Simon Says Die

haul McKinley back in, but not before then.”
    â€œYou’ve already got probable cause to hold him on any number of crimes.”
    â€œI can only hold him for forty-eight hours. If I don’t have forensic evidence against him by then, he’s out.”
    â€œHe’s out anyway.”
    â€œYou want me to hold him, then help me. Explain how a paraplegic could have abducted Mrs. McKinley and placed her in the trunk of her car like she said? She never mentioned a wheelchair when she talked about her abduction.”
    Pierce raked his hand through his hair. “He has to be faking the paralysis.”
    â€œHow? Why?”
    â€œThe how is beyond me, for now. But the why will be clear as soon as we talk to Madison and find out what Damon said to her. ” He strode past Hamilton toward the building.
    He yanked the door open and headed inside. When he reached the squad room it didn’t take him long to realize that Madison wasn’t there. He stopped at the desk of the detective whose letter opener Damon had used earlier.
    â€œWhere’s Mrs. McKinley?”
    â€œShe said she had to run an errand.”
    â€œYou let her leave? Knowing Damon McKinley is out there?”
    The detective’s eyes widened. “Was I not supposed to?”
    Pierce swore and sprinted through the squad room to the elevator. What was Madison up to this time? He prayed he caught up to her before she caught up to Damon.

 
    Chapter Twenty-Five
    M ADISON PULLED UP short when she stepped out of the bank and saw Pierce lounging against the side of his car, illegally parked. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he looked like he wanted to strangle her.
    â€œExplain.” One hoarsely uttered, clipped word.
    She clutched her purse as she stopped in front of him. “I had to get out of the station, clear my head. And it dawned on me, that with all the craziness going on lately, I hadn’t made my mortgage payment this month.”
    He looked up at the sky, as if he were praying for divine guidance. “You went to the bank to pay your mortgage. You expect me to believe that?”
    â€œOf course. It’s the truth.”
    He held out his hand. “Give me your purse.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    He raised a brow. “If all you were doing was making your mortgage payment, you’ve got nothing to hide.”
    â€œIf you want it that badly, take it.” She slapped the purse into his hand. “But it’s really not the right color for your outfit.”
    He rolled his eyes and plopped her purse on the hood of his car. When he found her mortgage payment receipt inside, he looked at her in surprise. But when she held out her hand for her purse, he ignored it and finished his search.
    Once he was done, he shoved everything back inside and held the purse out to her. “My mistake. I thought Damon might have asked you for money, and you got a cashier’s check for him. Did he ask you for money?”
    Her pulse leaped in her throat. “Yes, he did. He wants a million dollars. But I’m not paying him. I will never pay the man who murdered my father. Not one cent.”
    The anger faded from his eyes, replaced by a look of approval, and relief. He gave her a tight nod. “Good to know. You can’t bargain with people like him. Any agreement he made he’d back out on. He’s dangerous. The only way to deal with him is to get evidence and put him away. Speaking of which, Logan called. He’s in Montana and has some news to share on the investigation he’s been conducting into Damon’s past.”
    Once Madison was inside the car, Pierce crouched in the doorway. He gently pushed her hair out of her eyes, his fingers lingering on her skin in a gentle caress. “You scared years off my life when I thought you’d gone chasing after Damon. What else did he say to you back at the station? What had you looking so scared?”
    The memory of Damon’s threats, the calm certainty in his voice, had her curling her fingers against the edge of the seat. “He said . . . he’d hurt my family . . . and you . . . if I didn’t pay him.”
    His gaze softened. “I won’t let that happen. Your family is safe. A private security firm is watching over them.”
    â€œIncluding Logan? What about you? Who’s protecting you?”
    â€œLogan and I can take care of ourselves.”
    Moisture filled her eyes.