Daylight Robbery (An Aspen Falls Novel)

by Melissa Pearl

  Her list of standard questions came easy—Where’d they find her? What brought her to the station?

  Melina scribbled down notes and ideas as she listened.

  It sounded like a unique case, and Melina was thrilled to be a part of it. She could hear the determination in Kellan’s voice. For some reason, he seemed invested in this case. Not only would she be able to help this girl, but it could also mean working alongside him for a day or two.

  She squashed her grin by biting her lips together, then carefully said, “I’ll come down to the station. I’d like to observe her before starting a conversation, so why don’t you line Nate up for a brief interview, just so I can see how she reacts to him before conducting one of my own?”

  “Sounds good,” Kellan clipped before his voice dropped low and soft. “Thanks for your help, Melina.”

  Oh damn, she loved the way he said her name.

  She closed her eyes and melted back into her chair, giving herself one luxurious moment to swim in her fantasy before politely ending the call and getting on with her job.

  8

  Wednesday, September 26th

  3:15pm

  Nate stood in the “closet” with his arms crossed and his feet spread as he stared at the girl in the interview room. He wasn’t too happy about what had happened to his kid brother during the arrest, and Kellan was worried he might take it into the interview room.

  He watched Nate’s jaw clench. “I can find someone else to talk to her. Maybe Courtney will do it.”

  “Courtney has zero experience questioning suspects. Why would you even suggest that?”

  “Because you look pissed off right now, and I don’t think we’ll get anything out of the girl if you go in with guns blazing.”

  Nate drew in a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing as he exhaled. “I’m fine. I’m calm. The second I walk through that door, I’ll go into detective mode, but behind this glass I’m allowed to be annoyed that she hit my brother with a rock and got him kicked in the gonads.”

  Kellan winced and murmured, “That story did not take long to spread.”

  “It was inevitable.” Nate let out a short, hard laugh before clearing his throat. “Poor guy is going to live with it for the rest of his career.” Nate shook his head, then ran a hand through his fine hair as he admitted, “It’s not just that. I get pissed off with these punk kids who think they can just waltz into someone’s house and steal their stuff. And then when they do get caught, they show no remorse.”

  “I think she’s too scared to show remorse.” Kellan tipped his head to study the girl. She seemed to grow smaller and more vulnerable each time he looked at her. The father’s heart in him beat out of time and he glanced away from her, desperate to shut off the emotion.

  Nate was right.

  She was a thief, and she had attacked one of his men. He shouldn’t be feeling so much sympathy toward her.

  A soft tap on the door made him turn. He held his breath as it opened to reveal Melina. As usual she was dressed with a casual elegance that she made look easy—pale blue skinny jeans paired with a simple black sweater and a long scarf loosely draped around her neck. The pale pink cotton hung past her waist and matched her lipstick perfectly. Her hair was down, the long, straight locks reaching past her breasts. The overhead light caught the subtle red hue in her hair, and Kellan’s lips wouldn’t control themselves. The right side of his mouth curled into a smile as he drank her in.

  “Hey, Kellan. Nate.” She nodded at both of them, her hazel gaze skimming his before she stepped past him to look through the glass.

  Her citrus scent teased his nostrils, his blood thrumming with desire. He’d never have her, because…well, he didn’t have anybody.

  It was safer that way. Easier.

  Until she was standing only a couple of feet away.

  Since his ex-wife, Melina had been the first woman to really turn Kellan’s head. The first time he’d met her, he’d barely given her a second glance. It had been an intense domestic abuse case, and she’d arrived on the scene to hurry the children away with the help of two of his officers. It wasn’t until the second time they met that he really noticed how beautiful she was. And the more he got to know her, the more beautiful she became. Her prettiness was soul-deep. It emanated out of her—the way she spoke to people, the special winks and secret smiles she shared with the kids, the way she conducted herself with such elegant humility. She was oblivious to the effect she had on people…particularly him.

