What Burns Within Read Online Free PDF Page A

abductions. It makes sense to me that the officers investigating those cases work together.”
“Some of the arsons.”
“Pardon me?”
Tain flinched as Hawkins stared at him. “Some of the arsons seem to be connected, sir. Five fires have been linked, but we only have two bodies.”
“It’s still the best lead we have.” Daly leaned back in his chair. He ran his fingers over his short brown hair and shrugged. “I don’t have a problem with Tain and Ashlyn working together. She has an empty desk across from hers. You can move your stuff there. Just as long as we don’t pass the arson case off. Ashlyn needs to keep a handle on it.”
Tain looked at Sergeant Daly. “I’m fine with that.”
“Excellent. I’ll go speak to the staff sergeant.” Hawkins turned abruptly and left the room, letting the door clap shut behind him.
Tain glanced at the desk where Steve Daly sat.
“Do you have a problem working with Ashlyn?” Daly asked him.
“No.” Tain took a breath. “I thought you—” Tain did the sensible thing, for once, and shut his mouth.
“I don’t have a problem as long as you both behave like professionals,” Daly said.
“That won’t be an issue.”
“For her, perhaps. Your reputation precedes you.”
“I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
“I’m not asking for miracles, Tain. Just a bit of restraint.”
Tain smirked as he walked down the hallway, still thinking about Ashlyn’s reaction when he’d slapped her ass. Daly would have had a stroke if he’d seen that.
     
Ashlyn was waiting for him by the front door, dangling a set of keys from her fingers.
“I see somebody told you the good news,” Tain said.
“Good news? I was told I was stuck on babysitting detail. Nobody told me I was being pulled off it.”
“Babysitting me? The real question is: can you keep up, sweetheart?”
“Oh, you expect me to do something other than make you coffee and wear tight jeans?” She followed him outside.
He snatched the keys from her hand. “If you feel it’s your womanly duty to inspire the hard-working men of this station, I’m not going to stop you.”
She shook her head as he held the door open for her, gesturing for her to get inside. “I was wrong about you.”
“You’ve realized I’m not the completely heartless bastard you thought I was when you first met me?”
Ashlyn waited until he climbed into the driver’s seat. “I thought you’d changed. I just realized you still are a heartless bastard, and I’m inclined to add sexist pig to the list.”
“Careful, Ashlyn,” Tain wagged a finger at her. “There could be a protest over such an offensive comment. A lot of pigs wouldn’t like it.”
“Clearly your penance is over and mine is just beginning. What did I ever do to piss off the powers that be?”
“I don’t know, but you’ve clearly caught Hawkins’s attention.”
She turned to look at him, and he met her gaze with a solemn expression for a moment before turning back to the road. It never surprised her when he got serious. Quiet, introspective, completely focused. It was his obsessive personality and dedication that made it hard for him to let go of the job. Some guys drank. Tain’s poison of choice was work, and it had come close to destroying him once.
The only thing that surprised her was when he relaxed and joked around with her. Something he’d done readily so far, and it had only been a matter of hours since they’d been re united at a crime scene. Months before she might have thought he was more sociable than the rumors inferred. Now she knew better. It was his way of burying his hurt. But he’d only joke with someone he felt safe with.
Someone he believed would understand his pain.
She pushed that thought aside as she considered what Tain had said about Inspector Hawkins.
“This was his idea?”
Tain nodded. “I don’t think Sergeant Daly was too keen on it.”
“Steve will get over it.”
Tain snuck a glance at her. “How do you know