Tia ignored that and gestured to Holly’s camera. “Pace doesn’t like pictures taken of him when he’s not aware of it. He’ll be upset, and he doesn’t need that right now.” She held out her hand. “You’ll have to give that to me.”

Holly slipped her Canon into her big bag. “I don’t think so.”

“If you don’t, I’ll be forced to confiscate it personally and turn both it and you over to the authorities.”

“Tia, I’m not giving you my camera.”

“Hey, I’m an official here, and—”

“You are not. You’re a stalker—”

“Okay, that’s it. I’ve asked politely. Now you’ll have to pay the consequences.” With that, Tia took a diving leap toward her.

Holly was so shocked, she hit the concrete before she knew what had happened, with Tia on top of her. “Are you crazy—” But she was stunned into disbelief when Tia took a swing at her.

“Hey!” Holly tried to roll away, but though Tia was bad with the aim, she could hold on like a monkey, and they both fell off the curb, knocking the air out of Holly.

Tia lifted her head, and hair wild, eyes wild, everything wild, she gritted her teeth. “I just broke a nail!”

Holly might have laughed, but she was on the ground in white jeans and a pale pink T-shirt she’d just gotten on sale, and that pissed her off. So did Tia grabbing her hair. In retaliation, Holly took a fistful of Tia’s hair and a big chunk came off in her hands.

“Oh no, you didn’t!” Tia shrieked and took her hands off Holly to hold her head. “My weave! My expensive weave!”

“That’s not a weave, it’s a damn wig.” Holly took a look at the thing in her hand. “And a cheap one.”

“You bitch!” She slapped Holly right across the face. “Now I’m going to kick your ass—”

Holly rolled Tia to her back and held her down, cheek and jaw stinging. “If there’s any ass kicking, it’ll be me, and—”

And nothing. Because suddenly she was hauled off Tia, her arms yanked behind her back. “Ma’am,” an unfamiliar male voice said in her ear. “You have the right to remain silent.”

Pace stood outside the police station, leaning back against his car, soaking up the sun, sipping a Dr Pepper he held in his left hand. Fuck quitting. His right hand was in his front pocket, the only position his arm felt comfortable.

When Holly emerged half an hour later, she winced at the bright sunlight and slipped on a pair of sunglasses from her purse.

He straightened from the car. “Hey.”

With a deep breath, she walked down the path, right by him.

“Holly.”

She kept walking.

With a grim smile, he caught up with her, touching her arm.