  Melina tipped her head as she studied the girl behind the glass. Her soft pink lips parted ever so slightly.

  “What do you think?” Nate asked her.

  She rested her forefinger under her chin. “Why is she cuffed?”

  Kellan cleared his throat before answering. “She’s unpredictable. We figured keeping her cuffed was the safer move.”

  “Well, that won’t do. If you want her to talk, we’re going to have to lose those cuffs.”

  Kellan wanted to open his mouth and protest, but Melina knew what she was doing. He’d allow it. The room was locked and secure; if she was a flight risk, she couldn’t get far, and Nate was capable of looking after himself and keeping Melina safe.

  Besides, the girl was a skinny kid with no rocks to help her out this time. It wasn’t like she could do much.

  Melina’s eyes narrowed at the corners. “She looks too young to be such a good thief.”

  “Agreed.” Nate nodded. “I think she’s working as part of a crew.”

  Melina shot him a quick glance. “She looks too young to be part of a crew. Unless that crew is her family, or maybe a gang or something.”

  “That’s what we need to find out.” Nate squared his shoulders, ready for battle.

  “Wait.” Melina touched his arm. “Let’s not make this an interrogation. We do need to find out all that information, but the first thing we need to do is get her comfortable enough to open her mouth. From what Kellan’s told me, she hasn’t said one word, which is a sure sign she doesn’t trust us. Her view of the police force has been skewed by something, and I want to know just how badly. When we go in there, you keep it simple. I’m just going to introduce myself and then stand in the corner. You need to be friendly. Take the cuffs off. Stay ultra calm and act as if you don’t care either way if she talks or not. It’s no skin off your nose.”

  Nate’s stance relaxed, Melina’s soft voice already working on him. Rolling his left shoulder, he let out a breath as if shifting into character.

  “Why don’t you take in a pen and paper as well?” Melina unzipped her bag and struggled to balance it while she rifled around inside.

  Kellan stepped forward to assist, not minding the chance to be just a little closer to her for a moment.

  Her flash of a smile warmed him, as did her intoxicating perfume that swirled up his nose. He subtly gazed at the side of her face while she pulled things from her bag. Her skin looked soft and smooth. His fingers itched to find out what it felt like, but he’d never succumb to the urge.

  “She might be more comfortable writing something down.” Melina held out the pen and pad to Nate.

  He took them before glancing at the equipment. “We all set?”

  Kellan nodded in reply to his question as he scanned the camera feed and quickly adjusted the volume on the sound recorder.

  “Then let’s do this.”

  Nate went to straighten his tie but was stopped when Melina shook her head.

  “Actually, take that off. If we’re going for ‘casual, easygoing, I’m no threat,’ lose anything that screams ‘detective.’”

  Nate’s shoulders slumped as he reluctantly took off the tie and grumbled, “Why don’t you just talk to her yourself?”

  “I want to see how she reacts to you first. Let me get a handle on her, and then I can take over. I can figure out a lot just from watching her reaction over the next few minutes.”

  Nate looked over Melina’s head and caught Kellan’s eye. He nodded, liking t
he plan even if Nate didn’t.

  The girl was an unknown.

  He didn’t want Melina trying to buddy up to her until he knew for sure that she posed no kind of threat. Nate could take care of himself and easily bring the girl down if he had to.

  His gaze drifted down Melina’s slender body as he kept the thoughts to himself. He didn’t want to come across like some sexist jerk. Melina could probably take very good care of herself, but he didn’t want to put her in a position where she even had to. Nate was tall and imposing, so even though he was going in with a friendly smile, the kid would know not to try anything on him.

  Sidling up to Melina’s side, Kellan suddenly wished he were just a little taller and more imposing. Melina was in low-heeled ankle boots and yet they were still the same height. He’d always been the shortest guy in class at school, but his mother assured him that his quiet confidence and unruffled demeanor made up for it in spades. He was never bullied in school, and even though he was one of the shortest men at the station, he was still looked up to and respected by all.

