Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
They both had a good laugh, and I looked at Alcott.
“Hannah’s godfather is a big deal, but just as importantly, her father is the chief deputy of the Northern District of Illinois,” I informed Alcott. “He will make certain to get this glass and its contents to the appropriate people at the Chicago Police Department. I’m certain a full-scale investigation will be underway shortly.”
That was a lie because, as Hannah said, proving who drugged the drink would be impossible unless there was camera footage. And maybe there was. Maybe Alcott had his whole penthouse wired, but that would take subpoenas and warrants to get possession of, and by the time those were served, the man was likely smart enough to have erased any incriminating evidence. But leaving him with that fear, causing him to immediately have to call his lawyer, that would be good enough until he faced other repercussions for his actions, like whatever it was Hannah seemed to have planned.
“I don’t know what you’re talk—”
“Yes, you do,” I said coolly. “We both know precisely what you did and what you had planned. I overheard you in the hall.”
His eyes went wide, which was fun, and with that, I walked Talia and Hannah out to the main area. Once there, Hannah collected her boyfriend, Jake, whom she introduced us to, and the four of us headed out of the penthouse to the elevator.
“Why were you at the party?” Talia asked her.
“I was supposed to meet Darcy something—sorry, I don’t remember her last name—about purchasing the property for the animal shelters we’re going to build. I needed a point person in acquisitions.”
“I’m your person,” Talia told her. “Darcy bailed on both of us.”
“Too bad for her,” Hannah said. “May I come by and see you Monday afternoon?”
“How does three sound?”
“Perfect,” Hannah told her. “I’m out of class by then.”
“Oh? Where do you go to school? What are you studying?”
They had a nice talk all the way down the elevator, and I had a moment to think that my boss must be a pretty good man to raise a kid like Hannah.
After I returned the elevator card to the security guard and thanked him for his help, I joined the others, who were all standing outside the building. I was surprised when Hannah took hold of Talia’s hand.
“May I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“On Monday when we meet, would it be all right if we went to talk to Uncle Aaron first?”
Talia’s breath caught. “To discuss all this with him?”
Hannah nodded.
“That would be great.”
They hugged then, and as always, I was impressed with how women seemed to instinctively come to one another’s aid. It seemed engrained in them.
Once we were alone, just me and Talia, she suddenly dissolved into tears. Hugging her tight, I told her everything would be fine.
“I like how once you barfed up whatever was in your system, you were not about to let Alcott off the hook.”
“I don’t know what I was thinking before, but when my head was over the bowl and I saw my lunch again, it became crystal clear that he had slipped something into my drink.”
“And that’s when you got mad,” I concluded as we walked together toward the street to get a cab.
“Yes, it was.”
“You’re a badass,” I told her.
She waggled her eyebrows at me.
“I gotta call my boss, because we need to get this glass to the crime lab,” I told her. “I’ll feed ya after that.”
“Deal.”
FOUR
Ten minutes later, when I called my immediate supervisor, Doyle had me hold for a second until we were joined on the line by the chief deputy.
“Tell me precisely what happened to Ross’s sister,” Sam Kage demanded.
I wanted to be him when I grew up.
Hannah must have called him from her car, and I liked that as much as I liked his daughter. All that immediate communication between father and child was enough to make my heart hurt.
Since I was off duty, and Sharpe and White were the guys on call for the weekend, Kage directed Talia and me back to the federal building so we could hand over the glass to them.
I was not crazy about Talia meeting Ethan Sharpe, and my misgivings proved right when he took her hand and held it in both of his while she soaked him up with her eyes.
“Bad,” I told her when we were walking away, and she glanced over her shoulder at him. “No, don’t do that.”
“What?” She sounded dazed.
“Bad,” I repeated. “You are not allowed anywhere near that man.”
“But he has kind eyes, and did you see all the pretty muscles and those shoulders?”
“You’re gonna make me throw up if you don’t stop.”
“Why? He was so nice. I mean, his partner was too, but he’s…wow.”
“No,” I protested. “Just…no.”
“He’s yummy.”
“That man, even more so than your brother, should come with a warnin’ label.”