TRAPPED BY THE BAD COP

d's

e earlier th

door. The air felt different, thicker, somehow like his

near the couch but standing b

was gone. Now, she just looked caught. And it wasn't fear. It wasn't guilt. It was the way a person stand

immediately. Just let the sec

tepping back, hands curli

-" she started, b

he pages in one of his notebooks. She wasn't afraid of him not like the othe

u were doing?" he aske

steady this time. A slight t

" she sai

eping his stance casual. It wasn't an invitation to relax, it

you shouldn't

e didn't apologize eith

ere was something different in how she did it. There were no grand gestures, no attempt to manipula

n't step foot in it again," he said finally, ea

ned. "I didn't

e her notice the small, deliberate movem

looked. And that's the sam

use from where I'm standing, it seems more li

asn't

on't need to understand, you j

h of frustration flickeri

e part of her h

anything from him, except space. A

orn of something deeper. He studied her, weighing each second, each breath she took. "You've made your po

tion?" Her voice was steady, bu

mere thief, yes you want the money,

shoe, the

ot your

im any differently. He didn

id, voice lower now. "I d

ting on the wall as if steadying herse

use you won

sion felt thick, like something about to snap, li

, Cady broke

to let m

mned familiar that kept him from it. They look so alike, he shakes his head trying to pull himself out of it. He knows that he isn'

proposal for you, take it and I won't be forced to turn you in. You've got a lot of little crime

hen she dropped her gaze. Her throat working, tears come to her eye

ftly, "Anything you want, and when six months comes, you will be rewarded handsomely. I'll let you to think