“Maybe this will make you feel better.” Rick leaned against the car and crossed his arms over his chests, his face breaking into a knowing grin. “Agent Riley here managed to make friends with our receptionist, and I don’t think it had anything to do with his dimples.”
“Whatever, Rick.” Matt protested. “I saw you making eyes at her. I don’t think she even realized I was alive.”
Rick waved his hand in the air, dismissing the idea. “Found out she’s a little coo-coo.” He made circles in the air near his ear with his forefinger. “Lady is nutso to have a baby, and let’s just say the new director Dr. Mercer, isn’t so high on her list of people she likes.”
Rebecca’s gaze narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“Guess she and the former director, Dr. Stein, had an arrangement. She and her husband weren’t able to get pregnant and couldn’t afford to go through in vitro, so the good old doctor said he would help her out at no charge, but he was fired before they could do the procedure.”
“So, how does that help us?” Rebecca asked impatiently.
Rick sighed loudly as if completely annoyed that she couldn’t put two and two together. “How it helps us is that when she approached Dr. Mercer for the same favor, she pretty much kicked her out on her ass. Even threatened to can her if she brought it up again.”
Rebecca circled her finger in the air, a sign for him to explain what she was missing.
“Ruth Dawson is privy to almost everything that happens in that place, and with a little encouragement, I think she may open up about what goes on behind closed doors.”
Realization dawned on Rebecca. In a business like that, it paid to keep your mouth shut. She wouldn’t be at all surprised if the interviews from the previous investigation were full of half-truths and cover-ups. Ruth Dawson may prove to be invaluable, if they could get her to open up. “Nice work, Jonesy. I think we need to talk to her again.”
She opened her door and shot him a look. “And we need to find Dr. Stein again. Something tells me he might be guilty of more than just fraud.”
Rick pushed off the car and stepped towards Matt. “How about we follow up with Mrs. Dawson? I don’t think she’s too keen on you anyway. You and Agent Gray need to see if you can talk to Richard Hudson again and find out if there is a reason Dr. Stein would be targeting him.”
Rebecca opened her mouth to protest, but quieted when she saw the look Rick was giving her. Had it been anyone else, she would have told him to fuck off as rudely as possible, but this was her partner, and she trusted his judgment.
Rick held his hand up, and she threw the keys over the car begrudgingly. “Agent Gray, can you make sure our little Foxx makes it home safe and sound?”
Jordan’s lip curled up. She would almost bet Rick was throwing them together on purpose. She shot him a grateful smile and could swear she saw him smirk knowingly.
Jordan tossed her keys up and down loudly, mocking Rebecca and her misfortune at being forced to ride with her. She pivoted and headed toward her car without a word. She was just starting the car when Rebecca opened the door and flopped down on the passenger seat.
Rebecca watched Jordan slide the shifter into first gear with practiced skill, her long fingers almost caressing the knob. She felt a shudder run through her body, and she had to force away images of Jordan stroking her until she came out of her mind. She let out a loud sigh. “This doesn’t mean anything.”
“What would it mean?” Jordan cocked an eyebrow questioningly. “We’re investigating a lead. Nothing more.”
Rebecca let out a disappointed sigh. She wasn’t sure what she wanted Jordan to do or say. All day, a quiet nagging pulled at her from somewhere in the recesses of her mind. She had acted irrationally this morning, and in her haste, lashed out at Jordan for no reason. Despite her feelings of guilt, she wasn’t sure exactly how to smooth things over. Saying she was sorry seemed inadequate.
She studied Jordan’s jaw in the late-afternoon sun and marveled at how handsome she was. The muscles in her jaw clenched reflexively, and Rebecca knew she was still pissed. She had every right to be. She had practically dumped her this morning, accused her of sleeping with Dr. Mercer. No wonder she was angry with her.
Rebecca watched her closely, waiting for Jordan to feel her gaze and turn and meet her eyes. It never happened, and the miles burned away in uncomfortable silence. Finally, unable to take the distance she had put between them, she laid her hand on Jordan’s thigh. She felt the tight muscles ripple beneath her palm and half-expected her to push her away. “Remember that night?”
Jordan didn’t answer right away. Of course she remembered that night. Her body still ached from sex in the close confines of her car. At the time, they hadn’t been able to keep their hands off of each other. Looking back, anywhere but the car would probably have felt better. Unable to stop herself, she chuckled. “Yeah, I remember.” After what seemed an indeterminate wait, Jordan’s hand came off the gearshift and covered Rebecca’s.
It wasn’t a perfect way to fix things, and Rebecca knew she would still have some amends to make, but it was a start. More than she would have allowed herself with any woman before and when her chest clenched tightly, Rebecca knew that she would spend a lifetime making amends if she needed too.
Jordan brought the car to stop in front of Richard Hudson’s house, and she squeezed Rebecca’s hand reassuringly. Maybe it was her way of saying we are okay for now, or offering her strength for what they were about to do. It didn’t matter which, for Rebecca felt like with Jordan at her side, she would be able to face anything.
They knocked on Richard Hudson’s door and waited, hoping he would at least agree to talk to them. The past couple of months had been hell on him. Falsely arrested and accused of his wife’s murder, as well as the other victims at the hand of the Chicago Detective Division would put Rebecca pretty far down on the list of people he would be willing to talk to. She only hoped that his desire to catch his wife’s killer would help outweigh his outrage.
When he finally answered the door, the hatred was evident on his face, and Rebecca expected him to order them off his porch. He looked much more haggard than he had two months ago. His skin was sunken and sallow, and his eyes looked empty. He looked to be thirty pounds lighter than he was when they first met, and she thought emaciated was a good word to describe him. “Talk to my lawyer.”
Rebecca worried that he might play that card. What they needed right now wasn’t him lawyering up, although she understood. “Mr. Hudson, please. Tell us about Dr. Stein.”
The door stopped closing, and he met her with a searing glare. Maybe, he could hear the desperation in her voice. Perhaps it matched his own. More than likely, she was right, and Dr. Stein had more to do with the murders than he let on. “What?”
“Elizabeth’s killer is still out there. We need help finding him.” Her voice held an almost desperate tone, which she hoped he would pick up on and agree to at least talk to them. “We just want to ask you a few questions about Dr. Phillip Stein.”
Richard Hudson rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He dropped his head wearily and opened the door, letting them in.
Jordan followed Rebecca in. He motioned toward the couch and flopped down opposite of them in a large recliner. Jordan eyed the half-empty bottle of whiskey on the coffee table. From the looks of it, he was subsisting on alcohol only and eating very little. “Mr. Hudson, we appreciate you letting us in. We’re hoping you can give us some information on Dr. Stein.”
The look of anger that had previously mellowed into mild disdain came back full force. “I’ll help anyway I can. I told you that before. My only concern is catching Lizzie’s killer and bringing him to justice.” He downed the glass and refilled it before he continued. “At least this time, you aren’t concentrating on the wrong man.”