Page 31 of Diamonds in the Mud

I glanced out the window and groaned at the heavy rain falling outside.

“How about to my place? I can walk over and get my bike after this rain stops,” I suggested.

She nodded and motioned for me to follow her. We walked back down a different hallway and out a back door.

I was surprised that she led me to her Jeep instead of a patrol unit.

I sat in the passenger seat as she drove me through town. When we pulled into the drive-through at a coffee shop, I was grateful.

After ordering a large coffee and two breakfast sandwiches, we sat in the rain and enjoyed the food and drinks in silence.

“How many of those initiations have they put you through?” she asked.

“Too many,” I admitted. “I had to catch three alligators. Three.” I groaned. “We grilled them up. I’d never even seen a gator before they tossed me in a swamp with bait and told me not to come back until I had three of them in the boat with me.”

“I bet that was scary,” Rayne said with a smile.

I shrugged. “I’ve had worse,” I admitted with a chuckle.

“It’s interesting. What we do for our jobs.” She rested her head back. “Who we have to talk to, be friendly with, when all you want to do is punch them in the face and haul their butts down and lock them up.”

“Who’s on your shit list?” I asked, curious.

She glanced sideways at me. “Most of the Reapers, for starters.”

I nodded. “Agreed.”

“Second, I’d like to lock up the mayor’s husband and sons.” She frowned. “But I can’t quite pin her murder on any of them. I’m pretty sure they had something to do with her death. The husband is just…” She visibly shivered. “Sleazy. The boys…” She rolled her eyes and took another sip of her coffee. “They’ve been bugging me since grade school.”

“Then I’m glad to report I kicked one of their asses last night,” I said between bites.

“Which one?” Rayne asked.

I shrugged. “I can’t tell them apart.”

She laughed. “Everyone can tell them apart. They’re not identical. Wyatt is shorter and a little bit stockier and Beau is usually described as the better-looking one.”

I thought about it. “ I guess it was the husky one.”

“Good.” She smiled. “He’s a bigger ass.”

I chuckled. “I had thought that the guy was friendly with Felix at one point.”

Rayne was quiet for a moment. “You’d tell me if you thought the Reapers had anything to do with the mayor’s death?”

I glanced at her, looked into her eyes, and promised. “If I thought there might be a connection, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell you.”

“Good,” she said, finishing her sandwich and starting the Jeep again. “I’ll take you home.”

When she pulled up to my building, I couldn’t help but glance around the empty back lot. The café guests usually parked out front on the main street and the employees used the side parking area.

“Thanks for the lift,” I said, starting to get out. Then I said, “Screw it,” and took Rayne’s face in my hands and kissed her until I felt steadier. When I felt her body vibrating again, I released her and dashed through the rain to the stairs that led up to my place.

I was damned to hell, I thought as I stood under the cold shower, trying to clear my mind and body from the woman. This was hell. For the first time in years, I couldn’t have what I wanted more than anything else in life.

Chapter Eight

“The divine is in us,