Some Like It in Handcuffs (2 page)

She jerked her neck to move her hair from her face. Dressed the way she was, she’d play along. She swished her hips in an exaggerated movement and followed the row between the desks. Detective Gates kept things going with a loud whistle. Several others joined in. Jeers and laughter echoed off of the bare white walls.

She bent her head to hide her laughter. From the corner of her eye she noted Judson’s hard jaw. Sunny straightened until she stood her full five feet two inches in height. Someone needed to teach him to loosen up. He pushed her in the direction of the small interrogation room on the other side of the building.

Before she disappeared through the archway she twisted around to give the room of rowdy detectives something to remember her by.

“This is for all you hard working boys.” Sunny tilted her head, closed her eyes, puckered her lips, and sent them all a loud lip smacking air kiss.

The room went wild, and Mr. Serious pulled her through the arch none too gently. He tried to hide it, but she caught his small smile before he turned his head to the side.

“You like that, big guy?” Sunny giggled. “Too bad you didn’t opt for that muzzle.”

He quirked his brow, but didn’t bother with an answer as he led her down the narrow hallway to the second room on the right.

When the door snapped shut, her smile faded at the angry gaze of not only her two older brothers, Derek and Brent, but the more disturbing frown of Captain Kennedy, her father. Apparently Craig hadn’t arrived in time to join the festivities.

She matched their glares. They needed to know right from the start she had no plans to back down; they couldn’t intimidate her one iota.

Sunny rolled her eyes. “Great. A family reunion.”

****

Judson unlocked the cuffs holding Sunny’s wrists hostage in one fluid motion. He stood mesmerized at the way she massaged her delicate skin while casting her gaze around the room.

He had every intention of removing the cuffs for the ride to the precinct, but after she’d given him attitude, he decided to teach her a lesson in humility. As for confessing to her he knew her identity, he’d kept it secret as soon as another employee from the bar had been placed in the car with them. No matter if she was off her case or talked her family into letting her continue, he couldn’t risk blowing her undercover work prematurely by leaking her cover to the bubble gum snapping waitress that rode with them.

Judson folded his arms over his chest. She had moxie; he’d give her that. For someone so little she packed quite the punch, at least when it came to her sassy mouth and big attitude. He held back his smile at the way she stared down her brothers and her father.

The cool concrete seeped into his bones as he leaned against the wall of the soundproof room and surveyed the group before him. The oversized suit coat dwarfed Sunny’s small frame, and she looked like a rebelling teen.

The thought of helping her with her latest case gnawed at his insides. He only agreed out of respect for Captain Kennedy and the camaraderie he shared with her brothers. He didn’t like working with another female partner, especially one who had no experience with a cold case investigation. Hell, she probably wanted to be an investigator because this week it looked glamorous. Or maybe she relied on her brothers for help. Either way, the faster they completed this case, the quicker he’d be on his way to Montana.

As he studied Sunny, a knot of unease tore through his gut. The first word to come to mind was trouble. He brushed his hand through his hair knowing one thing for certain; he’d never be able to wear that jacket again without thinking of her.

“You might as well take a seat and get comfortable.” Derek glared down at her from the length of his perfectly proportioned nose with the combined arrogance of all her brothers. He pulled out a chair and patted the metal seat with the palm of his hand.

Sunny’s hand flew to her hips. To accommodate her brother’s height, she tipped her head back to look him in the eyes. “Get a grip. Quit treating me like I just scored detention on the playground.” His habit of acting like her father, instead of her brother, was something he should’ve gotten over long ago. He seemed to forget she was a twenty-five year old woman, running her own business, whom managed to take care of herself quite nicely. Thank you very much.

She glanced around the gray concrete room, her gaze finished with Judson. He leaned against the wall with an amused expression on his face. One leg crossed the other, and his arms folded over his chest. Who invited him to listen in on an obvious family discussion? Sunny’s cheeks burned as she stepped toward him.

She wiggled her shoulders to dislodge his jacket. Her arm extended in his direction, and the weight of his large suit coat dangled from the tip of her finger. “Thanks for the use of your jacket, and your time detective, but you’re free to leave. I’m sure we can handle it from here.”

