Her cheeks redden, and she crosses her arms as if I offended her. “Is that what you think? I’m interested in you? I called to see if you could fill out some paperwork that was missed in the Olsen file.”
At ten at night? Right. She’s a court clerk, and her work ends the second she clocks out. At five. And every officer within earshot knows that as well.
“Well, I’m here now. I’d be happy to fill it out.”
She huffs, frustrated she’d been caught, and I called her out on it. “It was an oversight on my end. I thought you missed something. But I was not calling because I like you.” With that, she spins in place and storms down the hallway.
Detective Cates, who we helped this morning, takes her spot, shaking his head. “Remind me to stay away from that one,” he comments.
I nod in agreement, aware that with Lucy you don’t have to do anything to gain her attention.
“Anything exciting going on this weekend?”
“Just the ranch.” Riggs’s snout jerks in my direction. Yeah, buddy, I know. The ranch is his heaven. He can run with the cows, horses, and every other creature he can find, then cool off in the lake, acting like the wild and crazy dog that is trapped inside his rigid, demanding head.
I have to admit, it’s mine too.
