She laughed. It was impossible not to. They both showered and changed. He walked her home, gave her a salute, and said, “You get your apartment furnished this weekend, Sherlock. No more excuses. See you at headquarters Monday. Here’s Chico’s phone number. Oh, Sherlock. You might be kind of sore tomorrow, but nothing too bad. Be sure to take a long hot bath. Maybe a couple of aspirin, too. You might also consider some ice packs first.”
He paused a moment, looking at her face, clean of any makeup, her ratty hair, strands straggling around her face. He cocked his head to one side, then just smiled at her. “You did fine, Sherlock, just fine. I plan to overlook all your whining.”
She eyed the sidewalk, wondering if she could possibly throw him.
“I’m watching your eyes. I’m seeing right into your twisted mind. Nah, Sherlock, don’t try to toss me into the flower bed, not tonight.” He waved, and walked away.
She stood watching him a moment before she went into the town house. She watched him until he turned at the corner, east.
“Is that Savich?”
She was so startled she nearly fell over backward. As she was flailing for balance, he came out from behind a tree. “Oh my heavens, it’s you, Douglas. You nearly stopped my heart. Is something the matter? Is everyone all right?”
“Oh yes. I’ve been waiting for you, Lacey. I came over hoping we could have dinner. But you weren’t here.”
“No, I was at the gym. Savich beat the stuffing out of me.” At his stare, she added, “Karate. I don’t know if you remember, but I began taking karate lessons two years ago, then stopped. I’m getting back into it, starting with learning how to fall.”
“Why with him?”
“I’ll be taking classes with a guy named Chico after tonight. Knowing Savich, he’ll want me there every night.”
“Is the guy coming on to you, Lacey?”
“Savich? Goodness, Douglas, he’s my boss! He’s the chief of the unit. It’s all business.”
“Yeah, he’s got the best way to get to you.”
He was jealous. It was amazing to see this side of him. She smiled up at him and lightly placed her hand on his arm. “Savich is a professional. He has no interest in anybody in his unit, not the kind you’re worried about.” She thought about Hannah Paisley. Was there something between Savich and Hannah?
Douglas saw the lie in her eyes. Why? He’d never known her to lie, but on the other hand, he hadn’t seen her in five months. The damnable FBI had had her in their clutches for sixteen weeks. What more would they do to her? He breathed in deeply. “Why don’t we go inside? You can change, then I’ll take you to dinner. I’ve got to go back to San Francisco in the morning.”
“That would be nice, Douglas. When you get home, you’ll be speaking to Candice Addams, won’t you?”
“Yes.”
She nodded and preceded him into her empty town house.
9
SHE SMILED AT THE GUARD and flipped open her black FBI wallet. Her beautiful gold star shone.
“You’re Agent Sherlock?” He checked the list in his hand. “You’re a new agent?”
“Yes, I would like to go to my office and do some more work.”
“Hey, you can’t light your pipe here in the building, Sherlock.”
“Thanks, I won’t. But it’s too bad, I’ve got a really nice blend.”
“Guess you hear that lots, huh?”
The guard was about her age, black, his head shaved, a real hard jaw. “No,” she said, grinning at him, “this was the very first time.”
“How about: Do you live on Baker Street?”
“Where’s that?”
“All right. But I’ll be thinking of a new one you really haven’t heard before. You’re clean. Just sign in here. On your way out, check with me again. Oh, my name’s Nick.”
She waved back at the guard. She walked to the elevators, the low heels of her shoes loud on the marble floor. If anyone asked, she planned to say that she wanted to do more study on the Radnich case. She exited the elevator at the fifth floor, walked down a long hall, turned right, then left, down another hall. She unlocked the door to the CAU. It was dark. Unfortunately she had to light up the entire area. It was different at night. The absence of people, laughing, talking, just breathing, robbed her of even an illusion of safety. She was alone in this large room. She also had her 9mm SIG in her holster.
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