  Turning to look at Melina, he found her staring back at him. Her hazel eyes had gold flecks that seemed to sparkle when she smiled. Maybe being short wasn’t such a bad thing. He could look directly into those beautiful eyes of hers.

  9

  Wednesday, September 26th

  3:35pm

  Kellan had nice eyes.

  It wasn’t the color or shape that made Melina’s heart trill. No, it would always be their depth. There was a kindness in his gaze. Although he didn’t smile much and conducted himself with complete poise every time she’d ever seen him, there was something about his eyes that won her over every time.

  They gave away more than he realized.

  Melina bet he didn’t know that about himself.

  He was a man of many layers; she didn’t have to look hard to see that.

  Everyone knew it took a lot to shake up Kellan Marks. Cool, calm and control in all circumstances was his usual MO. She’d heard rumors that he chewed out officers when they really crossed the line, but she couldn’t even imagine him raising his voice.

  He was ordered, which meant it would take a lot for anyone to break through those layers and find out what really made him tick. She’d love to give it a try, but she had a feeling he’d never let her, which was why he would forever be her fantasy and not her reality.

  As if suddenly aware that they were gazing at each other, Kellan blinked and cleared his throat, turning to stare at the girl. Melina didn’t move to follow Nate, keeping her eyes on the side of Kellan’s face instead. He could probably sense her perusal, but he didn’t act like it.

  He had a strong face—a sharp nose and defined chin. She liked the shape of his ears and the way they sat back flat against his head. His buzz cut, which was a style she didn’t usually love on guys, suited him. He didn’t seem the kind of man to ever wear product. She’d be surprised if he even owned a bottle of aftershave. He still smelled good, though. A musky, manly scent that did things to her body.

  She could feel her stomach squeezing with desire until she spotted something around the edges of his expression. His jaw clenched, and the edges of his mouth turned down as if a cloud of sadness was sweeping in front of his sunlight.

  “I wonder how old she really is,” Kellan softly murmured.

  Melina’s eyebrows dipped together for just a moment as she tried to figure out the ache in his voice. Glancing at the girl, she softly said, “She looks somewhere between thirteen to fifteen. Maybe sixteen at a push.”

  Kellan bobbed his head, his eyes not leaving the girl. And suddenly it struck her.

  Was Kellan thinking about his daughter? The one who went missing all those years ago?

  When was that? Melina scrambled to do the math in her head, but didn’t have time to finish before Nate stepped up behind her.

  “Are you coming?”

  “Oh, yes.” Melina forced a smile, hoping she wasn’t blushing too hard or looking flustered. Nate had a can of Coke in his hand. Melina pointed at it as she stepped out of the room. “Nice touch.”

  “Thanks.” He nodded. “Hope it works.”

  Melina followed him down the corridor and paused outside the interview room. Nerves skittered through her the way they always did when meeting a difficult child. The poor things were usually hurting deep and it was always hard to reach them. Melina hoped she and Nate would be enough.

  Pushing the door open, Melina noted how the girl tensed. A tendon in her neck strained tight as her gaze shot between them.

  Nate approached the table, his large footsteps sounding loud in the small place.

  “Hey, I’m Nate.” His smile was warm and friendly. “I work here at the station.”

  Good start.

  “This is Melina.” He pointed at her. “She’s a social worker and super nice. She wants to help me figure out the best way for us to take care of you.”

  Melina smiled warmly. “Hey there.” She placed her business card on the desk so the girl could see she was legit. By the way her eyes darted to the card, Melina could tell she was reading the information.

  The girl’s eyebrows bunched together and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Melina took a step back, resting her shoulder against the wall and crossing her arms. She wanted to throw off a casual, unhurried vibe and broke eye contact with the girl, instead focusing on Nate. The girl might be feeling that sense of two against one, and Melina wanted to remain on the periphery of the interview until she felt like it was the right time to step in.

