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Later, Cannon thought, he’d tell her about his news But not tonight She already had enough to deal with

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

HER FATHER’S CAR was in Dan’s drivehen they reached the house Margo stared at it, her heart swelling like a e in her throat

But by God, she would do her job "My father is here"

"Shit" Since he was driving, Logan made the decision to pass the house and park around the corner

Were they conspiring together? The thought hurt Down deep inside where no one could see, she ached so badly

In the seat behind her, Reese took in her expression and put a hand on her shoulder "I still think--"

"Stow it, detective"

Logan sided with Reese "You know you should--"

"No" She would not sit this one out It didn’t ht It didn’t even hed her doith guilt

He hadn’t liked staying on the sidelines, but he wasn’t a cop and he had no place in this Beyond being tangled in her dysfunctional life, which included work and faations His own friends, fao home

But it had been a concession under duress

He loved her

It was going to take time to wrap her mind around that, if in fact he still felt the same way after all the dust settled That could be days, even weeks

She was going to be very, very busy for a while

Not really sneaking, but definitely being unobtrusive, they went together up the street to Dan’s house Clouds crawled over the sun, ht breeze stirred the air, ra a mask of inscrutable nonchalance, she hid the disconored the pain in her jaw from Toby’s slap, and the worse pain in her soul from her father’s deceit

Reese led the way up the walk to the front door--but then he held up a hand When Reese drew his weapon, both she and Logan did the sa Toby It was protocol for an officer to hand over his firearm under those circumstances If she’d waited any time at all, she knew she’d be put on leave with all the restrictions applied to an officer shooting

That’s why she’d insisted on dealing with this right now

Fro, enraged voice

Reese sent her a look of inquiry, and she nodded He tried the doorknob and to their surprise it turned

As they stepped in, they also heard West speaking If anything, his quieter voice only soundedhe was there as well sent acid down her throat and into her stomach

Dan shouted, "It was necessary, God da a hooker?"

"Ex-hooker," West insisted, "and Margo didn’t know anything about your involve to--"

The sound of flesh hitting flesh, followed by a moan, led them to the kitchen A chair fell A cup broke

They stepped into the doorway to see West trying to pull the senior Peterson off Dan Ford

"I’ll fking kill you myself!"

West said, "Dad, daot shoved back and her father landed anotherline when you went after her"

"You didn’t rein her in!"

"I warned you to back off" Jaw clenched, her father wrenched Dan up close "You should have listened"

Margo stood there, waiting to see if the pieces would coether No one noticed the close to her!" Dan defended "I thought if ere sleeping together--"

Holding Dan by the front of his now bloody shirt, her father sla hi nose to nose with the cohter"

Beside her, Reese shifted, Logan frowned Their impatience was palpable, but she was too fascinated to interrupt

"You don’t even like her," Dan accused

He hauled up Dan "She Is My Daughter!" He rattled Dan like a rag doll "We have our differences, but you actually think I wanted her dead?"

More uncertain now, Dan ran a forearured she’d be scared, not dead It wasn’t personal It was just aa solution"

"I have another solution," West said, putting a hand on their father’s shoulder in an attempt to calm him "You can rot in jail"

"You aren’t even involved in this," Dan accused

"Asshole, she’s my sister," West said with rank huh to want a piece of you ht," Dan conceded "I deserved your anger But you need to cal to jail"