The corners of his lips twitched before curving into an emotionless smile. “I’ll just stick around to keep
you
in control.”

“Your chances of taming a tiger with a whip and a chair would be better.” Sunny flashed him an extra large smile, sure to show her teeth through tight lips, and then turned away. She didn’t have time to deal with his over inflated ego.

Sunny ignored the testosterone-filled room and pulled out a chair. She plopped into the seat, managing to keep a straight face when her bare legs met cool metal. When her heartbeat returned to normal, she leaned back, stretched her legs out to rest her feet on the chair across from her, and calmly inspected her well-bitten fingernails.

All of the men in the room wore suits and the sounds of the various fabrics rustling against each other as they shifted their positions drowned out the deafening buzz of silence. A giggle stuck in her throat as she waited for someone to speak. With certainty it wouldn’t be her.

“We know what you’re up to.” Derek ground out through tight lips.

“What possessed you to work undercover at Benny’s?” Brent’s level voice caused her to stop the inspection of her non-existent manicure to look at him. She had to hand it to him, he deserved credit for his consistent temper.

“Wow, you know what I’m up to? Maybe you should think about becoming detectives.”

“Ha ha, and you should hit the road on the next comedy tour.” Derek’s bark chilled the length of her spine.

“Derek.” Ray Kennedy reprimanded his son with one softly spoken word.

Sunny crossed her eyes at her brother and grinned.

Pursing her lips she resumed the examination of her fingernails. If only she had a nail file. “None of you would shut up long enough to hear what I had to say when I first mentioned working the DeVito case. So, since I didn’t see the need for a signed note from my
daddy
, or anyone else, I took it because I wanted to.”

Derek towered over her. His needle sharp gaze targeted her with displeasure. “Wait one damn minute—”

“No, you wait
one damn
minute.” Sunny pushed from her chair, balancing her weight on the balls of her feet to add height. “For twenty-six years Mr. DeVito has waited in limbo for the murderer of his daughter to be found then convicted. I’m going to help him. It’s about time someone did.”

“Hell, the case is older than you are.” Derek chuckled.

“And colder than you,” Sunny shot back.

“Damn it, the case is closed.” Derek roared. “There’s a small issue of lack of evidence.”

“That’s enough, son.” Ray Kennedy placed a firm hand on Derek’s shoulder, silencing the argument.

Sunny turned toward her dad with gratitude. Despite coming to her defense, his expression was far from sympathetic. The hard set of his jaw, narrowed eyes and the way he rubbed his left temple spoke of his displeasure with what she was doing. She swallowed, and tilted her head to the side.

“Daddy, the case was shelved too soon.” Her brothers rolled their eyes. They were well aware of the special tone she used to get past her father’s defenses. “You and Glen DeVito worked together as rookies. He’s running out of time. Don’t you want him to know what happened to Karina?”

The hard lines on her father’s face disappeared. He stepped toward her. “We went over all of this before, Sunshine.” Sunny relaxed at the use of her pet name. She might just stand a chance to persuade him after all. “I know Glen’s convinced who’s responsible.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Unfortunately, there’s no proof.”

“That’s where I come in, Daddy. Somebody knows something and after all of these years they might be ready to talk, and Benny’s is the perfect place to start.” She swung around to face her brothers. “And the evidence box, if the department gives me the green light to go through it and see what’s logged, maybe there’s something we can test against a suspects DNA. It’ll be a chance the police weren’t given twenty-five years ago since DNA testing wasn’t available.”

“Glen was a highly respected officer. Although he’s retired, he should’ve known better than to get you involved in this. You don’t have experience with this type of investigation.” Her father nodded as Derek spoke.

Her shoulders sank at the look on their faces, unbending like rods of steel. Unfortunately the men in her family didn’t share her confidence, and she was tired of always having to prove herself to them. Sunny loved them, but they needed to open their eyes and see her for the woman she’d become, not the little girl she used to be.

