Chapter 42

After arriving back on the scene, Nic felt much more at ease. The elephant that had been sitting on his chest had moved on, and he felt more like his normal, confident, and cocky self.

But then he saw Bristol walking straight for him with a look on her face that he had seen on multiple occasions during their relationship, usually when he’d done something extra stupid.

“Where the hell is Deputy Chief Edgar?” she asked.

Nic shrugged. “Did you check the comm center?”

“Being a natural blonde doesn’t make me stupid.”

“I didn’t say you were. You’re one of the smartest people I know. Can I help?”

She rubbed at her temples and said, “I’m sorry. The mayor just jumped down my throat and wants to speak with Edgar immediately. Like five minutes ago immediately.”

“I haven’t seen him since I got back. Why is the Penguin so pissed off?”

Bristol shook her head with a little chuckle. “Don’t call the mayor that.”

“Dude has a beak for a nose and looks a weeble wobble.”

“Be nice. If he heard you—”

“What? He’d fire me? Besides, it doesn’t sound like he was very nice to you.”

“I’m not yours to protect anymore, Nic.”

He couldn’t think of a response to that painful truth, and so he said, “What had the mayor so worked up? Nothing’s changed down here. We’re doing everything by the book.”

She sighed. “I know, but the news is reporting that the hostage-takers are foreign and that a source on the inside is claiming that this could be an act of terrorism directed at the CIA.”

“What? Where would they have gotten something like that?”

“Who knows. Maybe they thought the story wasn’t sensational enough, so they added their own spin. But the mayor is ready to tear Edgar’s head off.”

Nic shook his head in disgust. Politicians and reporters, he’d take men with guns over them any day of the week. “He might be over at the Walmart. I think they’re setting up some temporary medical unit, so we’ll be ready for any kind of worst-case scenario.”

“Okay, I’ll check there.”

“I can try to reach him over the radio.”

“Don’t worry about it. A little walk will do me some good.”

She started to walk away, but then he heard himself say, “Hey, hold up a sec.” But when she turned around, he forgot what he wanted to say. His mind went completely blank, and he just stared at her awkwardly.

With raised eyebrows, she said, “Yes?”

All he could think about were her blue eyes, and so he blurted the first thing his mind grabbed onto. “What’s the deal with you and Burke?”

Her eyes went wide. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business. Don’t tell me that the great and powerful Dominic Juliano is actually jealous of a lowly mortal?”

“Come on. It was just a question. Just because we’re not together doesn’t mean I don’t still care about you.”