Free Black Widow by Jennifer Estep

watch,” Finn drawled, echoing my thoughts. “Especially on a captain’s salary.”
    A flush swept up Dobson’s thick neck, cranking up the color in his cheeks to fire-engine red. A few more titters of laughter sounded. Everyone in Ashland knew that the majority of the cops were even more crooked than the city’s criminals. I looked past the giant at the two uniformed officers and the woman with the clipboard. None of them were wearing any obvious, expensive bling like their boss was, but all three of them started shifting on their feet. Guilt by association.
    â€œI don’t care for your insinuations, Ms. Blanco,” Dobsonsnapped. “I work for the good people of Ashland. The ones that you’ve been menacing, terrorizing, and murdering for years.”
    Well, he had one out of three right.
    â€œAnd you haven’t been doing a very good job of it, now have you?” I said, my voice deceptively sweet and light. “If I’ve been doing all of that for all these years, like you claim. Seems like someone’s been slacking off on his job, the one that the good people of Ashland pay him to do. Apparently very well, judging from that watch on your wrist, just like my foster brother said. Who knew that being a civil servant could be so very rewarding?”
    More snickers sounded, making Dobson’s face burn even redder than before. I half expected a whistle to sound and for steam to start shooting out of his ears, like it would with a cartoon character, but of course that didn’t happen. After a few seconds, Dobson reined in his temper, and some of the angry flush faded from his face, although his brown eyes iced over that much more.
    â€œRegardless of your charming opinions, you need to come with me,” he barked. “I have a few questions to ask you down at the station.”
    He gestured at the uniformed officers. The two of them, a man and a woman, exchanged an uneasy look behind Dobson’s back. They didn’t want to get anywhere near me, not with my reputation. Smart folks. But they were more afraid of their captain than they were of me, because he turned and gave them a pointed glare, and they finally shuffled forward, the woman reaching for the handcuffs attached to her thick, black utility belt.
    â€œDon’t bother,” I told her. “I’m not going anywherewith you. I know my rights, and unless you have a warrant for my arrest, then I’m staying right here in my restaurant where I belong.”
    â€œThat’s not an option,” Dobson growled. “You’re coming with us, and that’s final, Ms. Blanco.”
    â€œForget it,” I snapped right back at him. “Especially since you still haven’t told me who I supposedly murdered.”
    His lips turned up into a smile. “Why, I thought you’d never ask. Her name is Shanna Bannister.”
    He reached into his jacket pocket, drew out his phone, and tapped on it. He turned the screen around so I could see the image he’d pulled up on it—a photo of the redheaded woman I’d killed in the storefront this morning.
    In the image, Shanna Bannister was wearing a white shirt with black pants, and her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. It was the same sort of outfit she’d had on when she attacked me, but her clothes and the stiff way she was standing reminded me of something, some sort of uniform . . .
    And I suddenly realized exactly who she was—the maid I’d seen serving lemonade to Madeline, Emery, and Jonah yesterday at the Monroe mansion.
    For whatever reason, the redheaded maid had come in here and tried to kill me. No doubt Madeline had arranged the whole thing, either by threatening Shanna in some way or promising her a rich payday if she succeeded in murdering me. But Madeline had also realized that I would more than likely take out the other woman instead, and now the acid elemental was going to trap me with my own