Born to Love (The Vampire Reborn Series) (Entangled Ignite) by Caridad Pineiro Read Free Book Online Page B

the security guard.
    Diana instantly recognized the unease in the woman’s voice. It was the kind of prickly unease that confirmed the matter required her immediate attention.
    She halted, and gave David a sign to stop and wait for her. “A situation? Care to explain?”
    “We’ve got one of New York’s Bravest here. Says he needs to speak to you. And well, he’s got a lunch bag filled with slugs,” the female guard said with obvious concern.
    “Slugs? As in garden, or bullets?” Diana asked, wanting to make sure she understood correctly.
    “Bullets, Special Agent, but he’s unarmed and, well, he seems genuine. Not an EDP—emotionally disturbed person—as best as I can tell,” the guard said. “He wants to talk to you about last night’s murder.”
    Diana blinked. “Okay. Can you have someone escort him to the interrogation room on the main floor?”
    “Yes, ma’am, I will,” the guard said, and hung up.
    “What’s going on?” David asked, puzzled.
    Diana made a face. “Hell if I know. Maybe our first break on the case. Or maybe some wacko who just wants some attention.”
    She phoned Maggie and let her know what had happened, and where to meet them. By the time they reached the interrogation room, Maggie was already there. A few minutes later, the security detail arrived.
    The man standing between the two guards was drop-dead gorgeous.
    It was impossible to miss Maggie’s reaction to him. Her body did a slight jump of awareness, as did the man’s. They both moved slightly closer.
    The actions were not lost on David, whose features hardened.
    “Special Agent Reyes.” Diana held out her hand to the man, drawing his attention away from Maggie.
    “Lieutenant Rafael Lazaro. Rafe to my friends,” he said, and shook her hand.
    His palm was calloused, the hand of a man who worked hard. The lean muscles visible beneath a dark T-shirt with his fire company logo had also been earned with physical labor, not in a gym. Thick, wavy brown hair framed a ruggedly handsome face with intense, gold-flecked brown eyes. The laugh lines framing his mouth were at odds with his very worried and confused expression.
    Diana introduced Maggie first, and that flare of interest between them reared up again. Diana quickly stepped in to introduce David. Rafe’s manner was affable. David’s was professionally distant.
    After the introductions, the female security guard escorting him lifted the plain-paper lunch bag and jiggled it. Something inside rattled around.
    Rafe said sheepishly, “I tried to deal with them as best I could.”
    His words brought back CSU Evans’s comment from the night before about securing the crime scene. The coincidence totally elevated the weirdness factor. Diana grasped the bag and peeked inside. At least half a dozen bullets rested at the bottom of the paper bag.
    The firefighter looked around nervously and said, “Could we talk somewhere more private?”
    “Let’s go in here, shall we?” Diana opened the door to the interrogation room, waited for everyone to enter, then shut the door.
    Rafe paced along one wall of the room like a caged animal, repeatedly dragging his fingers through his thick hair, tousling it in agitation. “I know you’re going to think I’m crazy—”
    “Can we get you anything? Coffee or something?” Maggie asked.
    Rafe waved her off and continued his nervous pacing. “No, thanks. I’m jumping out of my skin as it is.”
    Diana spilled out the contents of the bag onto the white Formica tabletop. Seven bullets. If she had to guess, one thirty-eight caliber, and six nine millimeter. The exact rounds she and Maggie had fired the night before.
    “How did you get these?” she asked him.
    “I don’t know. I woke up naked in the alley by my firehouse. These were on the ground next to me. I didn’t know what to think, but I couldn’t just leave them there.”
    “Why not, Lieutenant Lazaro?” David asked, no hint of friendliness in his voice. “Were you involved