“So why didn’t you join the force? A lot of cops are ex-military.”
She hooded her eyes, as if she was about to share some juicy gossip. “I’ve got a few boo-boos on my record. Nothing major, but enough to keep me from being a law enforcer.”
I took a full step back and met Wyatt at the counter. Holly followed. We returned our gear and I asked for a broom to sweep up our brass.
“I’ll get it.” Wyatt grinned like a schoolboy. “It was a pleasure to witness such a fine competition.”
I felt a buzz in my pocket, and the beeping followed a moment later. I slapped the cell phone to my face.
“Daniels.”
“Lieutenant? This is Raider, Gary PD. Bud Kork woke up about an hour ago. He’s lucid, and talking up a storm. My chief said you’d like to speak to him on a related subject.”
My spirits jumped. “Yes, I would. I appreciate the courtesy call. When can I come?”
“Anytime is fine. You’ve got full access. Way we see it, you’re the one who found the guy.”
“I’ll be there in about an hour. Thanks.”
I pocketed the phone, Holly so close, she was practically wearing my pants. Her eyes shone.
“I heard everything. I want to come with you.”
“No.”
“I’ll stay out of your way. I just want to see him. Come on, I’m a cop junkie.”
“No.”
“I can help.”
“You’re a civilian.”
“A civilian who just kicked your ass on the firing range.”
I was beginning to see why she was with Harry. She was annoying in an eerily similar way.
“No, Holly. Thanks for the offer, but this is police business.”
“But that killer, he’s a man, right? I’m good with men. I can get him to talk to you.”
“Won’t work on this one.” I pictured Kork’s missing male anatomy.
“Please, Jack. Harry’s doing some kind of bachelor party thing tonight. Something to do with midgets.”
McGlade? That bastard told me he didn’t have any other friends.
“His buddies are taking him out?” I kept my tone neutral.
“No. He’s alone. Well, alone with the little people.” Holly tugged on my arm. “Come on. You have to take me along. I can’t spend my last night as a free woman watching infomercials on TV.”
I knew how that felt.
“Sorry, Holly. Can’t do it.”
She was on my heels all the way up the stairs, like a puppy. An irritating, yipping, undaunted puppy.
“Please.”
“No.”
“I’ll just keep you company for the trip. I won’t even get out of the car, Jack.”
“No.”
I walked out of the station and onto the street. The day had cooled down, and the breeze felt nice on my face. I walked around to the back parking lot, Holly still begging me. Perhaps beautiful women didn’t understand the word no.
“Come on, Jack. I’m a licensed private investigator. I can handle myself, and I’ve worked with law enforcement before.”
“We’re not working together, Holly. And this is getting silly.”
It was also making me uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be rude to her when I was standing up at her wedding the next day, but soon she wouldn’t give me much choice.
Holly was quiet for a minute, and I thought I’d finally gotten through. Then I heard the sniffle.
When I turned to look, Holly was all pouty and teary-eyed.
“I don’t have any friends, Jack.”
“Excuse me?”
Her shoulders began shaking.
“My job. I keep crazy hours. I don’t have a single friend. Why do you think I went to that stupid private eye convention? I could give a rat’s ass about the latest surveillance technology. I just wanted to meet people. Harry’s the first man I’ve been with in six years.”
“I’m sorry.” And I meant it from the bottom of my soul.
Holly faced me again, her cheeks glistening.
“Don’t you get lonely, Jack? When was the last time you had a girls’ night out?”
“Interrogating a multiple murderer isn’t a girls’ night out.”
“But it’s better than being alone. I’ve been alone my whole crummy life. My dad died when I was a kid, and we moved around a lot. I never had friends.”
The thought of someone so attractive being without friends was ridiculous, and I almost sneered. Holly read my thoughts.
“I wasn’t like this back then. I was very fat, and had some skin problems, and big old buck teeth. It wasn’t until my twenties that I lost the weight, went to a dentist, and had some work done. A lot of work done.” Holly put her hands on either side of her breasts. “These won’t be paid for until I’m too old to appreciate them.”
She wiped her hand across her eyes, and I had a surprising thought. If I could put my jealousy aside, I might like this woman. I knew how hard it was to lose a father at a young age. Plus, the fact that she’d had plastic surgery made her seem more human, less Charlie’s Angel. Though her taste in men was seriously flawed, Holly was strong, competent, funny, a great dresser, and had an energy that you didn’t see very often.
I wondered if I wasn’t falling victim to her charisma the same way everyone else seemed to. Then I wondered why I always overanalyzed everything. I hadn’t had a female friend since, well, high school. Here was one trying to make an effort. Would it hurt to bend a little? To maybe have someone to talk to?
It’s been a long time since I had someone to talk to.
Holly backed up, arms folded across her chest. “I’m sorry, Jack. Overreacting. Pre-wedding jitters, I guess. It’s been a tough week. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
My inner cop told me to shake hands and walk away. But I’ll be damned if I didn’t say, “You can come.”
“I can?” Again she lit up, and again I was subjected to a firm hug.
But this one I didn’t mind as much.
When she finally released me, we hopped into my Nova, and for the second time that day I headed for Indiana.
CHAPTER 33
HARRY TOLD ME about what he did, when you two were partners. He feels bad about it.”
I replied with a snort. Holly and I had already talked about fashion (consensus: Fashion is good), guns (consensus: Guns are good), and parents (consensus: Parents are good if you still had them, but hers were dead and I only had my comatose mother), and we’d finally worked our way around to men.
Holly wholeheartedly agreed I’d screwed up my chances with Latham, and I made a heroic effort to convince her to do the same with McGlade.
“He’s changed, Jack. Loyalty is actually one of his most endearing qualities.”
“It wasn’t back then.”
“He was younger, ambitious. Now he recognizes that friendship is more important than a career. He considers you a good friend, Jack.”
I snorted again. With good friends like McGlade, having serial killers hunting me was almost welcome.
Holly reached for another french fry. We’d stopped at the McDonald’s oasis on the Skyway. I’d polished off my burger and fries a while ago. Holly had bought a Happy Meal, and divided her time between picking at her food and playing with the included toy, some kind of movie tie-in figurine.
The fry disappeared in three bites. Holly chewed slowly. “It’s been years. Why do you still hate Harry so much?”
“I don’t hate him. Let’s just say my life hasn’t been enriched by his involvement.”
“He helped you with the Gingerbread Man case.”
“Reluctantly.”
“And with the case you had last year, that guy who was killing prostitutes.”
“In both cases he wanted something.”
“Isn’t that why you agreed to stand up at our wedding?”
Oops. “He told you that?”
“He said you wanted to get your character off the TV show, and you wouldn’t be his best man until he agreed.”
I shifted in my seat. It was getting dark, so I switched on the headlights. The Gary exit was coming up.