Page 59 of Fire Fight

When I faced my brother, his tattooed arms were crossed over his chest, an amused smile tipping the corners of his mouth.

“What’s so funny?”

He tipped his head in Chris’s direction.

“Bet that felt good.”

The realization of what I’d done barreled into me, and I swayed slightly on my feet.

I’d helped arrest one of my abusers.

I wasn’t a saint back then. The drugs, the booze, the sex—I’d been a willing participant in all of it.

But after I’d gotten out, and with the help of my therapist, I understood Chris had taken advantage of me. He’d preyed on my pain and used my naivete and the fact that I didn’t have a legitimate father figure in my life to get close to me. Plainly put, Chris Taal was a predator, and I had been one of his victims. My brother was right, butgoodwas a woefully inadequate way to describe how I felt in that moment.

Elatedwas more like it.

A wide grin stretched across my face, a matching one appearing on his as we got in the car and headed toward town.

When we arrived back at the station, Lane handed Chris off to a couple of deputies, but before he could follow them in, I held him back.

“I never did get to ask you what I came here for.”

Lane’s eyes narrowed. “You said it had something to do with this case?”

I nodded. “Aspen is hoping—actually, both of us are—that you’ll give us a copy of the case files for review.”

“Crew—” he started, clearly readying to deny me, but I held up a hand.

“It’s the least you could do for trying to run her out of town.”

At least he appeared chastened by the mention of his dickheaded actions. “She’s a civilian.”

“She’s a PI,” I corrected.

“She does have a pretty impressive closure record from the few cases I could find…”

“Ahh, so you finally ran a background check.”

“Only so I could assure myself you weren’t living with some sort of psychopath.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re so goddamn dramatic. She’s five two and probably a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet. She’s not going to stab me in my sleep.”

“It’s exactly those types of women you gotta look out for. Especially ones with faces like hers. They’re sirens waiting to lure you into the deep and drown you.”

I snorted. Lane would know all about that.

“Whatever. Are you going to give us the files or not?”

My brother tapped his chin thoughtfully, pondering, leaving me hanging for long enough that I was about to storm off when he finally said, “Fine.”

I eyed him suspiciously “You mean it? You’re actually going to help?”

He nodded. “Against my better judgement, yes. But I trust you. Those files don’t leave your house once you take them to Aspen, got it? And lock them down when you’re not home.”

I held up three fingers like the Boy Scout I never was. “Scout’s honor.”

Lane cuffed me over the head. “You’re such a little shit.”