Yuletide Protector (Love Inspired Suspense) by Lisa Mondello Read Free Book Online Page B

entertain any notion of false arrest on this matter. I’ve seen the report. The officers at the salvage yard believed they had probable cause for an arrest. The department released your client as soon as they discovered there was no evidence on that tape. Your client should be happy they didn’t hold him the full forty-eight hours the law allows.”
    Bingham huffed. “Regardless, I want to file a restraining order against this officer.”
    “For what?” Matt said. “He’s already stated his reason for being at Ms. Carlisle’s office building was for her protection. It had nothing to do with your client.”
    Martha turned to Kevin. “Will Ms. Carlisle verify that you were there on her behalf?”
    “We spoke this morning and I told her that I’d follow her to make sure she got into her office safely.”
    “That’s ridiculous.” Bingham huffed. “This has been very distressing for Mr. Carlisle, and the notion—”
    “Poor guy,” Kevin drawled. “Plotting murder always takes a lot out of a man.”
    “The notion my client would be harmful to his wife is absurd.” Bingham sliced Kevin with an icy glare. “You hauled an innocent man off the streets and subjected him to brutality. As of this point, you’re on notice. If anyone in this department crosses the line and harasses my client again, I’ll make sure you all lose your badges.”
    Matt rolled his eyes, clearly having reached the limit of his patience. “My officers will continue to act in the best interests of the public and if in doing that they so happen to step on your client’s toes—”
    “Then it’s too bad,” Kevin interjected.
    “If you so much as come near my client—”
    “I have no intention of stepping one foot near your client,” Kevin warned, taking a step closer. “But you can tell him for me that I will be glued to his ex-wife from now on to make sure nothing happens to her. And if anything does, I’ll personally be hunting him down for that arrest.”
    With a haughty lift of his chin, Bingham spun on hisheel and strode away without looking back. It took a moment before anyone spoke.
    “That went well,” Martha said flatly with a tight smile, brushing the imaginary dust Bingham had left in his wake off the lapel of her navy suit. “Daria Carlisle did agree to having surveillance, Detective Gordon? Didn’t she?”
    He sighed. “Not in so many words.”
    Matt gave him a sidelong glance. “Exactly what words did she use?”
    Kevin stole a quick glance at the district attorney, who quickly waved him off and said, “I have a feeling I don’t want to know.”
     
     
    As Daria approached the house and pulled into the driveway she saw Kevin’s truck parked at the curb. He was waiting for her. She didn’t have to fear her ex-husband. Kevin’s scowl alone was enough to stop her dead in her tracks.
    “Where have you been? You said you were going to be home around six.”
    “Hello to you, too.” She leaned across the bench seat and picked up the flowers and glass vase.
    Kevin’s eyes fixed on the flowers, his stare intense, before he lifted his eyes to her. The intensity of his gaze never waned.
    She ignored his chilling look. She missed that fun-loving smile Kevin had had at the market. That would have been nice to come home to after the miserable day she’d had at work.
    “When were you going to tell me?”
    She feigned ignorance. “About what?”
    His jaw squared. “You know what I’m talking about. Carlisle came to see you today.”
    She couldn’t quite put a finger on what annoyed her more, greeting him when they were both in such a foul mood, or the fact that her ex-husband was all Kevin seemed to care about where she was concerned.
    “I wasn’t,” she answered honestly. “He was long gone before I arrived at work. I didn’t think it was necessary to tell you.”
    She’d thought about it all day, endlessly. She was a person who loved her job, prided herself on her work. But the number of mistakes she’d