He lowered his gaze, then glanced up at me, his eyes filled with mirth, and he wondered if he should tell me.
“Tell me what?”
He shook his head, then gave in. “You called me Romeo.”
“What? I never…”
Chuckling, he nodded his head. “You did. Right after we got back from DC, in the parking garage, and you were heading to your car.”
“I did? Is that why you were laughing so hard?”
“Yeah.”
Speechless, I shook my head, feeling my face flush crimson with embarrassment.
“It’s okay, Shelby. It will be another one of our little secrets.”
I huffed out a breath, not quite ready to laugh about it. “Right. As long as you don’t tease me.”
He chuckled, not about to agree to that, and stepped out of my office. Glancing at my door, he said, “It looks like you need a nameplate. It will have to say, Shelby Nichols, M.R.
“What does that stand for?”
“Mind Reader.”
“Don’t say that…” I gasped and looked Jackie’s way, but she was busy and hadn’t heard. “I think just my name is fine.”
He smiled at how flustered I got around him. But then I’d called him “Romeo,” so it only made sense. “Where are you headed next?”
I pretended like I hadn’t heard the whole “Romeo” thing. “I told Dimples I’d stop by the precinct. He called and wanted my statement, so I’m going over there now.”
Ramos was thinking it was too bad Dimples knew my secret, and he hoped it was something the cop would keep to himself.
“He will,” I said.
“Good.”
“I’d better get going. I’ll let you know what Javier says.”
“Thanks, Shelby.”
We said our goodbyes, and I took the elevator to the parking garage.
After a quick drive to the police station, I pulled my badge from my purse and put it over my head. Inside, Dimples smiled to see me and thought about the surprise coming my way.
“What surprise?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he said, closing his mind. “You’re just in time to say goodbye to Gerard and his people. They’re clearing out as we speak.”
“What about Leo? Is he still here in lock-up?”
“Yes, but not for long. Gerard is personally escorting him back to prison.”
“Good.”
Two of Gerard’s men walked through the room carrying boxes, followed by Gerard himself. He spotted me and changed direction.
“Nichols. I guess I was wrong about you.” He stuck out his hand for me to shake. “Thanks for your help.” He was thinking that, after yesterday, my premonitions had to be real, and he’d remember me for future cases.
I let out a groan. “Uh…thanks, but it was nothing. I’m sure you would have found him sooner or later without me.”
His lips drew into a frown. Was I mocking him?
“Uh…because you’re good at your job, and you’ve got a great team,” I quickly added. He still held my hand, so I pulled it from his grasp. “Well…good luck with everything. I’m glad Leo’s going back where he belongs.”
“Thanks,” he said, nodding at both me and Dimples. Then he followed his team out of the office and down to the holding cell to retrieve Leo.
I let out a breath. “If he ever asks you for my help, please tell him I’m not available, okay?”
Dimples swore in his mind and shook his head. “Really? After he accused you of helping Leo? Well…I guess you must have left an impression on him.”
“No kidding.”
Dimples snorted, thinking it was pretty funny after all was said and done. I turned my cool gaze on him and lifted a brow. He pressed his lips together. “Come on…it is kind of funny.”
“No. Not really.”
Before he could respond, Chief Winder stepped out of his office with a happy grin on his face. I’d found Leo for them and made the U.S. Marshall eat crow. That was cause for celebration in his book. “Shelby. You’re just the person I wanted to see.” He joined us and his chest puffed up. He was thinking he could hardly wait to see the look on my face when I saw it.
“Hi chief, what’s up?” I asked, barely refraining to ask what it was I’d be surprised to see.
“Well, since you’ve been such an important part of our successes around here, we thought it only fitting that you have someplace special to work. So we found you a desk.” He pointed to the back corner of the room at an empty desk. It had a phone and a computer sitting on top, along with a pen holder and a stapler.
“What?”
He chuckled, happy to have surprised me. “Go take a look.” He was thinking that it was an extra desk that no one was using, and it wasn’t hard to find a phone and a computer for it. The chair wasn’t the best, but he’d requisitioned a new one for me that should arrive sometime next week.
I stepped to the desk, shocked to see a nameplate on top with my name on it. “This is for me?”
“Yes,” he said proudly. “It’s high time you had your own desk.”
Dimples tried not to laugh at the sheer shock on my face, managing a huge grin that sent his dimples curling deep into his cheeks.
“Wow. Uh…thanks so much.” Holy hell! How could this be happening? “Uh…I’m honored.”
“So are we,” the chief said, ready to head back to his office. “Oh…I haven’t seen your hours yet for all the work you did to capture Leo, so be sure and turn them in.”
“Uh right…I’ll get on that.”
With a parting smile at me, he left for his office, leaving me to stare at my nameplate sitting proudly on my desk where everyone could see it.
“So, what do you think?” Dimples asked, his eyes shining with merriment. “I hope you’re okay with it, but you need to know that it wasn’t my idea. The chief came up with it all on his own. I had nothing to do with it.”
“I believe you. It’s just a shock.” I wasn’t about to tell him about my new office at Thrasher, but the coincidence sent a shiver down my spine. Just for fun, I pulled the chair from behind the desk and sat in it. The seat sank and tipped to the side, nearly throwing me off.
“Whoa, careful there,” Dimples grabbed the armrest and straightened the chair. “I guess we’ll have to get you a new chair.”
“That’s okay. The chief already requisitioned it.”
“Oh…good to know.”
“Yeah, since this one sucks,” I agreed. Only this time I couldn’t help the note of sarcasm in my tone.
He chuckled. “I guess this means I’ll be seeing more of you around here?”
“Well, maybe.” I sighed, then decided to push the envelope a bit. “It will come in handy for my consulting business, right?”
