Before the Dawn(45)

"This is bullshit," Dawn threw out. "You told me we were partners-"

Okay, time for the gloves to come off. He glanced at her. "I lied."

She flinched.

Shit. "When it comes to your safety, I'll do anything. You need to remember that. You just got a tip to where the guy is, you want to go running out to find him, but guess what? Our perp could be tracking him, too. The last thing I want is for you to show up and get in the killer's sights. He doesn't know where you are right now. I'm keeping it that way."

Her eyes showed her fury. "I've never lied to you, Tucker."

He'd told her too many lies over the years. That had been part of their problem. But... Now he stalked toward her. "Yes, baby, you have."

Her lips parted.

He made sure his voice carried only to her ears. "You told me that you didn't see a killer when you looked at me. And we both know that's not true."

She didn't speak.

What had he wanted? Her denial? That lie had always been between them.

"This is Agent Bowen Murphy." Now his voice was louder. 

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Bowen called.

She gave a little growl.

"He'll make sure no one gets in or out of this room until I get back." Tucker turned away from her, but Dawn's hand flew out and caught his arm.

"I'm not going to be the FBI's prisoner, Tucker."

For that night, she was. She didn't get it-he just wanted her safe.

She tightened her hold on him. "No more lies."

He couldn't make that promise. He pulled away and went to his room. He changed clothes, holstered his weapon and then he was heading for the door.

Bowen had made himself comfortable on the couch. Dawn still stood in her doorway. "She doesn't leave," Tucker said flatly as he pointed at Dawn.

Bowen waved him away. "Got it. Find the witness, and I'll take care of her."

He didn't look back, mostly because Tucker didn't want to face Dawn's fury. When he got into the elevator, he pulled out his phone and called Anthony. The detective answered on the second ring. "We've got a tip on Red's location," he said as the elevator doors slid closed. "Can you meet me?"

* * *

HE'D LEFT HER. Benched her. Lied to her.

All after making love to me again.

What in the hell? Was he just trying to make her feel like shit or what? Making love with him had been a big deal for her. Life-changing big. Because I didn't let any fear stop me. I fought for what I wanted.

And then...he'd walked away.

Was it supposed to hurt that much? Because it felt as if her heart was being cut out of her chest. And she couldn't stop staring at that damn shut door. She kept thinking maybe it would magically reopen. Tucker would be there. He'd apologize, he'd tell her-

"His heart is in the right place."

It was the other agent. The blond guy. Bowen. The guy who was leaning back on the sofa looking as if he didn't have a care in the world.

She didn't think she liked Bowen. Actually, she didn't think that she liked Tucker much right then, either.

"I heard about your friend." Bowen's head turned and his dark gaze met hers. "I'm sorry."

The sympathy on his face was genuine, and she found herself softening toward him. It's not Bowen's fault that Tucker is an ass.

"You found one body today. Did you ever consider that Tucker wants to make sure you don't have to discover another?"

She wasn't trying to understand Tucker's point of view right then. It hurt enough just understanding her own. "I can help on this investigation."

His gaze swept over her. "You look different, from your picture."

Some of the heat left her cheeks. Crime scene pictures. She'd met plenty of cops who'd seen those images of her worst time. Those cops usually handled her with kid gloves and stared at her with sympathy in their eyes. Tucker is handling me that way, too. As if I'll break too easily. I won't. "Victims always look different." Her gaze sharpened on him. "Let me guess...did you study my case before you came down to New Orleans? Were you told to do a brush-up on the Iceman and you saw what he'd done to me?"


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"Absolutely. Wouldn't be doing my job if I hadn't stopped to review all the case files." He nodded, then rubbed his cheek. "But I wasn't talking about any crime scene photos. I was talking about the picture that Tucker keeps of you in his office. You look different in that picture." What could have been sadness flashed on his face. "You were smiling and your eyes were bright. For some reason, I thought that picture was taken after the attack, but...it was before, wasn't it? I can see that now. Your eyes...they're different."