  Placing the soda on the table, Nate took a seat opposite the girl. “You like Coke? The other detective here, Cam, she drinks it like it’s water. I tell her it’ll rot her insides, but she claims it tastes so good she doesn’t care.” Nate grinned. “I’m more of a coffee guy. You?”

  The girl frowned at him like he was insane before glancing at the Coke can. The tip of her tongue shot between her lips before she pressed her mouth into a stubborn, thin line. She kept eyeing the drink, though.

  She must be thirsty, Melina thought. But she’s looking at that drink like it’s forbidden. Interesting.

  Melina tucked the thought away, adding it to the processing wheel that was already turning her mind.

  “So, I know you don’t want to talk.” Nate leaned back in his seat, like he was getting ready to reach for a remote and treat himself to a Netflix binge. He crossed his ankles and threaded his hands across his stomach. “But we really want to help you, and in order for us to do that, we need some information.”

  The girl’s upper lip began to curl before she caught her expression, swallowed and looked away from him.

  She doesn’t think we can help her. We’ve got some major trust issues going on here. Is it more than just plain old fear?

  Nate put on another friendly smile and Melina winced. It looked too forced. “Just relax,” she whispered under her breath, but he didn’t hear her.

  “So, if I’m going to help you, you need to help me.” Nate sat up again and rested his elbows on the edge of the table.

  The girl clenched her jaw, her nostrils slightly flaring.

  “Let’s start with something really easy. Can you tell me your name?”

  The girl looked down at Nate’s question.

  “Okay.” Nate raised his hands as two white flags. “No names. That’s fine. How about where you live? You from around here?”

  The girl clenched her jaw again, the taut muscles making her face look even sharper and more severe.

  Nate leaned down to try and catch her eye. “You really don’t want to talk to me, do you?”

  She glanced up enough to give Nate a withering look that made Melina grin. The girl definitely had spunk. She’d give her that.

  Nate shot Melina a quick look that spoke a hundred words. She’s going to be hard to break! Stubborn little shit.

  Melina pressed her lips together to hide her grin and shook her head when he pointed from her to the girl.

&nb
sp; Not yet. She wanted to observe just a little more before opening her mouth.

  She got a sense that deep down, the girl wanted to talk. Most children were born with an innate sense of wanting to please those in authority. They just had to play the right cards and hope she’d relax enough to say something.

  Nate sighed and turned back to face the girl. He didn’t move for a moment, as if he was warring some internal battle, but then his shoulders relaxed and he put on another friendly grin.

  “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t I take off those cuffs? Let’s start with that.” Nate moved cautiously, gently releasing the girl and sitting back while she rubbed her wrists. “Better?”

  The girl gave nothing away, simply staring at Nate while he slipped the key back into his pocket.

  “So, if you don’t want to say anything, maybe you can just write it down. Let’s forget about your name and start with your birthday.” Nate slid the sheet of paper over the table and placed the pen across the top right corner of the sheet.

  She stared at it for a moment, eyeing it warily.

  “You do know…how to write?” Nate asked, his eyebrows lifting in question.

  The girl glared at him and snatched the pen off the table.

  That a girl. Come on now, Melina thought, shooting a small smile at the glass.

  With any luck, Kellan was watching this unfold and feeling a little hopeful. He wouldn’t let it show, though. She could picture his poker face, even if she couldn’t see it.

  Nate, on the other hand, was failing to dampen his triumphant smile as he opened the can of Coke and placed it next to the paper. “Take your time. I’m just going to sit here and watch you, okay?”

  Melina’s eyes narrowed as she studied the girl’s hands. Her fingers were long and agile. Melina could tell by the way she played with the pen, spinning it in her fingers as she toyed with the idea of compliance.

  Threading her fingers together, Melina bounced her hands against the top of her thigh while they waited.