18. Katar

Iarrived at the library not long after Bailey. After cleaning up the kitchen, there was no place I'd rather be. Besides, I had to do some investigating, and that couldn't take place inside Bailey's house until she'd done a full inventory. I did, however, explore outside her house, though I didn't find anything that might tie the break-in to the book's theft.

Striding down the hall, my very good orc hearing picked up the detective's words.

I flung the door open and stepped inside, taking in Bailey gasping and reeling back in her chair and the detective lifting a pair of handcuffs. She stood and scooted around to press her back against a bookcase.

"If Bailey's going to be wearing these, I'm the one who'll be applying them." I gave her a stern look. "And it won't be here inside the library but in the safety of her own . . ." It probably wasn't a good idea to let on that Bailey and I were mates.

"Excuse me." Detective Carter rose to his feet. "You have no say in this." His scorn-filled gaze landed on her. "Your grandfather would be ashamed of you."

I lifted my brow ridge. "Grandfather?"

"He was the lead detective in town until he retired, and Detective Carter took over," she said, her face scalding red. "He died years ago."

"I've done a better job," the detective said with a huff.

"You'll never win the Good Citizen Award. They said they'd never give it to anyone but him."

The detective fumed. "We'll see about that."

Tears shimmered in her eyes. "And my grandfather would not be ashamed, because I haven't done anything wrong."

"So they all say." The detective looked up at me. "I came here this morning knowing I'd probably have to arrest Ms. Everhard, and there's nothing you can say that will deter me."

I pulled out my ID and handed it over. "I'm taking over the case. I know the king wouldn't want me to arrest Ms. Everhard."

"You're . . . You're . . ." The detective sputtered. "I saw your name on the information sent by the orc king in the paperwork that came with the tome."

"The king is my uncle," I said with a bite of steel. "We wouldn't want to . . . upset him by arresting his nephew's mate, now would we?"

"Mate?" Detective Carter rose and stumbled away from me—and Bailey, his eyes widening. "You . . . can't be mates. You only recently arrived in town."

Interesting that he knew that, though the information could be public knowledge. "I'm taking over the case. King's orders and all that. If you need further proof of who I am, you're welcome to speak with the owner of the Seashell Diner. My cousin, Deegar, the former prince of the orc kingdom, or his lovely mate, Cat, would be happy to vouch for me."

The detective blanched. "Oh, I'm . . ."

Bailey slumped in her chair. I hated seeing fear in her eyes, that her breathing was ragged. It was all I could do not to grab the detective by his collar, drag him to the front door, and toss him down the stairs.

While I was given complete discretion to do what was needed in this investigation, I suspected that would not go over well with my uncle.

"What evidence do you have to arrest her?" I asked.

"We've reviewed all the film on the cameras." He stiffened, sinking into the role he was more familiar with, that of the lead detective on the case. "No one was seen leaving or entering the library other than the usual patrons during normal hours when, I'll note, the ancient text remained within its glass case. In addition, no one entered after hours last evening, which tells me there was no one inside the attic or her office." His voice rose with indignation. "Outside of library hours, the cameras picked up no one on or near the premises other than her." His finger stabbed toward Bailey. "She must've messed up her office and the attic to throw us off, but we saw through it."

"Why would she need to do that?"

"To distract us. Make us think someone else is involved." He stalked toward her. "Where's the ancient book? We know you've got it, or we hope you do. You didn't sell it already, did you?" He looked my way. "If so, it's in a wealthy person's collection already, and we'll never get it back unless she," he released a snarl, "reveals who she sold it to."

"I didn't steal it," Bailey wailed, looking at me. "You believe me, don't you? I didn't do it. I didn't sell it. I'm a librarian. I take pride in my work and in the legacy Helga Merryweather gently place in my hands."

"I know you didn't steal the book." There was a reasonable explanation, and I was going to find it. "She didn't mess up her office and attic either."

"I did not," she said with a huff, rising to her feet. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "And I certainly didn't break into my own home and rummage through my things."

"You did that to throw us off too." He held up a second pair of cuffs. "You're under arrest."

"I told you I'm covering the case now," I said, taking those cuffs as well. My voice came out so deadly, every orc in the vicinity would freeze if they heard it. "I've built a solid rep for following through on whatever I promise, and if you don't leave now and take your accusations with you, I won't be responsible for how I behave."

"Are you threatening me?" the detective hissed.

Carole ducked her head inside the cracked open doorway. "Is everything okay in here? I heard shouting." Seeing the distress on Bailey's face, she stalked inside and over to my mate, wrapping her arms around her. "What the hell is going on here?" Her gaze stabbed the detective. "I'm not only on the board of the library, but I've made a sizeable donation to the town each year for the past five. If you so much as threaten one hair on Bailey's head, you and the mayor will be able to hear me shriek and you won't like what the mayor has to say."

I loved that she was defending my mate. "You need to leave," I growled at the detective.

He sputtered. "She needs to be arrested."

When I rushed toward him, he scooted around Bailey's desk and raced for the door. As he hit the hall and started down it, he called out over his shoulder. "You'll see! I'm not letting this go. Bailey Everhard will be locked behind bars before the day is through."