Free Wicked Release by Katana Collins Page B

keeping her safe? They had tried doing it together and they both nearly got killed. But she didn’t let him get another word out. Turning the doorknob, she shoved her way out the door and back over to the elevators.
    He followed her, rushing out the door, and nearly slammed into her petite shoulder.
    â€œMatt,” she said as the elevator doors slid open and Sam’s partner walked out.
    Matt’s eyes flashed with an emotion Sam couldn’t quite read as they slid from Jess to Sam and back again. A grin spread slowly across his face. “Well, hey, you two. Jess, twice in one day . . . hell, twice in the course of an hour. Impressive.”
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” Jess asked.
    â€œI got a call that Zooey was awake. I need to Mirandize her.”
    Sam slid a look to Jess as she fidgeted with the strap of her purse.
    â€œYou two didn’t talk to her, did you?” When neither of them answered, Matt looked to the ceiling. “Fuck me.”
    â€œIt wasn’t anything,” Sam began. “I didn’t say anything—Zooey called Jess in as a friend and I stood by to chaperone.”
    â€œDammit, Sam. You can’t be the chaperone. You’re not even on active duty yet. What the hell were you guys thinking?”
    â€œWe were thinking that Zooey is not a murderer. And she didn’t try to kill herself. She just—she didn’t do this, Matt.”
    â€œMaybe not,” Matt said, scratching his goatee. “But you can’t pull that shit again. Jessie, you can’t even be on these cases anymore. Not with your link to—”
    â€œI know,” she interrupted. “I know that. And officially, I’m not on the case. But Captain Straimer has yet to pull me off, so I can only assume that I’ll be called in for other cases that are unrelated.”
    Matt sighed, looking to Sam. “And you? What’s your excuse? You of all people should have known better.”
    Sam grinned at his buddy. “You’re the good cop, remember? I’m the bad cop.”
    Matt’s scowl softened at that and he rolled his eyes, reluctantly fist-bumping him. “Tango and Cash. You okay? Should you even be out of bed?”
    â€œI feel okay. I’ll probably be put back on active duty soon.” Though based on the way his head throbbed, it wasn’t likely. Not unless they got hit with a heavy caseload and Straimer had no choice but to call him in.
    â€œYou guys better hope to hell that Zooey doesn’t tell anyone you were in there. I’ll do my best to sweep it under the rug, too.” He paused, giving them each a small smile. “I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing. By the way,” he said to Jess, “Your lipstick’s smudged.” Then he winked at Sam. “Yours is, too.”
    He walked in the direction of Zooey’s room, then paused and spun around to face them. “Oh, Jess, I didn’t get to tell you at your house. We swept the area outside of that tunnel. There was nothing. I mean, nothing we could use. Anyone can access that wharf from the dock. But thank you . . . for, uh, marking where you found Cass’s phone.”
    A splash of red fanned across Jess’s cheeks. “Please tell me it was just you who found it . . .”
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Sam demanded.
    Jess cringed. “I needed something to show where I had found her phone and . . . and . . . the only thing I had on me to leave there was the um, gift you gave me that night.”
    The gift? Sam stiffened as he remembered the vibrating panties he had given her the night of the party.
    â€œWipe that knowing grin off your face, Matt, or I’ll do it for you,” he growled.
    â€œSure thing, partner.” Matt tipped an invisible hat and took off in the direction of Zooey’s room once more.
    Sam watched him walk away for a second before turning to Jess. “I should probably go with