Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(33)

neighborhood.”

Burnett motioned back to the two-way mirror. “So she’s tied to the jewelry store robbery?”

“Yeah,” Shawn said.

“Is she the one you met earlier at the store? The employee?”

“Yeah.” Shawn’s gaze shifted to Lily, and again he felt a tinge of guilt.

“Why do you think she’s in on it?” Burnett asked.

Shawn heard Burnett’s doubt. “She did this, didn’t she?” He motioned to his face with one hand and his bruised ribs with the other.

“She kicked you in the side, too?” Burnett asked, sounding more like a worried parent, than a boss.

“No. She threw a suitcase at me.”

Lucas and Chase grinned. Shawn scowled at them.

“Do you need to be checked by a doctor?” Burnett asked.

“I’m fine,” Shawn insisted.

Burnett gave Lily another glance. “Any evidence other than her being combative?”

Shawn accepted Burnett wasn’t really doubting him. Every good agent gathered facts and asked questions. It still burned. “How much evidence

you want? She had her suitcases packed, leaving town with the store’s deposit.”

“Busted,” Chase said.

“And she still hasn’t confessed?” Lucas’s surprise mirrored what Shawn felt.

“She’s lying through her teeth,” Shawn said. “At first she claimed she was just going away for a few days. Oh, and she was dropping the

deposit by the bank on her way. Then I checked her phone, I found a text to her landlord saying she was moving out.”

Everyone looked back at the two-way mirror.

Burnett sighed. “Let’s go get to the bottom of this.”

“Hey,” Chase said, as Shawn started out. “Don’t worry, Burnett won’t let her hurt you again.”

Shawn shot the young vampire agent the third-finger salute.

Chase returned the favor.

Lucas let go of a hoarse chuckle.

Burnett continued out of the room, leaving a parting jab in his wake. “Ya’ll make me so proud.”

*

Ten minutes later, Perry, his attitude adjusted to the best of his ability, walked into the FRU headquarters.

The receptionist on duty, who always reminded Perry of a Mrs. Claus, let out a squeal, jumped from her chair, and grabbed him around his

middle. Her head, covered in coarse gray hair, barely came to his chest.

He’d met Mrs. Conner eight years ago. Burnett, who’d been Perry’s older foster brother and the only one Perry had ever gotten close to, had

already moved out of the foster home, but he’d regularly pick up Perry and bring him to work with him. It was one of the safe places a

shifter, who might morph accidently, could go. Hell, it was practically his second home.

Considering how much affection Mrs. Conner doled out, Perry was pretty sure that Burnett had told her about his past. Not that Perry minded. He

’d been ten and had pretended she was his grandmother. It didn’t matter that she was 100 percent were.

When the rounder-than-she-was-tall woman released him, she stepped back and took inventory. “Just look at you. When did you turn into a man?

Oh, my, if I were seventy years younger you’d have to beat me off of you.”

Perry laughed. “I could never beat you. How’s your family?”

“Always causing drama.”

Perry just laughed. “I think Burnett’s waiting for me.”

“Okay, I’ll let you go.” She walked to her desk and pushed a button allowing him to enter. “But don’t you dare leave without giving me

another hug. And you’re coming to my house for dinner soon.”

“Deal.” He almost left, then remembered. “Oh, I brought you a little something.” He pulled out one of those miniature spoons. The word

“Dallas” was engraved in the handle. She’d asked him to bring her one from Paris, and he had. A couple of weeks ago, he saw this one at a

gas station and picked it up.

“You brought me a gift?” She clutched the spoon to her chest like it was some prized possession. Who’d have guessed five dollars could make

someone so happy?

She waved to the door. “Go before you see me cry.”

*

“You take the lead,” Burnett said to Shawn.

Shawn nodded, and sensed this was a test. If he was weak in any area as an agent, interrogation was it. Burnett followed him into the small

room where Lily Chambers waited.

Her gaze found Shawn’s first then shot to Burnett. “Tell me you’re not as big of an idiot as this dirt bag. I’ve seen opossums with more

intelligence.”

Okay, maybe Shawn should have let Burnett take the lead on this one?

Shawn looked at Burnett. “Told you she had a mouth on her.” And for one second his gaze went to her mouth. It would be pretty if it didn’t

spout so many lies.

Burnett dropped into the chair across from the little spitfire. “You know the thing with my agents is that when they’re attacked, they don’t

seem to show their best sides.”

His calm voice and relaxed posture struck Shawn as odd. Usually at the first sign of disrespect Burnett came back all barrels loaded. Then