Free Dance Away, Danger by Alexa Bourne Page A

toward them. He wore his wrinkled, dark blue uniform. “Tessa! Thank God you’re all right!”
    She would not be afraid. She’d be Matt’s backup. They had to bluff long enough to get free.
    “What’re you doing here, Dave?” Her voice held a hard edge she’d never reserved for her one-time friend. How guilty was he in whatever Jason had tried to uncover?
    Dave stopped. “How can you ask with everything that’s going on?”
    She resisted the urge to seek guidance from Matt.
    “Yeah, I’m surprised you’re even at work today.” Alice flipped her hair over one shoulder and peeled her leather coat off. “If it was my brother missing, I certainly wouldn’t be.”
    She talked too much and said nothing. But Tessa didn’t want her stuck in the middle of the situation with Dave. “Alice, would you excuse us?”
    The woman pursed her lips.
    Please, Alice. Not today.
    Dave laid on his blond, blue-eyed boy-next-door charm. “Please. The three of us have some things to discuss.”
    “Of course.” Alice smiled and turned away.
    Dave’s gaze followed her around the corner to the front lobby. Seconds later, the chords of an easy listening ballad floated through the air. As soon as they were alone, his sharp features turned to stone.
    “You two need to come out of there.” He settled his hand on the weapon at his waist.
    “What did Jason have on you that made you go after your own partner?” Matt asked.
    “Matt!” She smacked his arm. Was he trying to get them in more trouble?
    “You said it yourself, Tess. If those other two cops are involved in Jason’s disappearance then it’s a pretty safe bet he is, too.”
    “I only know my partner was involved in some shady business and my friend was kidnapped.”
    “I wasn’t kidnapped.” And like hell she still considered him a friend. Was he really guilty, as Matt suggested?
    “Rylan has you confused.”
    “Hardly.”
    “I can help you.” Dave waved her toward him. “Grab whatever it is your brother sent you and come over to me. Then we’ll wait together for backup to take Rylan into custody.”
    How the hell did he know about the package? “No. Why don’t you explain how you, Pete, and Gerry plan to get away with any of your shenanigans,” she spat
    Matt grasped her hand.
    She swallowed the rest of her wound-up emotions. He was right to stop her tirade. Using logic would prevent a disaster.
    The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee filled Tessa’s nostrils. In a little over a half hour, ladies would begin arriving for dance class. Around the corner, Alice went about her business, humming out of tune and apparently oblivious to the dangerous situation less than six yards away.
    Tessa almost felt sorry for her.
    “What makes you think her brother gave her anything?” Matt asked.
    Dave pointed in Alice’s direction. “Her friend told me her brother sent her a package.”
    Nosy weasel.
    “It could have some highly sensitive information incriminating Jason and you, Rylan.” Dave took a step closer. “So, what’d you get, Tessa?”
    “Only my birthday present.”
    Another step toward her. “Oh, I don’t buy it. Your brother’s too smart to let a chance like that slip by.”
    She glanced at Matt, her mind spinning with a thousand different responses.
    “Evidence against you and your cronies,” he answered.
    “’Not possible.” Dave shook his head. “Tessa, if you get the package, I’ll show you how it points to your brother and his friend.”
    Tension spilled off Matt in waves. “That’s not going to happen.”
    His deadly tone rattled her.
    Dave’s fingers drummed casually on his gun.
    Adrenaline coasted to the balls of her feet. Dave had a gun at his side. Matt had one tucked in the back of his jeans. Someone would not leave the studio under his own power.
    “Tessa.” Dave drew his weapon. “Sweetheart, I need you to come here. This man has you tangled up inside. You can’t trust him.”
    Matt laid his forearm across her waist. “Don’t