Deadly Shadows
straight against the wall, pale and frowning.
    His other arm was jerked down and the cuffs clicked into place.
    “You are making a mistake,” he tried again.
    “Uh-huh,” the fairy-like policewoman said. The guy cop hauled him to his feet. The hardwood floors were cold.
    “Shoeless, shirtless criminals. What next?” the woman against the wall asked.
    Everyone stopped.
    He looked at her and their eyes met. Something in him focused, sharpened as he studied her. She stood straight, clutching a blue blanket around her short frame. Or maybe she just seemed short. And why did he even give a damn? Her eyes were dark, almost black in her colorless face. Light brown brows, the color of her hair, furrowed as she frowned.

    17
    Could this be his landlord, or come to think of it, would that be land lady ?
    “Ms. Black?” he asked.
    “Shut up,” Fairycop snapped.
    The woman against the wall shook her head. She wasn’t Ms. Black? Then who the hell was she? And what in the hell were all these people doing here?
    At least he’d managed to call nine-one-one before the melee burst into the room. Sirens wailed from outside. And the radios the cops carried sputtered.
    Aiden closed his eyes and waited to wake up. This had to be some bizarre dream brought on by stress. It had better damn well be.
    “Come on,” the man said. Everyone filed out of the room and down the stairs.
    Another cop came in the front door, a dark nylon jacket embossed with Chief .
    “Did you call for backup?” the woman cop asked the other one.
    “No, thought you did.”
    Aiden said, “I did.”
    The new ‘backup’ also had the word Chief on his ball cap. He looked past Aiden to the woman wrapped in the blanket.
    “You okay, Ms. Black?” he asked her.
    Ms. Black? Aiden whipped back around and glared at the owner. Ms. Black? It was the owner and she’d done nothing to help him? Anger, held in check, pumped hot and fast through him. The woman nodded and looked to him. Their eyes met and again everything stopped.
    Then she blinked and everything moved.
    “Yes, I’m okay, Chief.”
    The chief turned whisky colored eyes on him. Aiden didn’t move, didn’t blink, but returned the stare, noticing he was a few inches taller than the man. “Would you mind telling your officers to take these cuffs off? Or am I under arrest? And if I am, I’d dearly love to know why.” The fox eyes narrowed on him. “Not till I have some answers.”
    Aiden turned back to Ms. Black. “You going to help me out here?”
    Confusion flared on her face as her eyes narrowed. She shook her head. “Why the hell would I do that? I want to know what you’re doing here as much as everyone else.”
    The woman had a twang as wide as Texas. Then her words registered. She had no idea what he was doing here?
    Aiden sighed and swallowed his anger. He really did not need this. He looked at the chief. “And your questions would be….”
    “Who are you and what are you doing here?” Chief asked.
    “Aiden Kinncaid, owner of the new Highland Hotel and I was attempting to sleep before I was awoken and realized someone was in the house. Then I, being the good citizen that I am, called the magic number to bring the boys in blue running. Is it my lucky night or do you arrest everyone that calls nine-one-one?”
    “Who did you say again?”
    “Kinncaid.” He turned back to Ms. Black and gave her a look he knew sent board members running, opponents scurrying, and enemies hiding. “Aiden Kinncaid.” Silence hung in the air. Her expression didn’t change. Didn’t she have a clue as to whom she rented her own damn house to? “CEO of Kinncaid Enterprises we’re reopening the old Sharlaton.” He faced the

    18
    Chief. “Oh my God,” a woman drawled. “Oh, my God.” A small strangled laugh rumbled out of her. “Figure it out yet, blondie?” he asked her.
    Her eyes widened.
    Timothy Kerrin strode through the front door and into the melee. “What the hell’s going on?” Thank
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