Dimples’ eyes widened, then he shook his head and thought only I would say something like that. “Maybe. But I wouldn’t push it.”
“Hey,” I said, smiling. “If you count what happened to me yesterday, I earned every bit of this desk with my name on it.”
“That you did,” he quickly agreed. “So, you want to help me with a case I’m working on?”
“Ha, ha,” I said. “I think I’m taking the rest of the day off.”
Dimples nodded. “Yeah. I’m leaving soon too. I’ve got a fitting for my tux to go to.”
“The wedding’s in two weeks, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Hey, thanks for keeping Billy Jo from calling me about the DC incident.”
“That wasn’t me,” he said. “She’s been busy with the wedding, and since the media never got the names of anyone involved in that incident, you’re off the hook.” He watched my face as comprehension dawned. Wells. “Yeah…you must have friends in high places.”
“Good to know.” It relieved me to be kept out of it, and also worried me at the same time. He was right that there had been no mention of an escaped terrorist who’d been killed. What did that mean? “Well, I’d better get going. Good luck with your
fitting.”
We said our goodbyes and, since I was so close, I decided that I might as well stop in at Chris’s office and see how he was doing. As I left, I grinned all the way to my car. Who would have thought I’d have my own office at Thrasher, and a desk with my name on it at the precinct?
Who knew? Maybe I’d find a desk for me at Chris’s office with my name on it too? Crazier things had happened. I was moving up in the world, and things were changing. The last few days had changed me as well.
Facing Cypher had scared me to death, but he was dead and I didn’t have to worry about him again. I hoped Wells and Blake could figure out who was behind it all, but I preferred not to be involved in any of that.
Then there was Leo. He’d nearly killed Chris and Jackie, as well as me and Uncle Joey. In the end, I’d wanted to shoot him, and I might have done it. That scared me a little too, but at least I hadn’t, and he would soon be back where he belonged. But what did that say about me?
Then there was Erika. Uncle Joey had worked out a deal with her, but since she’d helped Leo, she should be in jail too. If I was an upstanding citizen, I’d do the right thing and turn her in but, for some reason, I just didn’t have it in me.
Did that mean I was turning to the dark side? Or did it just mean that there were times when it wasn’t all bad or all good. There were plenty of shades of gray in there, but I had to believe that, as long as I did my best, it would be enough.
I took the elevator to Chris’s floor and waved at the receptionist as I passed. She smiled, happy to see me. The story about how I’d saved Chris’s life with my premonitions crossed her mind, and she thought what I did was amazing. Just like a superhero, only for real.
That brought a smile to my face, and I had to admit, there was a part of me that did feel like a superhero. Reading minds had gotten me into a lot of trouble, but it had its good side, too. Would I want to give it up? The answer kind of shocked me, especially after Cypher, but no, I wouldn’t. Not now, and maybe not ever.
Chris’s executive assistant, Elisa, wasn’t at her desk, but glancing through the glass walls into Chris’s office, I caught sight of his handsome face while he spoke on the phone. He glanced up and caught sight of me, and a huge grin spread over him.
He motioned me inside, while finishing up his phone call. As he set the phone down, he stood and came to meet me. “Hey beautiful. You’re a sight for sore eyes.” He pulled me into his arms. “Have I told you how much I love you today?”
He pulled away just enough to bring his mouth down on mine in a tender kiss. Still holding me, he ended the kiss and touched his forehead to mine. “It’s crazy how almost dying makes you realize a few things.”
“Like what?” I asked, wanting to hear the words.
“Like how lucky I am to have you in my life.” He took a long breath and then let it out. “Let’s go away for a few days. Just you and me. What do you say?”
“I like the sound of that.”
“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?”
“Well, we’ve already been to Paris,” I said. “But I’ve always wanted to visit Italy. I hear it’s almost as romantic as Paris.”
He chuckled. “Let’s do it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” He was thinking that I couldn’t get into trouble if it was just the two of us, so why not?
“That makes sense, but you don’t have to convince me. I’d love it.”
We kissed again, and Chris thought that it would be nice to get away from all the craziness that was our lives, and I couldn’t agree more.
“We’ve got Dimples’s wedding in a couple of weeks. And don’t forget Miguel’s graduation and opening night, but other than that, I can’t think of anything else to keep us from going.”
He grinned. “Good. Let’s figure it out. So, what brings you here?”
I laughed. “You’ll never believe what’s happened, but before I explain, I have to ask. Do you have an office in here somewhere for me?”
His brows drew together. “Uh…no.”
“Good.” As I explained the day’s events, I marveled at how lucky I was to share my life with this wonderful man. We’d both nearly died this week, but here we were, sharing events and planning new adventures.
And I knew, without a doubt, it didn’t get any better than this.
Thanks for reading Deadly Escape: A Shelby Nichols Adventure!
I am currently hard at work on Shelby’s next adventure and promise to do my best for another thrilling ride!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As the author of the bestselling Shelby Nichols Adventure Series, Colleen is often asked if Shelby Nichols is her alter-ego. “Definitely,” she says. “Shelby is the epitome of everything I wish I dared to be.” Known for her laugh since she was a kid, Colleen has always tried to find the humor in every situation and continues to enjoy writing about Shelby’s adventures. “I love getting Shelby into trouble…I just don’t always know how to get her out of it!” Besides writing, she loves a good book, biking, hiking, and playing board and card games with family and friends. She loves to connect with readers and admits that fans of the series keep her writing.
Connect with Colleen
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www.amazon.com/Colleen-Helme/e/B004JP9RWO/
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Deadly Escape: A Shelby Nichols Adventure (Shelby Nichols Adventures Book 11) Page 26