“I want a challenge. I’m sick of hiding in the shadows and lying low in the front seat of a car taking pictures of cheating spouses.” She folded her arms over her chest. “I can do this. I’ve already proven myself. I have more job offers than I can handle.”

“We all know you’re good at your job, but stick to what you know.” Derek approached her in a soothing, authoritative voice. Like that of a man talking down to a willful, out of control child. He would try and coax her into following his commands like she was ten years old all over again.

She spun around in his direction and slammed the table top with her fist. The echo floated through the room and drew four pairs of wide eyes in her direction.

“Don’t patronize me, Derek.” Sunny spoke through gritted teeth. Her palm stung, but she wouldn’t let her discomfort show.

Brent put his hand in front of his brother to stop his guaranteed retort.

“Nobody doubts your abilities. We worry about you,” Brent said.

“You have a funny way of showing it.” She scowled and tossed a section of hair behind her shoulder with the flick of her wrist.

“Both Benny and Slater have extensive criminal records.” Her father spoke. “Slater alone has been in and out of jail since his teens.”

Brent added, “The pair are dangerous and we don’t want you mixed up with them. Working at that dive, around those two thugs, just because Glen thinks they know something about his daughter’s murder, is pure craziness.”

“Your association with them puts you at risk. Have you thought about that?” Judson’s gravelly voice rubbed her the wrong way.

Sunny spun on her heel and glared at him. “No comments from the peanut gallery.” With a proud tilt to her chin she blocked out Judson’s broad chest and tight jaw line to meet her brother’s stares. “Danger, risk, each of you should look in the mirror. Everyday I’m scared to death one of you will get hurt, but I don’t try and stop you from doing
your
jobs.” To hide the tremble of her hands she rested them on the back of the chair.

“Don’t even start—” Derek stepped in her direction, but Brent waved him away.

“I can help Mr. DeVito.” Sunny met her father’s face and she blinked several times. “Daddy, let me prove it.”

She sank into the chair covering her face with her hands. Drained both physically and mentally, she doubted her own ability to make her family understand as she swallowed a sob. Her head ached as she acknowledged how little time Mr. DeVito had left. The doctors gave him less than sixth months before the cancer would take over completely.

Her father rubbed her shoulders softly and leaned down toward her ear. “Shhh, Sunshine. I know you want to help Glen, but—”

“But do you have to do it bartending in a disgusting strip joint wearing that ridiculous outfit?” Derek waved his hand toward her shaking his head.

Sunny stiffened, lowering her hands to meet Derek’s hard expression. Her father stepped toward him shaking his head. “I’m wearing more clothes than most people wear to the beach. So get a straw and suck it up.”

Derek’s hand fell to his side. His fists clenched and unclenched several times. Her dad gripped her brother around the back of the neck with the span of his palm. Derek spit out a breath then shoved his hands deep inside his front pockets. The motion probably helped him resist the urge to strangle her.

“Be thankful I don’t have any rhythm, otherwise
I’d
be stripping.”

The twinkle in Judson’s eyes gave her hope he might not only have a bod built for action, but a sense of humor. Her heart thudded against her ribs as their gazes connected. Heat covered her like a blanket. First to look away, she studied a small group of sequins on her shorts that formed a flower.

From beneath her lashes she examined her brother’s reaction, reveling in the fact Derek’s face was a mask of red. The angry vein popping out on his neck knotted into a tight cord. Of all her siblings, she butted heads with him the most. She secretly enjoyed their confrontations, especially when she had one up on him.

Derek snapped his head toward her and growled, “You don’t have to tend bar at that dive to work on this.”

Sunny jerked her head to look at her brother with a half grin. Even though they were all stubborn, she had a wonderful family, but she knew him too well. He wanted her to work the case like he suggested; from behind a safe wall. Next he’d offer to help, and before she knew it he’d be calling the shots. Not a chance. This was her baby and she’d see it through to the end.

“I can’t get the information I need doing it your way. You said so yourself, it’s not there. I have to stay in contact with Benny.” Sunny looked past Derek to include her father and Brent.