Unbound by Sara Humphreys

tightly before lifting her face to his. “Believe me, I wish things could be different.”
    Zachary was about to press the issue, when a voice behind them interrupted their conversation.
    â€œCan I help you?” The man’s voice, laced with a thick accent, echoed around them in the cavernous hall. “ Señorita ?”
    This conversation isn’t over . Zachary touched his mind to hers and couldn’t help but smile when her eyes widened from the intimate connection.
    â€œHello, officer.” Annabelle slipped her hands from Zachary’s and stepped around him with her hand extended. “I’m so relieved that you speak English.”
    â€œ Sí .” The friendly man laughed and shook their hands enthusiastically. He was short with a thick, stocky build, barely two inches taller than Annabelle, and his salt-and-pepper hair was cropped in a military cut. Dark eyes were set in his round face, and he had a thick mustache that reminded Zachary of a caterpillar. “Yes. Of course. We have many Americans visit our beachside town, and I find that my English is better than their español .”
    â€œMy girlfriend was mugged yesterday, and we’d like to file a report.” Zachary stayed by Annabelle’s side and didn’t miss the shift in her energy signature when he identified her as his girlfriend. He found himself feeling oddly protective of her, even in the presence of a cop, and the need to claim her as his was overwhelming. “All of her money and identification was in the bag the guy took, and even though the money is likely gone, we thought we might luck out and someone might turn in her passport.”
    â€œOf course. I’m Detective Vargas.” He gestured to the open door behind him. “Come with me.”
    They sat with Detective Vargas for over an hour while he took Annabelle’s statement and all of her information. The man was patient and highly detail-oriented, wanting to know every single bit of information Annabelle and Zachary could give him. In spite of the somewhat run-down office and antiquated computer, Zachary could tell that Vargas was an effective cop.
    â€œI believe we have everything, Miss Johnson.” Vargas smiled and reached for some documents he had printed out. “Here’s a copy of your statement—this one is in English—and you’ve given me the address of the home you are renting, so I will notify you if your belongings turn up.” However, his smile fell when he turned back around and his gaze fell upon Annabelle. “Is something wrong?”
    â€œNo.” Annabelle smiled tightly and fiddled with her bracelet. She shifted her position in the wooden chair, which creaked with her movement. Every warning bell went off in Zachary’s head while he studied her, because she was all tweaked up again. She flicked her gaze to Zachary briefly and then to Vargas. “Do you have a phone that I could use, Detective? I need to call my friend back in the States and ask her to wire me some money. I’ll call collect, of course.”
    â€œOf course, young lady. Give her this address. We have a Western Union location downstairs, and it will be open until seven o’clock.” He pointed to a smaller office that was adjacent to his. “My associate is not here today. Feel free to use his phone, Señorita Johnson.”
    Annabelle nodded and smiled at the two men as she rose from her chair, but Zachary didn’t miss the sudden flutter in her energy signature when Vargas called her Señorita Johnson. Zach watched her disappear into the office and shut the door behind her, and tension settled in his shoulders. She was definitely lying about her name. His mouth set in a firm line and he swore under his breath.
    Why would she lie about that?
    â€œI have printed out the information for the U.S. consulate. It’s several hours’ drive from here, but if your girlfriend’s passport