Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead(Finlay Donovan #2)(73)

“With all due respect, that’s none of your business.”

“I disagree. Julian is my friend. He’s a good person, if a little too trusting. He doesn’t deserve to be used or lied to.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not doing either.”

Her laughter was sharp and joyless. “Julian was right. You’re a hot mess. Do us both a favor. Next time you’re in trouble, don’t call him. He’s got a really bright future ahead of him, and he’s better off without you.” She yanked her messenger bag off the table. I didn’t bother to argue as she jerked the door open and stormed out.

Nick slipped into the interrogation room, carrying his coat.

“Come on,” he said, holding it open for me. “I’ll drive you home.” He tugged the warm leather closed around me and led me out through a side door. Parker stood on the sidewalk in the rain, her cell phone pressed to her ear as she wrestled with her umbrella. Our eyes caught as Nick wrapped his arm around me and escorted me to his car.





CHAPTER 33


Nick was painfully quiet during the short drive to my house. It was nearly one in the morning when he pulled into my driveway, both of us staring numbly out the windshield, the car still running. Mrs. Haggerty’s house was dark, but in my side mirror, I could have sworn I caught the flash of a curtain being pulled back in an upstairs window.

“I’ll get your van back to you in the morning,” he said after a long silence. “Joey and I will drive it over. It’s better if you don’t go back to the station. We don’t want anyone asking questions.”

He had nothing to worry about. I had no interest in ever going back there. With a nod, I unlatched my seat belt. “Thank you for the ride home.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t see anyone else showing up for you.” There was a ragged, weary edge on his tone, but an edge nonetheless.

“I know you’re angry with me. You didn’t have to do what you did for me tonight.”

He turned to me, his shocked eyes wide and bright in the light from my kitchen window. “I wasn’t just angry with you, Finn. I was terrified! You just put yourself on Feliks Zhirov’s radar. There was no way I was letting you spend the night in that place. And there was no way I was letting you drive yourself home.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, you will.” His focus shifted to his rearview mirror as an unmarked police car rolled past my driveway and eased to a stop. His voice softened. “Officer Roddy’s going to be keeping an eye on your house until I’m certain Zhirov’s not going to be a problem.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I argued.

“I’m not walking away just because shit gets messy. Your missing lawyer should have shown up for you tonight.”

I winced, Parker’s parting words still bouncing around like shrapnel in my head. “It’s complicated.”

He whirled in his seat to face me. “No, Finn, it’s actually pretty simple. You deserve someone who’s going to stick around.”

“And you want to be that person?” I fired back.

He clenched his teeth and looked away.

I slipped off his jacket and reached for the door. “It’s late. I should go.”

“Finn, wait—”

“Thank you. For everything.” I got out of the car before he had a chance to respond. The cold wind cut through my damp clothes, and my hands shook as I fumbled with my key in the dark. The front door flew open before I managed to get it into the lock.

Vero threw her arms around me. “You’re not in jail!”

“Not yet,” I said through her hair, struggling to breathe despite her vise grip around my neck.

“I was so worried when you didn’t come home. Then Nick called and told me you were being held, and I freaked out and ate a whole bag of Oreos.” She squeezed me tighter and whispered, “I have to know, was it just like in your book? Did you have wild, hot prison sex before he busted you out?”

I pulled back to gawk at her. Her mascara had run in long black streaks down her face, and cookie crumbs dusted the corners of her smile. “Were you snooping on my computer?”

“It’s not snooping. As your accountant, I have a vested interest in the success of your book. I love it, by the way.”

Nick’s headlights swung over us as he backed down the driveway. I turned to see his car idling beside Officer Roddy’s, their windows rolled down.

“Why is Officer Roddy parked outside?” Vero asked.

“You don’t want to know.” I pulled the door shut as quietly as I could, so I wouldn’t wake the kids.

Vero helped me out of my rain-sodden coat. “You’re freezing. Go dry off and warm up. And then come right back down here and tell me all about the handcuffs.”

I shook my head as I retreated to my room, peeling off my damp clothes and changing into a pair of warm flannel pajamas. I sat on the edge of my bed, my head in my hands. My phone blinked beside me. Reluctantly, I picked it up and read the text message from Julian.

Bar’s closing. Heading home soon. Call me when you can. Worried about you.

The message had come before Parker had shown up at the station.

I put the phone down. Picked it up again and stared at his message before dialing his number.