Too Many Cooks Read Free Page B

promoted from patrol officer to the assistant inspector position, sauntered up. She was a tall woman, with fluffy blond hair and a knockout body, who looked more like she should be wearing floral leotards and teaching Jazzercise classes than chasing hardened killers. She gave Paavo a pleasant smile; but then, she always gave Paavo a pleasant smile. “I think it’s sweet his little girlfriend sent him flowers on his first day back. Just because you guys couldn’t come up with anything fancier than two dozen Dunkin’ Donuts doesn’t mean you should put her down.”
    â€œDoughnuts are a cop’s best friend, Rebecca.” Benson took her arm.
    â€œTouch me, you die,” she said.
    He raised his hands as if he were being held up. “How else is Paavo going to know he’s really back with us?”
    â€œRight.” Paavo rocked on the back legs of his chair. He began to raise his arms to clasp his hands behindhis neck like he used to do, when he felt a twinge in his left shoulder and quickly lowered his arms again. If anyone suspected he was less than one-hundred-percent recovered from his gunshot wound, he might be sent home. He was tired of resting, tired of too much time to think. He wanted to get down to business and do what he did best.
    He picked up the top memo in his in-basket and skimmed through it. The memos, he knew, were supposed to help ease him back into his job. He tossed one aside and picked up the next. Snatches of conversation whirled around him, giving a patchwork of the side of urban life Homicide dealt with every day.
    â€œWhaddaya mean he doesn’t know why he shot him?”
    â€œIt’s always the bystanders who buy it.”
    â€œHe blew him away for drugs. So what else is new?”
    Rather than easing him back like the memos, the words knocked him into his job with more force than a Holyfield left hook.
    The ring of his telephone jarred him. He picked it up. “Smith here.”
    â€œCome into my office.” It was Lieutenant Ralph Hollins, head of the Homicide Section.
    As Paavo hung up the phone and stood, the other inspectors watched with unmasked curiosity. They’d spent the last couple of weeks, since they’d learned the date Paavo would be back at work, speculating on who his new partner would be. The chief hadn’t asked any of them to make a switch, although Rebecca had volunteered. Her partner, Bill Sutter, was six months away from retirement and acted as if he were six days away. Never-Take-a-Chance Bill, they called him, the kind of cop who could get a partner killed.
    Paavo walked into the chief’s office. Hollins and a large man Paavo had never seen before stood as he entered.
    â€œSmith, I’d like you to meet Inspector Toshiro Yoshiwara. He’s just transferred down here from Seattle. We’re going to try him out for a while. See how he likes us and how we like him.”
    â€œHey there,” Yoshiwara said, his voice filled with friendliness and good cheer as they shook hands. “Good to meet you.”
    In response, Paavo gave a quick nod of his head. The man was tall, with broad shoulders, a massive chest, and a head that seemed a little small for all that body. His hair was clipped in a short buzz. He looked like someone who could split a house in two and not raise a sweat.
    â€œSit down, both of you,” the chief said. He glanced at Yoshiwara. “Smith is one of my best men. If anyone can show you what homicide work is like in this town, it’s him.” Hollins returned to his chair. “I’d like you two to work together for a while. As a team…partners.”
    Although Paavo knew the words would come one day, the finality they gave to Matt’s death shook him. None of this showed as he said firmly, “Fine.”
    Yoshiwara jumped to his feet, a big grin on his face. “Hey, that’s great. Paavo Smith, huh? I want you to know I heard of you up in Seattle.