Unspoken (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3)(75)

“You’re not going to say anything?” he asked.

“About?”

“My suit?”

“It fits you,” she said.

He almost laughed. “Burnett wants to see us in his office before we take off.” He waited for her to move down the steps.

“Does he have news?”

“He said it wasn’t earth-shattering.”

Frowning, she shut the door and moved down the steps, all the while working hard to ignore him—and, yeah, he could tell she was doing that. And while she did that, he worked hard to study her, without it being obvious.

Right away he noted the dark lines circling her eyes. Those light half-moons were almost hidden by her long bottom lashes, but he noticed. And he’d known her long enough to know it was a sure sign of a sleepless night.

He probably hadn’t slept much better, but he didn’t wear the evidence like she did.

Had she been thinking about him?

“I brought the addresses to the stores,” Della said.

“I think that’s part of what Burnett wants to talk about,” Chase said, in a small way dreading telling him about Pope and what he’d learned.

When they got to the office, Chase bolted up the steps and opened the door for Della.

She rolled her eyes at his act of chivalry.

“Please, don’t start pretending to be a gentleman just because you’re wearing a suit.”

“When have I not been a gentleman?”

“The first time that comes to mind is when you climbed up the stall in the girl’s bathroom when I was trying to pee. But just give me a few minutes, and I’m sure I could come up with a top-ten list.”

He laughed. “You’ve got the memory of an elephant.” He walked in.

“And you have the manners of a baboon,” she countered.

“The zoo’s this way,” Burnett’s voice spoke from Holiday’s office.

Della frowned. Biting back a smile, Chase followed her into the office. Holiday, positioned behind her desk, nodded and Chase felt his muscles tighten. Ever since she’d threatened him, or rather his male parts, he’d avoided her. Burnett sat on the edge of the desk with his daughter in his arms.

The baby squealed when they walked in and held out her arms. “I think someone wants you.” Burnett held out the child toward Della.

Della took the baby from Burnett. “She has good taste.”

Right then the child squealed again and stretched out her arms toward Chase.

“Yup,” Chase said and laughed.

“I take that back,” Della muttered.

Holiday chuckled. “You look … hot, Chase.”

“Excuse me?” Burnett said, in humor.

“Thank you,” Chase said, his uneasiness lessening. “And it fits, too.” He shot Della a quick glance.

“Here.” Della held out the baby. Chase took a step back. “I don’t know how to hold it.”

“It?” Della and Holiday said at the same time.

“I mean her.”

Della made a face at him and then turned toward Burnett. The child looked at her father and started flapping her arms up and down. “Dada dada.”

“Did you hear that?” Burnett smiled bigger than Chase ever remembered. “She’s saying daddy.”

“She’s just making sounds,” Holiday said.

“You’re just jealous she said daddy before mama.”

“I am not,” Holiday said, but she looked it. “That didn’t sound like daddy, did it?” She looked at Chase.

“No … I didn’t … I don’t think so.”

“See?” Holiday laughed.

“Not to take the spotlight off our little princess here, but…” Della focused on Burnett and set the child on her hip. Despite seeming unsure of herself, the ease with which she handled the baby surprised Chase. She continued, “Did you get anything from the bar?”

Chase noted the smile in Burnett’s eyes fade. “The number Sam gave is a throwaway phone. No one ever answered.”

“Could he know Sam was caught?” Della asked.

“We don’t know that, but it’s a possibility.”

“And I suppose he didn’t show up at the bar, either?” Della asked, her tone mirroring Chase’s frustrations.

“He didn’t, but we did ask around and confirmed Sam’s story.”

“The gang?” Chase asked. “You got something?”

“We’re still confirming some things,” Burnett said. “Word on the street is the gang is new here. But it has roots in France. Most of the members are mixed species—meaning their powers are limited, so we’re not considering it a huge threat at this time.”

Burnett’s direct eye contact with him seemed to mean he didn’t think Chase should be concerned about staying here. Chase wasn’t so sure he agreed.

“So Sam was a member?” Della asked.

“No, but Stone might have been trying to recruit him.” Burnett’s phone dinged; he checked it and then looked up. “I have something this morning to cover, but I wanted to go with you to the shoe stores. So check out a few of those addresses, and see if you can run down Stone’s girlfriend. We’ll meet up somewhere to hit the shoe stores together later.”