Page 18 of Outrun The Devil
Shaking off the vision, Olivia's gaze darted to Nathan, a trace of anxiety lingering. She worried he might have noticed her momentary lapse. To her relief, he wasn't even looking in her direction.
Olivia's heart raced as she spoke up. “Missing your name tag it seems,” she asked, pointing to the spot where a name tag had been. A small hole was in its place.
The fight or flight response flashed in Liam’s eyes. Be smart, she thought to herself. Don’t run. Don’t run. But Olivia Collins knew they always ran when they had something to hide or if they had a previous run-in with the law. And in this case, she’d bet it was both.
Liam turned on his heels and made a break for it.
“And we’ve got a rabbit,” she mumbled.
They gave chase through the junkyard, the piles of metal and tarnished cars slowing them down. It was an endless maze with no visible exit in sight. Every time she thought she had him in her view, she lost him.
She was in uncharted territory so to speak. Liam was fast and agile, turning corners before she could even recognize there was somewhere to turn. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Nathan had gone a different way likely to flank him. But she couldn’t concentrate on what he was doing. If she did she’d lose sight of their target.
Liam threw down some junk from a pile he ran past, and Olivia tried to dodge it but ended up stumbling right into a car. Her shoulder hit first.
“Fuck,” she bit at her lip as she righted herself and continued her chase. The fence of the junkyard came into view, piles on every side that didn’t have much space to let her through let alone a man twice her size.
A dead end, Olivia thought. He’s got nowhere to go now. She drew her gun, pointing it at Liam Davidson.
“Police, stop,” she called out.
Liam looked around him, searching for a way out. Olivia took a step forward, reaching for her cuffs with one hand while the other kept the gun pointed. But that moment was all he needed as Liam found a way out, running again.
Groaning, Olivia took off after him again. But when she rounded the corner, she found Nathan on top of the suspect and struggling. She put her knee down on his back to help while Nathan attempted to put the cuffs on him.
Lord, this man was strong. Olivia had tackled plenty of men in her line of work but this one was exceptionally strong. Both of them had to use all their strength to hold Liam down long enough to slap the cuffs on him. He snarled and growled, his eyes glowing in the dim light of the scrapyard. Olivia felt her heart racing, the adrenaline coursing through her veins as they finally apprehended their suspect.
Again, Olivia was acutely aware of how useful Nathan was making himself without even trying. She hated it. Loathed it. Or so she was telling herself. Denial was something that Olivia Collins was all too well-versed in.
Nathan shoved Liam into the backseat and then climbed into the passenger seat. Grateful he didn’t try to drive, Olivia climbed into the driver's seat. Her hands gripped the steering wheel. The drive started silently as she pulled out from the junkyard. That was until she turned and dared a glance in Nathan’s direction.
Nathan grinned and she narrowed her eyes at him. “So, Collins, aside from work, what do you do in your free time? Any hobbies or interests?” Nathan asked.
He was relentless, Olivia would give him that. She regarded him with a raised eyebrow as if assessing his motives.
After a moment, Olivia relented. “I enjoy running. Clears my head, helps me focus.” It seemed like such a small detail to give up if only it would quell his questioning. He didn’t need to know that a glass of wine and a bath also did the same for her. No, that detail she kept to herself.
Nathan's smile widened. “Ah, a fellow runner! I knew there was more to you than meets the eye. We should go for a jog together sometime if you're up for it.”
Oh, come on. Of course, Olivia would pick something he'd be into. Though, perhaps, he was lying and just trying to get under her skin. What is your game, she thought to herself.
Olivia's lips twitched with a hint of amusement. “We'll see, Steele. We'll see.”
She’d never go on a run with him. The sooner they closed this case, the sooner Olivia could go home to that glass of wine and hot bath. The sooner she could forget all about Nathan Steele and his stupid, handsome face.
The car engine hummed as they continued their journey, and Nathan persisted in his attempt to unravel her. He probed and questioned, but Olivia remained resolute, unwilling to yield an inch.
With each question, she maintained her stoic facade, deflecting his inquiries with curt responses. Her guarded nature was an armor she wore, protecting herself from the vulnerabilities of personal connection. She had mastered the art of keeping her emotions locked away, hidden behind a wall of professionalism and distance.
Nathan's persistence was admirable, she had to admit. His determination to break through her defenses was both exasperating and intriguing. But Olivia wasn't one to easily let others in, especially not a rookie partner who seemed so intent on discovering her secrets.
As Collins and Steele stepped into the interrogation Room, the suspect jolted upright at the table, resembling an elementary student caught off-guard by the principal's entrance. While Steele settled into the side chair, Olivia flung a file onto the table but remained standing.
“Let’s start with your name,” Olivia began.
“Liam Davidson,” he declared, attempting to exude toughness, yet casting apprehensive glances at himself in the two-way mirror, revealing to her that he was a novice to interrogation rooms.
“Mr. Davidson, we found your nametag at a crime scene. Care to explain why that is?” Olivia asked, raising an eyebrow.