The District. Carol Ericson
his throat, he scratched the stubble on his chin. “I guess it’s up to us to find the connections, because they have to be there.”
“Us. There hasn’t been an us for a long time.”
“I think we can be adults and work together.” As soon as he could get his mind out of the gutter.
“Sure.” She folded her hands on the desk. “How’s your family?”
“Fine. Yours? How’s your mother?”
“She’s doing well, busy.”
“Busy? I thought she retired from nursing.”
Christina’s hands got fidgety again, stacking papers and lining up pencils. She’d never been the nervous type before. She’d always had a cool, calm demeanor. As cold as ice—except in the bedroom.
Seeing him had rattled her.
His response to her had surprised him, too. He accepted the fact that he’d never forget Christina, no matter what she’d done to him, but he’d believed he could tame the visceral reaction she’d always elicited from him. Not so much.
He dragged his gaze away from her puckered lips as she blew a strand of dark hair from her face.
“She did retire, but she picked up a bunch of hobbies.”
“Good for her.” He pointed at the folders. “How about it? Do you want to get a couple of sandwiches delivered and dig in to what we got?”
“Sounds good. I’ll ask our new best friend, Officer Griego, for some suggestions.”
“Yeah, there’s some hero worship going on there.”
“You always did have the ladies fawning over you.”
He raised one eyebrow. “I was talking about you. From the minute she volunteered to take me to you, it was Agent Sandoval this, Agent Sandoval that.”
Christina gave an unladylike snort. “Did you set her straight?”
“I didn’t have time.”
Her nostrils flared as she reached for the phone and punched the speaker button and three other buttons. “Hi, Officer Griego. Can you recommend a good take-out place in the area for lunch?”
“One of the sergeants is taking orders now for the deli down the street. I’ll send him over.”
“That would be great. Menu?”
“I’ll bring one to you.”
Christina rolled her eyes at him. “That’s not necessary. We’ll come out and have a look.”
“That’s okay, ma’am. I know you and Agent Brody are busy. I’ll bring the menu right in. Sarge won’t mind.”
“Thanks, Officer Griego.” She pressed the speaker button and ended the call.
Eric twisted his lips into a smile. “I’m sure Sarge will mind catering to the two fibbies in his midst.”
“They seem okay with me here, so far. Have you met Lieutenant Fitch yet? I had him eating out of my hand yesterday, but he turned cold once he knew you were on the way.”
“I don’t get these guys. They should be happy for the help. My brother Ryan always is.”
“Is he still working up the coast in Crestview?”
“Yep.”
Officer Griego peered through the window waving the menu and knocked on the door.
Eric scooted his chair back and opened the door. “C’mon in.”
She thrust the menu at him. “It’s pretty basic.”
“That’s what we like—basic.” He tossed the menu to Christina.
Wrinkling her nose, she ran the tip of her finger down the glossy page. “I’ll take the California on sourdough, but...”
“No mayo and extra pickles.” Eric finished for her.
She tilted her head, her shiny, dark ponytail slipping over her shoulder. “That predictable, huh?”
Warmth spread through his chest. He hadn’t meant to finish her sentence, didn’t want her to know how much he remembered.
“Well, you always were kind of picky.”
Rita was standing at the door hanging on their every word, wide-eyed.
Eric glanced at the menu and handed it back to her saying, “The Italian, fries and a drink—something with caffeine.”
“I’ll give your order to Sergeant Hammond. It usually takes about forty-five minutes.”
Eric reached into his pocket for some cash and handed her two twenties. “Thanks, Rita and thank the sarge for us, too.”
“You’re welcome. Anything else I can do for you?”
Christina gave her one of her sweet smiles that seemed to have gotten even sweeter. “We’re good. Thanks so much for your help.”
Rita practically bowed out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Eric jerked his thumb at the door. “What do you think she expects out of all this? It’s not like you can give her a recommendation for homicide.”
“Maybe she thinks you can pull some strings with your brother.”
“Sean? Rita’s in the same department. She should know by now Detective Sean Brody is not a quid pro quo kinda guy. He expects everyone to work hard to get ahead.” He leveled a finger at Christina. “Besides, it’s you she idolizes.”
“I think she just wants to learn. The men in the department probably aren’t very encouraging and maybe she doesn’t have any role models here.”
“You didn’t need any role models.”
“I was a special case. Didn’t you always tell me that?”
Drawing his chair toward the desk, he hunched forward. “What drove you up that tree, Christina?”
“I told you—a hunch.”
“One of those hunches? Did you feel anything?”
She squeezed her eyes closed and massaged her left temple. “Incredible evil.”
“Did you tell the P.D. here?”
She gave a short laugh, almost a bark. “Are you kidding? I want to be taken seriously, not written off as a crackpot.”
“The Bureau has used psychics before.”
“I’d hardly call myself a psychic, and honestly, the Bureau may use them but most don’t respect them. Greavy sure doesn’t.”
“Like I told you before, it’s a talent you should try to develop.”
She hugged herself. “I don’t know if I want to develop it. Besides, in this case, I didn’t get much at all, just a feeling.”
“Up to you.” Eric checked his watch. “Let’s get started before lunch gets here.”
“Umm, do you want to wheel around here? I’ll take you through the first San Francisco murder.”
He walked his chair to her side of the desk and at once her scent overwhelmed him. The familiar musky perfume wrapped its tendrils around him, but the essence of Christina had a stronger impact on him.
He couldn’t put his finger on it. He never could and it had haunted him ever since the day he cut her loose.
She dragged a file folder between them on the desk and flipped it open. She spread a stack of photos in front of him, and green, leafy, verdant forest blurred together.
“Was it another running trail?”