Page 7 of Paws and Claws (Saltwater Grove Romances #4)

7

DOMINIC

D ominic's jaw tightened as he stared at the spot where Bruce had just stormed out of the interrogation room. His lion prowled close to the surface, furious at the other sheriff's behavior.

His gaze swept to the security camera in the corner. The red light was off. Of course Bruce would conduct an unauthorized interrogation without proper documentation. The whole situation reeked of a setup. Bruce had deliberately kept him in the dark about Tabitha's arrest. If Connor hadn't called...

"Hey Connor," he muttered into his phone, keeping his voice low. "I need you to pull the surveillance footage from the parking lot and building entrance for the last two hours. And get me the arrest report Bruce filed."

"That's the thing, boss. There is no arrest report. I checked the system twice."

A growl rumbled in Dominic's chest. "No paperwork at all?"

"Nothing. It's like she was never brought in."

The implications made his blood run cold. An unofficial arrest, no Miranda rights, no documentation - Bruce had crossed so many lines Dominic couldn't even count them all.

"Pull everything you can find. And Connor? Keep this quiet for now."

He ended the call and braced his hands against the wall, letting his head hang between his shoulders. Bruce was up to something. But why? What did Bruce gain by railroading a local witch with relatively minor offenses on her record?

He turned toward Tabitha, who sat unnaturally still in the metal chair. For once, there wasn't a trace of her usual mischievous smile. The sight made his chest tighten in a way he wasn't ready to examine too closely.

He crouched beside Tabitha's chair, his fingers brushing against her wrists as he unlocked the handcuffs. The metal clinked against the table as he set them aside. Her skin felt cold where Bruce's cuffs had been too tight.

"You okay?" His voice came out rougher than intended, his lion still simmering with anger at Bruce's treatment of her.

"Just peachy." Tabitha rubbed her wrists as she stood up, but the usual spark in her blue eyes had dimmed. "Nothing like being dragged in here like a hardened criminal."

"Come on." He placed his hand on her back, guiding her toward the door. "Let's get you out of here."

The police station buzzed with activity as they walked through, but Dominic's presence kept anyone from approaching. A few officers shot curious glances their way, but his stern expression warned them off.

Once outside, Tabitha spun to face him. "What the hell was that all about? Since when does that jerk get to arrest people without cause?"

"He doesn't," Dominic replied. "I rushed here as fast as I could when Connor told me you'd been arrested, and that Bruce claimed he had photos proving you were at the scenes." He paused for a moment. "He was also trying to get me kicked off the investigation."

"Wait." Tabitha's purple hair caught the afternoon sunlight as she tilted her head. "You don't think I did it anymore?"

"No." The admission cost him some pride, but it was worth it to see the surprise flash across her face. "I was wrong to accuse you. And I'm sorry for being harsh and having you followed. I jumped to conclusions without proper evidence."

"The mighty Sheriff Blackmane is apologizing to me?" A hint of her usual mischief crept back into her expression. "Should I check if hell froze over?"

"Don't push it." But his lips twitched despite himself. "Listen, would you want to grab a coffee at the Cauldron & Cup? There are some things we should discuss."

Tabitha studied him for a long moment, her wild magic crackling in the air between them like static electricity. "You buying?"

"Yes, of course." He opened the passenger door of his squad car for her. "Though I'm pretty sure you owe me for about twenty speeding tickets."

"Fourteen, but who's counting?" She slid into the seat, her usual spirit returning. "And I thought those were just love notes from my favorite killjoy."

Dominic shut the door, shaking his head as he walked around to the driver's side. Maybe he'd been too quick to write her off as nothing but trouble. There was definitely more to Tabitha Moon than he'd allowed himself to see.

The bell above the Cauldron & Cup's door jingled as Dominic held it open for Tabitha. A few patrons glanced their way - the town troublemaker and the sheriff walking in together was bound to raise some eyebrows.

He guided them to a corner booth, his lion instincts preferring the strategic view of both exits. The floating menu board shuffled its offerings above them, casting shifting shadows across Tabitha's face.

"Two Phoenix Rise Lattes," he called to Nina before settling into his seat. The vintage espresso machine hissed and steamed behind the counter.

"Fancy coffee?" Tabitha raised an eyebrow. "You're really going all out with this apology."

"Consider it hazard pay for what Bruce just put you through." Dominic leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Listen, about last night's transformer incident - Connor was watching your house. You got home at 9:49."

