that killing for your country isn’t as patriotic as I had thought it was. However, I learned even more quickly that caring for the men around me was.”
She was glad after the seriousness of his response that she hadn’t made a smart remark about his dressing in the colors of the American flag. Instead she said, “I can tell your commitment to the troops stayed with you when you came home. And I bet that’s why you’re here. But I’ve been diverting you from telling us.” She emphasized the
us
, trying to get the focus back on the professional, rather than the personal. “What can we do for you?”
“I stopped by to see if I could talk you into coming with me to one of the transient camps. I heard that a woman who was in the camp the night Jim Branson was killed slipped away before we got there. One of my patients thinks she might be able to help figure out what happened. I know her and I’m pretty sure she won’t open up to me. I thought maybe she might talk to another woman.”
Danny picked up a zippered leather case the size of a file folder, shoved a pen and notebook inside, and said, “Let me tell Sam where I’m going.” In what she thought was a smooth move, she scooted her chair away from him so she could stand without being too close. Unfortunately he seemed to understand why she’d moved and grinned knowingly.
• • •
Having offered to drive them to the camp, Jake led Danny two blocks away from Central Precinct, stopping beside a sleek black SUV.
“A BMW X5? Wow,” Danny said, as she ran her hand along the side of the car. “These babies get great reviews. And it’s an X5M, isn’t it? I read they have killer acceleration.”
“It does. But I won’t show off what it can do while we’re in the city, unless you swear you won’t give me a ticket.” He opened the passenger side door for her. “You a car freak? Sam told me you rebuilt a VW Beetle.”
“Yeah, my father taught me to love German cars. And this one’s a beauty.”
“Yes. It. Is.” He said each word with pride.
“Must be good to be you.”
“Not always. But right this minute it is
very
good to be me.” His smile was white-tooth dazzling, worthy of a model on the cover of a magazine or in an ad for some expensive men’s cologne. “It’s been a long time since the passenger in my vehicle has been prettier than the car.”
“The woman in your life wouldn’t be happy about that comment.”
“My mother and Hailey wouldn’t object to what I said, I’m sure. Wouldn’t even disagree.”
“Your mother? And who?”
“My niece. She’s three. She and my mother are the two women in my life — well, two females. Hailey is hardly a woman. And I thought police officers were trained to be subtle about getting information out of people. You might as well have asked the question outright.” Before she could respond, he said, “There’s no wife, girlfriend, fiancée, or significant other.”
Several emotions swirled around in her head. She was happy he wasn’t attached, flattered at the compliment, and horribly embarrassed by the clumsiness of her inquiry. That made her both uncomfortable and smugly happy, a combination of reactions she didn’t remember having together before.
For the ten minutes it took to get to the camp under the Burnside Bridge, they talked cars. Danny was only too happy to keep the conversation on a topic she loved, so she could forget her inept remark and keep herself from thinking too much about enjoying being with him.
Knowing how expensive his vehicle was, she was surprised that he drove right up to the camp. She wasn’t sure she would be that trusting. But then, the men she’d talked to at the other camp had so much respect for Jake, it was probably the same here. And that respect would undoubtedly extend to keeping hands off his car.
“How many people are here, do you think?” Danny asked as they walked through the camp.
“About twenty.”
“How many camps are there in
She was glad after the seriousness of his response that she hadn’t made a smart remark about his dressing in the colors of the American flag. Instead she said, “I can tell your commitment to the troops stayed with you when you came home. And I bet that’s why you’re here. But I’ve been diverting you from telling us.” She emphasized the
us
, trying to get the focus back on the professional, rather than the personal. “What can we do for you?”
“I stopped by to see if I could talk you into coming with me to one of the transient camps. I heard that a woman who was in the camp the night Jim Branson was killed slipped away before we got there. One of my patients thinks she might be able to help figure out what happened. I know her and I’m pretty sure she won’t open up to me. I thought maybe she might talk to another woman.”
Danny picked up a zippered leather case the size of a file folder, shoved a pen and notebook inside, and said, “Let me tell Sam where I’m going.” In what she thought was a smooth move, she scooted her chair away from him so she could stand without being too close. Unfortunately he seemed to understand why she’d moved and grinned knowingly.
• • •
Having offered to drive them to the camp, Jake led Danny two blocks away from Central Precinct, stopping beside a sleek black SUV.
“A BMW X5? Wow,” Danny said, as she ran her hand along the side of the car. “These babies get great reviews. And it’s an X5M, isn’t it? I read they have killer acceleration.”
“It does. But I won’t show off what it can do while we’re in the city, unless you swear you won’t give me a ticket.” He opened the passenger side door for her. “You a car freak? Sam told me you rebuilt a VW Beetle.”
“Yeah, my father taught me to love German cars. And this one’s a beauty.”
“Yes. It. Is.” He said each word with pride.
“Must be good to be you.”
“Not always. But right this minute it is
very
good to be me.” His smile was white-tooth dazzling, worthy of a model on the cover of a magazine or in an ad for some expensive men’s cologne. “It’s been a long time since the passenger in my vehicle has been prettier than the car.”
“The woman in your life wouldn’t be happy about that comment.”
“My mother and Hailey wouldn’t object to what I said, I’m sure. Wouldn’t even disagree.”
“Your mother? And who?”
“My niece. She’s three. She and my mother are the two women in my life — well, two females. Hailey is hardly a woman. And I thought police officers were trained to be subtle about getting information out of people. You might as well have asked the question outright.” Before she could respond, he said, “There’s no wife, girlfriend, fiancée, or significant other.”
Several emotions swirled around in her head. She was happy he wasn’t attached, flattered at the compliment, and horribly embarrassed by the clumsiness of her inquiry. That made her both uncomfortable and smugly happy, a combination of reactions she didn’t remember having together before.
For the ten minutes it took to get to the camp under the Burnside Bridge, they talked cars. Danny was only too happy to keep the conversation on a topic she loved, so she could forget her inept remark and keep herself from thinking too much about enjoying being with him.
Knowing how expensive his vehicle was, she was surprised that he drove right up to the camp. She wasn’t sure she would be that trusting. But then, the men she’d talked to at the other camp had so much respect for Jake, it was probably the same here. And that respect would undoubtedly extend to keeping hands off his car.
“How many people are here, do you think?” Danny asked as they walked through the camp.
“About twenty.”
“How many camps are there in