With Ties That Bind: Book 2 (The Broken Bonds 5)

The shouting is an irritating background noise to my chaotic thoughts as they become increasingly and impatiently louder. Captain Wexler is giving me his signature ass-chewing. One I’ve earned and would feel badly about if it wasn’t for the imploding case I need to get back to.

“Are you hearing me, Quinn?”

Snapped out of my daze, I shift my gaze from Avery loitering in the bullpen on the other side of the glass wall to Wexler’s inflamed face. “I am, sir.” The annoyance is poorly masked in my gritted response.

His eyes flare. “You crashed up your car. On the fucking highway in mid-pursuit. A highway full of other drivers. You disobeyed protocol and disappeared for twenty-four hours with Johnson, and there’s yet to be a report on my desk—”

I nod to the file in my lap, eyebrows raised.

His face pinches. “You’re leaving me no choice.”

This gains my full attention. “No choice for what?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, he moves behind his desk and opens the top drawer. “Badge and gun.” He thrusts his hand out. “I’m sorry, Quinn. But you’re suspended from active duty until further notice.”

I’m out of the chair and bracing my palms on the edge of his desk, giving myself an anchor to prevent me from doing something stupid. Like throwing the chair through the glass. “Don’t do this. You know we don’t have time for politics. Sir,” I amend. “Avery’s not out of danger yet, and there’s a killer out there—”

Wexler sighs audibly. “Apparently, with my department, there’s always someone in danger and always a perp out there killing.” For a second, his features fall with despair, but he quickly pulls his hard captain persona back into place. “I have bosses, too, detective. And I’m taking it up the ass for the shit you pulled, so I need you out of here until it blows over. I promise, Avery will have the best detail on her at all times.”

More than anything, Avery’s safety is most important. I believe Wexler and the department have every intention of seeing to her safety, but I can’t step aside on this.

Resigned, I suck in a breath and pull out my leather holder and lay my shield on his desk next to the report

on Avery’s abduction. Then I unclip my GLOCK from my shoulder harness and set it alongside them. A pressure hits my chest like a wrecking ball. I’ve never been thrown off a case before. Never been suspended. Over twenty years of duty with one of the cleanest records, and this is my reward.

One moment of panic where I feared losing the woman I care about—where for the first time, I let instinct override logic—has torn that all away.

I turn to make a dramatic exit. I don’t regret a damn second that I put Avery first.

“Oh—and, Quinn?”

I pause with my hand latched to the door.

“Leave your notes on the case in your office. Good work on that. I’ll get a team to take over.”

My knuckles turn white as I grip the handle and crack the door open. “And Bonds?” I ask.

His groan clenches my teeth. “Send her in,” he says. “She’s next.”

I close the door and turn toward the captain. “You can’t take her off this case.” I’m shocked the words have left my mouth. Just twenty-four hours ago, I was undecided on how involved I wanted Sadie, questioning whether or not I could ever trust my partner again.

There are many levels of trust, however. And right now, I trust that Sadie will do whatever it takes to protect Avery. What I don’t trust is her method to see that through, and that’s the struggle of this new murky-gray water I now find myself treading.

Wexler narrows his gaze. “She fired her weapon from a moving vehicle on the highway.” He says this like it’s explanation enough. And really, the Ethan Quinn of just a month ago would’ve been the first to sign Sadie’s dismissal papers for that action. But today, I’d give her that order all over again in a heartbeat to save Avery.

“Bonds was only following my directive,” I say, lifting my chin. “I take full responsibility.”

He shakes his head. “That’s very admirable. But you know that’s not how it works. Her weapon, her reprimand.”

Remembering the last case and how well Bonds took my reprimand, I give Wexler a curt nod. Sadie will back off about as much as I will: not one bit. “Just know that Agent Bonds did what she had to in order to get Avery out of that van.”

Eyebrows hiked, Wexler says, “This isn’t personal, Quinn. Doctor Johnson—” he stresses, making me aware of my personal address of our department medical examiner “—is a part of our team. Everyone here is dedicated to protecting her and solving this case for her sake. You need to reevaluate your priorities. Gain some perspective.”

With a deep inhale, nostrils flaring, I straighten my back. “No disrespect, captain. But when it comes to one of our own, it’s very personal.” I face the door and open it. “You know where I’ll be when you need me.”

Before I exit, he says, “I do need you on this as soon as possible. That’s why I’m asking you to take some time to get your shit straight.”

I close the door behind me before I make the mistake of combating my superior. I’ve tarnished my reputation enough for one day. As I enter the bullpen, I can barely look Sadie in her jade green eyes. The betrayal she must have felt when I took her off the previous case resonates deeply.