The Birthday List(77)

“You go ahead. I’ve got another meeting coming in.”

“Okay. We’ll talk later?”

“You got it.”

I waved good-bye as I pressed the phone to my ear, walking down the hallway toward the staircase. “Hello.”

“Hey, Cole, it’s Finn.”

“Hey. What’s going on? Up for a beer tonight?”

I’d met Poppy’s brother for beers twice since the fair. He was a stand-up guy and easy to hang out with, but what I liked best about Finn was how he adored his little sister. The first time we’d met up, he’d told me point-blank that if I ever hurt her, he’d gladly serve life in prison for my murder.

“That’s not exactly the reason for my call.”

My feet froze as my heart rate spiked. “Is it Poppy?”

“Yeah. She’s fine, but she’s in some trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” What the fuck was going on that she couldn’t call me herself?

“She just called me to bail her and Jimmy out of jail.”

“Motherfucker.” The word came out of my clenched teeth. “It was that fucking fire alarm, wasn’t it?”

“Yep.” He popped the p just like Poppy did. “I guess she decided not to listen to either of us on that one.”

“Goddamn it.” I jogged toward the stairs. “I’ll take care of it.”

Finn chuckled. “I figured you would. She’s going to be pissed at me when she finds out I called you on the sly instead of coming down to bail her out.”

I huffed. “She’s got bigger problems to worry about right now.”

“Good luck.”

“Thanks for calling.” I shoved my phone back in my pocket and hustled downstairs to the bull pen. “I need to head out,” I told Matt. He was standing by his desk, talking to a couple of the other guys. “Something personal came up.”

“Personal, as in your girlfriend and some old guy getting hauled in for pulling a fire alarm at an old warehouse?”

“Fuck.” I swiped my keys off my desk. “Does everybody know?”

The huddle immediately started laughing.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Fucking gossips. This place was worse than a high school locker room. I ignored my coworkers and turned to leave, but one of the guys stopped me.

“Hey, Cole.”

“Yeah?” I looked over my shoulder just in time to catch the handcuffs he threw my way.

“You might need these.” He snickered along with the other assholes laughing at me.

I glared at him, about to toss them back, but stopped myself. Maybe a night spent naked in handcuffs would teach Poppy to listen. So without a word, I shoved them into my back pocket and stormed out of the bull pen.

Short-term lockup was on the other side of the law enforcement complex, so when I exploded through the door, I turned in the opposite direction of the parking lot. The short walk down the long sidewalk did nothing to cool my temper, and by the time I reached lockup, I was fuming.

How could she be this stupid? Didn’t she know that this was a serious crime? It was a misdemeanor at least, but if she’d caused any property damage or an injury, she could be facing a felony. Something I’d told her more than once.

For the first time, I wanted to take a match to that goddamn birthday list.

“Hi, Detective Goodman.” The officer sitting behind the plexiglass window smiled but it fell as he read my angry face.

“I’m here to cover the bail for Poppy Maysen and Jimmy Alcott.”

His eyes widened. “Oh, um . . . okay.” He shuffled some papers on his desk. “It’s set at five hundred each.”

My nostrils flared. A thousand dollars. I grabbed my wallet out of my back pocket and dug out a credit card.

“There’s an extra fee for cred—”

I held up a hand to shut him up. “I know. Just put it all on there.”

“Yes, sir.”

I pointed to the door in the corner. “Can I go back?”

“You’ll just need to sign some paperwork before they can be released.”

No shit.

He cowered under my glare and reached for the buzzer to let me through to the cellblock.

The first cell I passed was occupied by a drunk who had puked all over himself and the floor. The next had a guy covered in tattoos, most of which were gang symbols.

I didn’t want Poppy in this place. She didn’t belong in this hellhole. And she wouldn’t be here if she had just fucking listened.

My hands were fisted as I walked down the hall to her cell, where she was talking to Jimmy.

“I don’t like this idea.”

“Too bad,” he hissed. “I’m taking the blame. Like I told the cop, you were just trying to stop me.”

“But—”

“No buts. This is how it’s going to be. Let me do this.”

I cleared my throat as I came up to the bars.

Poppy’s wide eyes were waiting.

Jimmy’s darted to the floor.

I stepped up to the door, planting my hands on my hips, and glared down at them both sitting on the metal cot. “How about you both stop talking where anyone can overhear your conversation?”

“That’s what I tried to tell her.” Jimmy stood from the cot. “But she’s a bit on edge.”