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“We’ll talk, Teagan,” he warned.
“I know.”
Seth kissed her gently, then pressed his hand against her lower back, guiding her toward the back door of the restaurant. “Thanks for waiting, Knight,” he murmured.
“Got nothing better to do with my time than watch you make out with your girlfriend,” he said wryly.
“Can it, buddy.”
Knight chuckled and waved them inside to a small dining room. Noah, Violet, and Seth’s two other friends, Bowen and Marsh, were the only occupants.
Bowen and Marsh stood and shook hands with Seth before greeting Teagan. “What happened in the vacant office, Seth?” Bowen asked after they all sat at a round table.
Teagan stiffened.
Under the table, Seth covered her hand with his. “Wilson assaulted Teagan. Kepler helped set it up.”
The three detectives scowled. “I should have known he was up to no good,” Marsh muttered. “Wilson said he would offer Teagan and Violet water or coffee but then Kepler planted himself outside the door to prevent anyone from getting near.”
Knight shook his head. “Helpful, Wilson is not, and Kepler does whatever Wilson wants.” Disgust rang clear in his voice.
“What’s going on, Seth?” Marsh asked. “We know you and Noah aren’t dirty so why is the lieutenant acting like you’re the scum of the earth?”
“Does this have something to do with the guy murdered on the running trail?” Bowen’s gaze went from Seth to Noah and back. “I know that’s your preferred place to run.”
Seth glanced at his partner, eyebrow raised.
“Tell them.”
Dread curled in Teagan’s stomach. What if Seth and Noah were wrong to trust these men? While they seemed honorable, what if they weren’t? These three cops literally held Seth and Noah’s lives in their hands. Once the operation was in motion, if it went as Teagan suspected, the four of them would be cut off from help for a time. Although the rest of Artemis would be close, a bullet could end their lives in seconds.
Seth turned his attention to the women. “Teagan, Violet?”
“Do you trust them?” Violet’s gaze shifted from detective to the next.
“Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
She and Teagan exchanged glances, then Teagan said, “Go ahead.” She turned to the three men. “Just know this. If anything happens to Seth or Noah and we find out you’re responsible, we will take you down.”
“Understood.” Bowen turned back to Seth. “Talk.”
For the next few minutes, Seth and Noah took turns updating the men. The longer they talked, the more grim the expressions grew on the faces of the three detectives.
“I don’t like it,” Marsh said. “Too many things could go wrong once you’re inside the compound walls.”
“Too risky,” Knight agreed. “There has to be a better way to go about this.”
Noah snorted. “Too late now. Our reputations and careers are trashed until this is finished.”
“Do you really think an email to Ardmore PD is going to fix what’s in motion?” Bowen shook his head. “Even if they send out an announcement, hold news conferences, and have a meeting with Burnett, more than one cop on the beat and detective in the bullpen won’t believe you’ve been cleared. Your innocence will always be questioned along with your integrity.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Seth rubbed the back of his neck. “This is not how I saw my career with Ardmore PD ending.”
“When do you go undercover?” Knight asked.
