“Warrant?”
Adrian’s voice cracked. No—broke. Like it hit the air wrong and collapsed. It didn’t even sound like him. Just this hoarse scrape that made everyone stop breathing for a second. Camille’s heart slammed up into her throat, nearly gagging her.
That badge—the cop’s badge—it flashed in the gross light overhead, like it knew it had power. Like it was laughing.
Camille’s palms slipped on Ellie’s back. Sweat. Fear. Ellie’s hand was trembling in hers, and Camille didn’t even know if the kid was shaking, or if she was. Everything felt too fast and too slow. The diner’s air—greasy, burnt—felt like it was pressing in on her skin. She couldn’t breathe right. Her chest was doing that thing, that tight-sharp thing, like it was about to fold in half.
Tara’s perfume. Spilled coffee. The buz