"And?"

"The transformers blew at 9:47. Six blocks away." His green eyes locked with her blue ones. "Unless you've been hiding some supernatural speed abilities, there's no way you could have done it."

Tabitha's wild magic crackled in response. "Finally figured that out, did you?"

"That, and the helmet in those photos." He watched her carefully. "In all the times I've pulled you over - and there have been many - you've never worn one."

"Because they mess up my hair." She ran her fingers through her purple locks. "And they block the wind. What's the point of riding if you can't feel free?"

"The point is safety-" Dominic caught himself. "Never mind. The important thing is someone's going to a lot of trouble to frame you."

Their lattes arrived, steam curling up in spirals that looked suspiciously like phoenix wings. Tabitha wrapped her hands around her mug. "Some copycat witch is out there wearing a purple wig and riding a bike like mine, causing chaos, and that jackass Bruce is eating it up."

The fury in her voice caused his lion to stir protectively.

Tabitha's eyes suddenly sparked with determination as she set down her mug. "Let's hunt this copycat down."

His lion bristled at the suggestion. "Absolutely not. Someone's trying to frame you for serious crimes. The safest place for you is far away from this investigation."

"Oh please." She leaned forward. "Your department hasn't caught them yet. Besides, I can sense magical signatures better than you. I'll spot them way faster."

"It's too dangerous." His voice dropped lower, more commanding. The protective instincts of both sheriff and lion refused to put her in harm's way. "I'll handle this myself."

"Handle it like you handled suspecting me?" Her blue eyes flashed. "This is personal now. Some witch is out there wearing my signature look, causing chaos, and trying to get me locked up. I'm not sitting this one out."

"You're a civilian. This is police business."

"I'm a witch with wild magic who knows every magical hideout in this town." She stirred her latte. "Face it, Sheriff. You need me on this."

His jaw clenched. The worst part was, she had a point. A witch would be invaluable in tracking down their suspect. But the thought of Tabitha in danger made his lion pace restlessly. "You'll follow my lead?"

"Sometimes, maybe." Her lips curved into that familiar mischievous smile.

"Tabitha." He growled her name in warning.

"Fine." She rolled her eyes. "Most of the time. When it makes sense. That's my final offer."

Dominic studied her across the table. The hanging lanterns cast a warm glow across her soft features. "If you put yourself in unnecessary danger, you're out," he said firmly. "And you follow proper police procedure."

"Deal." She extended her hand across the table. "Partners?"

Her skin was warm against his as they shook hands, and something electric sparked between them that had nothing to do with her magic. His lion rumbled with satisfaction at the contact.

"Partners," he agreed, wondering if he'd just made a huge mistake or the best decision of his life.

Tabitha slid out of the booth. "Tomorrow morning, eight sharp, at the intersection where the crash happened. Try to keep up, Sheriff."

"Just remember we're doing this by the book," Dominic said firmly. "No stunts."

"You really know how to take the fun out of everything." She winked at him before sauntering toward the door.

His lion tracked her movement until she disappeared from view. He paid their bill and headed back to the station.

Bruce's scent hit him before he saw him, a mix of cheap cologne and arrogance that made his nose twitch. The other sheriff lounged against the wall near the break room, scrolling through his phone.

"Care to explain why you arrested a civilian without proper procedure?" Dominic's voice came out as a low growl.

Bruce didn't even look up. "Didn't realize I needed your permission to do my job."

"When it involves my investigation-"

"Your investigation?" Bruce's laugh grated against Dominic's ears. "That witch is nothing but trouble. She's garbage, and I treated her accordingly."

The lion in Dominic's chest roared to life, his protective instincts flaring hot and unexpected. His hand shot out, pinning Bruce against the wall. "You will never speak about her that way again."

Bruce's eyes widened slightly before narrowing. "Since when do you care about that purple-haired menace?"

Dominic released him, stepping back as he processed the surge of possessive anger that had overtaken him. Why did he care? This was Tabitha Moon - speedster and troublemaker. Yet the thought of Bruce dismissing her so cruelly made his blood boil.

"I care about proper procedure," he said finally, but even to his own ears, the words rang hollow. "And about treating all of our citizens with respect."

Bruce straightened his uniform with a sneer. "Whatever you say, boss." He walked away, leaving Dominic alone with his confusing thoughts and the lingering urge to defend Tabitha's honor.