Safe from Harm (Protect & Serve #2)(74)

“Sorry,” Abby said on a regretful sigh. “I wish I could give you more to go on before sending you in.”

He shook his head. “Yeah. No problem. Thanks for the heads-up.” He rapped his knuckles on her desk and donned his most unconcerned smile. “Well, guess I’d better get my ass in there before Tommy throws another tantrum.”

Based on the way Abby grimaced and suddenly became very interested in what was on her laptop screen, Gabe suspected he’d already lingered too long. When he turned to see Tom standing in his office doorway, arms crossed over his chest and looking like he was barely keeping a lid on his urge to go completely apeshit, that pretty much confirmed it.

Gabe didn’t even wait for Tom to say a word. He headed into his brother’s office and dropped down into the chair in front of the desk. As soon as he heard the door close, he drawled, “So, thanks for rolling out the red carpet, Bro. You all really know how to welcome a guy back.”

Tom took his seat behind the desk and ran a hand through his dark hair before heaving a harsh sigh. “How do you know Sandra Monroe?”

Well, fuck.

“I don’t,” Gabe said, his stomach sinking even as he said it. “I met her yesterday on the sidewalk outside of the pharmacy on Fulton. She came up to me and asked if I was Gabe Dawson. Then she told me she was afraid her dad was planning something. She didn’t know what, but she was worried for my safety and Elle’s. And she was worried about her brothers getting hurt. I tried to get her to come into the department with me to make a statement, but her brother Jeremy showed up and made her leave with him.”

Tom pulled a hand down his face and gave Gabe a pleading look. “Please tell me you didn’t have your hands on her when her brother got there.”

Gabe closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging. He cursed under his breath, dread clenching his gut as he realized where this was probably going. “Of course not. But you know it’s going to be my word against theirs.”

“Jesus, Gabe,” Tom hissed. “Are you fucking kidding me? Jeb Monroe’s daughter!”

Gabe shot to his feet and jabbed a finger at his brother. “Now just wait a goddamned minute! I didn’t do anything more than talk to her. And she approached me. What exactly are you accusing me of?”

Tom shook his head, his jaw clenched tight. “It’s not me who’s doing the accusing. It’s her father. He’s saying you assaulted her.”

Gabe straightened, his jaw falling open in his shock. “What?”

Tom shook his head, looking sick at having to even say the words. “Monroe is claiming you made an advance on Sandra, tried to force yourself on her, and when she refused, you roughed her up.”

“That’s fucking crazy,” Gabe breathed, dropping into the chair. “You know I’d never lay a hand on a woman, no matter who she is. And I’ve never even seen Sandra Monroe before yesterday. Not only that—we were in the middle of the sidewalk. Check the pharmacy’s security cameras and you’ll be able to see what happened.”

Tom nodded. “Already working on that. What am I going to see, Gabe? Anything I need to worry about?”

“I had my hands on her upper arms,” Gabe explained, shaking his head in dismay. “She was shivering with fear. I was just trying to convince her she’d be safe if she talked with us. I was trying to console her.”

“How hard were you gripping her arms?” Tom asked.

Gabe’s brows came together in a confused frown. “Not at all. She was so skittish, I was barely even touching her.”

Tom turned his laptop around to show Gabe the screen. “These are photos Monroe sent to the Old Man this morning.”

Gabe cursed a blue streak when he saw the images before him. The pretty little blond he’d met the evening before was a bruised and bloody mess. Her arms bore heinous black and yellow and purple bruises. Her bottom lip was split, blood covering her chin. Her left eye was swollen shut. And a close-up of her hands showed broken and bloodied fingernails and other wounds that made it appear she’d put up one hell of a fight.

“I didn’t do this,” Gabe rasped. “Jesus, Tom. You know I didn’t.”

“Where did you go after you met her on the street?” Tom asked.

Gabe was so disconcerted, he shook his head, needing to stop and get his thoughts in order before answering. “Uh…I went back to Elle’s office to pick her up. We’d had dinner, and I dropped her at her office so she could pick up a file. I was getting the car when Sandra approached me.”

“And then?”

Gabe leveled his gaze at his brother, growing angry that the incredible night he’d had with the woman he loved was turning out to be an alibi. “We spent the night together. And before you even ask, yeah, it was the entire night. Give her a call and ask her. I dropped her off at her office this morning.”

Tom dropped his gaze. “She’s dealing with her own issues right now.”

Gabe felt rage building in his chest and had to tamp it down in order to grind out, “What the hell do you mean?”

Tom looked up, his expression guarded. “How long have you and Elle been sleeping together?”

Gabe was on his feet in an instant. “What the hell business is it of yours?”

“Turns out it’s going to be everyone’s business soon,” Tom informed him. “Monroe’s planning to ask that Derrick receive a new trial. He’s claiming that Elle should’ve recused herself as prosecutor because you were the lead investigator on the case and she was having a sexual relationship with you at that time.”