the glass this morning?”
Something in his words struck a chord because her -flashing eyes went totally cold. “If you’re worried that I won’t be watching your back, worry no more, Lieutenant. What -happened this morning was my personal business. I won’t allow my personal business to interfere with our work. You have my word on that.”
She’d held his eyes through all her words and now that she was done, she continued to stare in a way that dared him to cross her. “I don’t know you, Detective, so your word means very little to me.” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to utter what he was sure would be unprintable. “But I do know Marc Spinnelli and he has confidence in your capability. I’ll let this morning pass. But if it happens again, I’ll ask Spinnelli for someone else. You have
my
word on that.”
She blinked several times, her teeth clenched so hard it was a wonder they didn’t shatter. “The morgue, Lieutenant. If you please.”
Reed put the car in gear, satisfied that he’d made his point. “To the morgue.”
Monday, November 27, 10:05 A.M.
Mia was out of Solliday’s SUV before he’d come to a complete stop.
Threaten to go to my boss, my ass.
As if he’d never gotten lost in thought in his life.
So blow it off. It’s no big deal. Right?
She fought not to grind her teeth as Solliday followed her across the parking garage.
Wrong.
It was a big deal. He was right. Anybody could have surprised her, taken her weapon. She slowed her pace. She hadn’t been careful. Again.
He caught up to her at the elevator and she silently pushed the button. Without a word Solliday followed her in and stood close enough that she could feel the heat from his body. He stood like a granite monolith, arms crossed over his chest which made her feel about eight years old. It was all she could do not to cower into the corner. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on the display as the numbers went up.
“I hope you accomplished your goal with that little stunt,” he said, surprising her into looking up at him. He stared straight ahead, his mouth turned down in a frown.
“Excuse me?”
“Jumping from the car before it was stopped. I know you were pissed at me, but it’s a long way down for you and you could have broken your leg.”
Mia laughed, incredulous. “You’re not my father, Lieutenant Solliday.”
“Be grateful I’m not.” The doors opened and he waited for her to go first. “I’d have grounded my daughter for a week for a stunt like that. Two, if she gave me any lip.”
Don’t give me lip, girl.
Mia barely controlled the flinch. When she was a kid, the snarled line was usually followed by a slap to the head that left her seeing stars. When she got older, just her dad saying that line was enough to make her draw back, earning his contemptuous laughter. She’d hated his laugh. She’d hated him.
My own father.
But it wasn’t her father standing next to her. It was Reed Solliday and he was holding the door that led to the morgue. “Do these things bother you?” he asked. “The victim’s in really bad shape. Charred beyond recognition.”
They did, but she’d die before letting him know about it. “I’m sure I’ve seen worse.”
“I suppose you have,” he murmured and stopped at the glass window to the identification room. “Barrington’s busy. We’ll have to wait.”
Mia’s stomach tightened and it had nothing to do with the body on the metal table covered with a sheet. Aidan Reagan stood next to the ME looking at X-rays. He’d see her, there was no escaping it. Abe’s brother would likely be as angry as his wife had been. Aidan turned from the X-rays and immediately frowned, his eyes meeting hers through the glass. He was nodding at something ME Barrington was saying, but he never broke eye contact with her. He came through the door and stopped.
Solliday moved toward the door, but paused when he realized something was brewing. Interested, Solliday looked from
Something in his words struck a chord because her -flashing eyes went totally cold. “If you’re worried that I won’t be watching your back, worry no more, Lieutenant. What -happened this morning was my personal business. I won’t allow my personal business to interfere with our work. You have my word on that.”
She’d held his eyes through all her words and now that she was done, she continued to stare in a way that dared him to cross her. “I don’t know you, Detective, so your word means very little to me.” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to utter what he was sure would be unprintable. “But I do know Marc Spinnelli and he has confidence in your capability. I’ll let this morning pass. But if it happens again, I’ll ask Spinnelli for someone else. You have
my
word on that.”
She blinked several times, her teeth clenched so hard it was a wonder they didn’t shatter. “The morgue, Lieutenant. If you please.”
Reed put the car in gear, satisfied that he’d made his point. “To the morgue.”
Monday, November 27, 10:05 A.M.
Mia was out of Solliday’s SUV before he’d come to a complete stop.
Threaten to go to my boss, my ass.
As if he’d never gotten lost in thought in his life.
So blow it off. It’s no big deal. Right?
She fought not to grind her teeth as Solliday followed her across the parking garage.
Wrong.
It was a big deal. He was right. Anybody could have surprised her, taken her weapon. She slowed her pace. She hadn’t been careful. Again.
He caught up to her at the elevator and she silently pushed the button. Without a word Solliday followed her in and stood close enough that she could feel the heat from his body. He stood like a granite monolith, arms crossed over his chest which made her feel about eight years old. It was all she could do not to cower into the corner. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on the display as the numbers went up.
“I hope you accomplished your goal with that little stunt,” he said, surprising her into looking up at him. He stared straight ahead, his mouth turned down in a frown.
“Excuse me?”
“Jumping from the car before it was stopped. I know you were pissed at me, but it’s a long way down for you and you could have broken your leg.”
Mia laughed, incredulous. “You’re not my father, Lieutenant Solliday.”
“Be grateful I’m not.” The doors opened and he waited for her to go first. “I’d have grounded my daughter for a week for a stunt like that. Two, if she gave me any lip.”
Don’t give me lip, girl.
Mia barely controlled the flinch. When she was a kid, the snarled line was usually followed by a slap to the head that left her seeing stars. When she got older, just her dad saying that line was enough to make her draw back, earning his contemptuous laughter. She’d hated his laugh. She’d hated him.
My own father.
But it wasn’t her father standing next to her. It was Reed Solliday and he was holding the door that led to the morgue. “Do these things bother you?” he asked. “The victim’s in really bad shape. Charred beyond recognition.”
They did, but she’d die before letting him know about it. “I’m sure I’ve seen worse.”
“I suppose you have,” he murmured and stopped at the glass window to the identification room. “Barrington’s busy. We’ll have to wait.”
Mia’s stomach tightened and it had nothing to do with the body on the metal table covered with a sheet. Aidan Reagan stood next to the ME looking at X-rays. He’d see her, there was no escaping it. Abe’s brother would likely be as angry as his wife had been. Aidan turned from the X-rays and immediately frowned, his eyes meeting hers through the glass. He was nodding at something ME Barrington was saying, but he never broke eye contact with her. He came through the door and stopped.
Solliday moved toward the door, but paused when he realized something was brewing. Interested, Solliday looked from
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