TRAPPED BY THE BAD COP

idn't

t her leg ached, that standing made her dizzy, t

ay Ford left the room li

in that mom

ntil the quiet started crawling under her skin again. She takes a swig of the bitter acrid coffee, he ma

her teeth in pain and glared at the coffee

r making this erroneous mistake. It was supposed to be two hou

eps. Slow.

wel, a small silver bowl, and a f

ss. Just a statement, like noting the time or the weather or s

m f

kne

fli

precise as a surgeon. When he finally looked up, his gaze met hers not with cruelty, but with the stea

"Or we can sit here until you pas

ndness. It w

odded

und the raw edge with practiced efficiency. His fingers pressed into her skin w

ore," he said, eyes n

it away?" s

you didn'

pain was just another footnote in

, he didn't speak again unt

ftly, to

this

tight. "It was supposed to be the second

id no

ating how that cracked admi

." He stood, and for a hear

I will keep you until I decide whether you

.?" She pleads starin

you're not a threat." His mouth cu

king legs. "I'm

he said. "You

d it in. Arrested me. Thrown me in a cell. But

closer. One

the

ertainty. The way fire tells y

pulse s

want me her

murmured,

let

ought instead of anger. Then he smiled an awful, e

looked like you expected

fr

oked resigned. Like this house wasn't the first

jaw c

dn't a

didn'

eps soft, voice trailing behin

he door," he said. "It

n he wa