“He wanted to get rid of the officer.”
“You defended him.”
He smiled. “You saw that too?”
“Yes,” she said. “I saw you arguing with the lieutenant, but I couldn’t hear what you were saying to him. Unlike your superior, you didn’t raise your voice. I remember thinking that he… Lewis… was humiliating that officer.”
Alec disagreed. “No,” he said. “He tried to humiliate him, but he didn’t succeed. The officer knew he hadn’t done anything wrong. How come we’re talking about this now?”
She couldn’t hold his stare but looked over his shoulder. “I was going to put the lieutenant’s name on the list.”
He was trying hard not to smile. “But you didn’t?”
“No, I didn’t. I would have, though, if I hadn’t been interrupted. My cell phone rang, and I had to hurry out into the hall to answer it. I would have added his name if I’d continued. I just thought you should know.”
“I wouldn’t tell Detective Wincott if I were you.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “It’d be cruel, getting his hopes up and then disappointing him.”
“But I didn’t put Lewis’s name on the list.”
“There you go.”
Chapter Twenty-four
Regan finally asked the questions that had been nagging at her.
“Why are you leaving Chicago?”
“It’s a long story.” He didn’t go on.
“Where will you go?”
“Back to Boston. That’s where I’m from.”
“We have a hotel in Boston.”
“I know,” he said.
He didn’t offer any information, and she didn’t press him to explain. They both turned when the door opened. Detective John Wincott took a step inside, then bent down to pick up some papers he’d dropped. The perfectly round bald spot on the crown of his head was visible and shiny. Wincott’s partner told everyone in the precinct that Wincott was sensitive about his hair loss, so of course at every opportunity he was teased and tormented. One of Wincott’s least favorite nicknames was Friar Tuck, but fortunately, he had a good sense of humor.
He reminded Regan of a harried accountant, probably because he was carrying what looked like a ledger with papers sticking out every which way. Then she noticed the gun holstered to his side, and the possibility that he was an accountant went out the window.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“You still look half dead,” Alec told him after introducing him to Regan.
Regan thought the man was actually rather nice looking, but with the dark circles under his eyes and the gray complexion, he did look worn-out.
“Yeah, well, I missed my day at the spa this week,” Wincott said.
Alec laughed. “I forgot to ask. How’s the baby?”
Wincott turned to Regan to explain, “Our baby’s cutting teeth,” he said. “And she’s not happy about it, which means my wife and I aren’t happy either. Neither one of us is getting any sleep.”
“I hear whiskey helps,” Alec said.
“I tried that, but it only gave me a bad hangover the next morning.”
“You’re supposed to rub some on the baby’s gums. It numbs them.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing. Besides, what if she likes it? What if she develops a real taste for it? Before you know it, I’m driving my two-year-old over to AA. Too risky,” he said with a straight face.
Alec stood. “I told Regan you’re an adequate detective. Don’t make a liar out of me.”
“Don’t you want to sit in on this?”
He shook his head. “I’ve got some phone calls to make. I’ll be at my desk if you need anything,” he told Regan. “Okay?”
He was being very sweet, she thought. And looking worried about her. “Yes, okay,” she said.
Alec pulled the door closed behind him. He turned and bumped into Lyle Bradshaw. Wincott’s partner looked impeccable as usual. His striped tie had a perfect knot in it, his dark suit was wrinkle free, his shirt was immaculate, and his shoes, like always, looked brand-new. Standing next to him, Alec looked as though he’d just recently been mugged.
“Is she in the coffee room?” Bradshaw asked in lieu of a greeting.
“Yes,” Alec said. “Wincott’s with her.”
“Is he drooling?”
“Excuse me?”
“I hear she’s a stunner.”
“Yeah? Where did you hear that?”
“The pool,” he said, referring to the open area where all the detectives worked. “She’s been the topic of conversation since you brought her in. I hear she’s got a gorgeous face and a body that just won’t quit.”
Alec was surprised by the spark of anger he felt. It came out of nowhere.
“She’s definitely out of your league, Lyle.”
Newly divorced, Bradshaw considered himself a ladies’ man. Women found him attractive and attentive, and he never lacked for female companionship, but Alec thought he was a little too arrogant for his own good, and on occasion he could be downright obnoxious. His only saving grace was his skill as a detective.
Bradshaw was opening the door to the coffee room when Alec called out, “Hey, Bradshaw.”
“Yes?”
Alec was going to tell him not to hit on Regan but stopped himself in time. “Go easy on her,” he said instead. “She’s scared.”
Alec picked up his messages and went back to his desk. Lewis had doled out his cases to several other already overworked detectives, and in a childish attempt to punish him, Lewis had had his computer removed. The top of Alec’s desk was now completely bare.
If the other detectives hadn’t gotten stuck with his work, he would have thought Lewis’s behavior was funny. Alec sat down at his desk and used his cell phone to call his brother Nick.
“So I guess I’m in,” he said.
Nick laughed. “Hi, Alec. By in, I assume you mean the FBI?”
“You already knew, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I did. Ward called to tell me about five minutes after you were accepted into the academy. Your test scores were impressive.”
“Better than yours?”
“If they were, do you think I’d admit it?”
“Probably not. Tell Theo, will you?” Alec asked. He didn’t know if he’d have time to track down his oldest brother.
“He already knows. Ward called him too. Have you made up your mind about buying my town house? Laurant’s been out looking every Sunday with a realtor. The town house is great for a bachelor, but with the baby, it’s too crowded, and Laurant wants to get pregnant again.”
Alec smiled. Nick had hit the jackpot when he’d married Laurant. She was such a sweetheart, and perfect for his brother. She was so laid-back and easygoing, which was exactly what Nick needed when he came home from work. Theo often described Nick’s job as a real pressure cooker. He and his partner, Noah Clay-borne, worked for a special branch of the FBI. They were called in when the search for a missing child had gone cold. It was a hard, tear-you-up-inside kind of job.
“I am going to buy your town house,” Alec said. “Even if I don’t get assigned to the Boston area…”
“Ward says you will.”
“He’d say anything to get me to sign up,” he said. “Ward doesn’t make the decision, but even if I don’t end up in Boston, I’ll still keep the property. It’s a good investment.”
“Hold on,” Nick said. “I can barely hear you. I’ve got two conversations going at the same time.”
“Who’s talking to you?”
“Noah.”
“Where are you?”
“In Dallas,” he said. “We just finished up a case. This one went well.”
“That’s good.”
Noah was suddenly on the line congratulating him. “They’re gonna work your butt off at the academy, but you’ll do fine. When are you leaving Chicago?”