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you’re clean.”
    Delaney and Vanessa turned back to face the men. Vanessa bit her lip. “I’m so sorry. Very sorry. If I pay for all the damages right now, can we go?”
    The detectives exchanged silent communication before Zack inclined his head at his partner. “Keep tabs on these two while I speak to the complainant.”
    Detective Kim’s dark eyes crinkled at the corners. “I think I can handle them.”
    Zack strode past. Halfway to the parking strip, he jerked to a halt beside Delaney’s open car door. “Delaney?”
    Spirits sinking, she looked over and saw her purse toppled on the passenger seat, a casualty of her abrupt stop. The Glock had slid halfway out the unfastened top. Fantastic.
    Today was about to blow a whole lot harder.
    Zack’s broad shoulders went rigid. “Do you have a permit to carry concealed?”
    “I’m exercising my right to remain silent.”
    “Shit.” The mouth that had once-upon-a-time kissed her breathless pressed into a grim line. “Now I have to take you in.”
    Scowling, Zack slid a pen through the trigger guard to lift the Glock. He sealed it in a clear plastic evidence bag before retrieving the baseball bat and depositing both inside the Ferrari’s trunk.
    He pointed at Delaney’s handbag sprawled on the seat. “Got any more surprises in there?”
    “Not unless you consider super absorbency a threat.”
    “Mind if I check?”
    “Knock yourself out.”
    Zack quickly shuffled the contents. He switched off her car and locked it, then added her purse to the trunk.
    Vanessa put herself between Delaney and Zack. “This is all my fault. The gun is mine. Let her go.”
    Delaney shook her head. “No, it’s not! Shut up, Van. Carrying without a permit can land you in jail for a year.”
    “Yes, it is,” Vanessa insisted. “It’s mine.”
    “How about if you both remain silent,” Zack said. “And we’ll sort this out at the precinct.”
    The men exchanged another look, and Detective Kim grasped Vanessa’s elbow. “This way, ma’am.” Kim’s disciplined grace revealed Zack’s new partner shared his commitment to martial arts as he escorted Vanessa to the far end of the Porsche. When he began to recite the Miranda warning, her best friend burst into fresh tears.
    Delaney set her teeth. “Bastards,” she muttered.
    Zack withdrew handcuffs from his back pocket. “I have to cuff you.”
    “Oh, come on. I didn’t even make the top one hundred on ‘America’s Most Wanted.’”
    “You know the regs as well as I do. And you understand why I have to follow them.” He lowered his voice. “Especially with you.”
    She glared at him. “You made your priorities very clear.”
    A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Turn around and place your right arm behind you.”
     “I sure hope snuggling up with your procedural manual keeps you warm at night, Walker.” She pivoted, putting her back to him.
    “I did what I had to, Delaney.” His tone was as gentle as his hands while he carefully bracketed her wrist with cold steel.
    Delaney bit into her lower lip to stop it from trembling. “I’m sure that’s a huge comfort to Connor.”
    “I tried to help him.” Zack’s admission held a husky rasp that hadn’t been there a moment ago. “Give me your left arm. Okay. Face me again.”
    “You survived the academy together. You were partners, tighter than brothers. He trusted you. We trusted you. But when everything went to hell, you ran.” Wrists bound behind her, she stumbled when she attempted to turn around.
    Zack caught her, held her against him for a heartbeat before helping her straighten. “I did what was best…for all of us.”
    Shaken by the eerie events of the past twenty-four hours, she wanted to lean on his solid strength. But where did trust always land her? She raised her chin, and her defiant gaze clashed with his. She might have eventually forgiven Zack for abandoning her. But she could never forgive him for betraying her brother. “Careful. You wouldn’t