Espresso Shot

“Hi, Mike,” I said.

NINE

LORI Soles and Sue Ellen Bass turned and looked toward the door. So did Matt. For a brief moment, utter stillness descended over the small space. Then my ex-husband smirked, leaned back in his metal chair, and folded his well-developed forearms.

“If it isn’t Officer Qui

“You volunteering, Allegro?” Qui

Sue Ellen laughed. “If you need help cuffing this guy, Lieutenant, call me.” She jerked her thumb in Matt’s direction, threw him a flirtatious wink, and walked toward the doorway.

“By the way,” she told Qui

“Me?” Qui

“Yeah. What’s this ‘ba

Qui

“Did Friar call me a bitch?!”

“Uh-oh,” Lori said.

“Don’t twist my words,” Qui

Sue Ellen tugged the lapels of her blazer and crossed her hunter-green arms. “It’s a simple question. Did Rocky Friar call me a bitch or didn’t he?”

Now Qui

With a pissed-off exhale, Sue Ellen strode back into the squad room, Lori Soles on her heels.

Qui

I met his gaze again and pointed at the doorway that Sue Ellen had just stormed through. “What was that about?”

Qui

Qui

Qui

“Did Detective Bass really do that?” I asked, eyes narrowing. “Sleep with every man?”

“Not every man,” Qui

“That’s terrible. I mean, if a man really cares for a woman, he shouldn’t let her past wreck their possible future.”

“Sue Ellen’s been working her way through every available cop in the department, Clare. That’s her past. And she should have been up-front about that with Friar.” Qui

“Not exactly,” I said.

Matt shifted in his seat and elbowed me lightly. “Tell him.”

“Tell me what?” Qui

“Okay, fine,” Matt said. “I’ll tell him.” Then my ex-husband unfolded his arms, relaxed his bristling attitude, and leaned toward Qui

Mike Qui

Amazingly, Qui

“You know, Allegro,” he said instead, “I think you might be right to worry.”

“You do?” Now it was Matt’s turn to look genuinely surprised.

Qui

“Thank you!” Matt cried. He turned to me. “I could kiss him.”

Qui

“So what do we do now?” Matt asked, palms up, brown gaze expectant.

I figured Qui

“What?!” I said.

“Clare?” Matt repeated.

“Yeah, Allegro, at the moment, you’ve got nothing concrete, right? The PD can’t get involved with hunches. We need evidence. Have Clare stick close to Brea

“I don’t have time for that! I have a business to run and a gourmet coffee and dessert bar to finalize before the end of the week!”

“Calm down,” Qui

“Mike!” I wanted to throttle him.

“Allegro has some genuine hunches here, and you know I subscribe to the Blink theory on hunches.”

“Blink theory?” Matt said. “What’s that?”

“It means you know more than you think you do,” I replied before Qui

“Blink?” Matt nodded, looking pleased with himself. “Then I am right. Brea

I shook my head. “That may not be true-”

“So find out,” Qui

“What is this? A schoolyard dare?”

Qui

“The four what?” Matt said.

“Inquisitiveness, imagination, insight, and an eye for detail.”

“That last one starts with an E,” I said flatly. “And what about intelligence?”

Qui

“There’s a difference?” Matt asked.

“She might be able to turn up a lead,” Qui

“Fish Squad?” Matt said.

“Soles and Bass. It’s what we call those two around here. Not to their faces, of course. Lori Soles has a sense of humor, but I wouldn’t repeat the term within ten feet of Sue Ellen-not if you value an intact skull.”

“Mike, come on!” I protested. “This is ridiculous-”

“Your ex-husband’s scared, sweetheart. Can’t you see that?”

Qui