had been dumb enough to think that was a compliment. But that’s what they said, right? Pride before a fall? And he had fallen long and hard, and was still struggling to get back on his knees.
Chrissie had shaped his life from the day he’d first met her, but what had he known about marriage? Nothing . Not a goddamned thing. And when he discovered she’d slept with Sizemore, he’d kicked her out.
His first mistake.
He drove to his flat in town to gear up. His dog, Rocket, whimpered and threw himself into a whole-body wag as Nick pushed open the door.
“Sorry, boy.” Nick rubbed his thick fur and tossed him a biscuit from the tin on the kitchen counter. “You can’t come.”
Nick grabbed what he needed, tucked it into the back pocket of his jeans along with a small flashlight. He debated over the knife he habitually carried. Having it would increase the potential for charges if he was caught, but he had no intention of getting caught. He had lived in the real world for too long to play nice. He played big boy rules for big boy games. He pulled on a black sweater and a black watch cap to cover his hair and ears, swapped oxfords for trainers, the dog licking his face as he bent to tie the laces.
“Oh no, you don’t, you wee bugger.” He gave Rocket one last pat, touched a hand to Susie’s wallet and checked the time. One-fifteen.
He drove to Albany Park and slid into the crowded car park behind blocks of student housing. A couple of students were heading home for the night. He hung tight for a moment, watching them go inside their box-like little flats. Then he got out and pulled his toque low, the wool itching his forehead, reminding him of other times he’d done this sort of thing and all the reasons he’d quit.
The haar smothered this stretch of coast like a clingy lover. Mist kissed his face, the vapor from his lungs mixing with the atmosphere like dry ice. He couldn’t see anyone on the path, but kept his head bent, checking for lights inside the Gatty building. Nothing.
Good .
He turned the corner, noted there weren’t any cars in the car park, nor lights in the newer structure that rose up behind the original nineteenth-century building. Excitement made his blood pound in his ears and his mouth felt parched. The night-watchman was due back in a couple of hours, but Nick would be in and out in twenty minutes tops.
He’d given the force most of his adult life, three years so deep undercover there were days even he’d forgotten he was a police officer. And now he was risking everything, his career, his reputation, his honor, all to prove Jake Sizemore’s guilt.
His fingertips felt numb inside latex gloves as he swiped Susie’s card through the electronic slot at the door. He waited for the buzzer to click and quickly entered the Gatty.
If anyone checked, the computer log would show Susie Cooper worked late. With a little luck nobody would ever know or care she hadn’t been there at all.
Susie was the perfect patsy. He didn’t allow his thoughts to stray to her soft scent or the feel of her lips. He had no intention of adding to her reasons to hate men, although he was pretty sure if she knew he’d stolen her wallet, he’d be top of her shit list.
Putting thoughts of Susie aside, he moved along the dark corridors which hummed with electricity from unseen machines. If he was caught, Dr. Susie Cooper would protest with enough honest indignation to convince even the most hardnosed cop she was not involved; whereas Lily, whose card he had contemplated borrowing on more than one occasion, would have ’fessed up and sent her career down the crapper.
And he’d already done enough damage to the Heathcote family.
He headed up a flight of stairs, risked his flashlight in the stairwell. Inched the door open carefully, wincing as its hinges squealed. He slid through the gap, along the corridor to the open-plan office that housed the secretaries’ desks. Skirted hulking masses of photocopiers and
Chrissie had shaped his life from the day he’d first met her, but what had he known about marriage? Nothing . Not a goddamned thing. And when he discovered she’d slept with Sizemore, he’d kicked her out.
His first mistake.
He drove to his flat in town to gear up. His dog, Rocket, whimpered and threw himself into a whole-body wag as Nick pushed open the door.
“Sorry, boy.” Nick rubbed his thick fur and tossed him a biscuit from the tin on the kitchen counter. “You can’t come.”
Nick grabbed what he needed, tucked it into the back pocket of his jeans along with a small flashlight. He debated over the knife he habitually carried. Having it would increase the potential for charges if he was caught, but he had no intention of getting caught. He had lived in the real world for too long to play nice. He played big boy rules for big boy games. He pulled on a black sweater and a black watch cap to cover his hair and ears, swapped oxfords for trainers, the dog licking his face as he bent to tie the laces.
“Oh no, you don’t, you wee bugger.” He gave Rocket one last pat, touched a hand to Susie’s wallet and checked the time. One-fifteen.
He drove to Albany Park and slid into the crowded car park behind blocks of student housing. A couple of students were heading home for the night. He hung tight for a moment, watching them go inside their box-like little flats. Then he got out and pulled his toque low, the wool itching his forehead, reminding him of other times he’d done this sort of thing and all the reasons he’d quit.
The haar smothered this stretch of coast like a clingy lover. Mist kissed his face, the vapor from his lungs mixing with the atmosphere like dry ice. He couldn’t see anyone on the path, but kept his head bent, checking for lights inside the Gatty building. Nothing.
Good .
He turned the corner, noted there weren’t any cars in the car park, nor lights in the newer structure that rose up behind the original nineteenth-century building. Excitement made his blood pound in his ears and his mouth felt parched. The night-watchman was due back in a couple of hours, but Nick would be in and out in twenty minutes tops.
He’d given the force most of his adult life, three years so deep undercover there were days even he’d forgotten he was a police officer. And now he was risking everything, his career, his reputation, his honor, all to prove Jake Sizemore’s guilt.
His fingertips felt numb inside latex gloves as he swiped Susie’s card through the electronic slot at the door. He waited for the buzzer to click and quickly entered the Gatty.
If anyone checked, the computer log would show Susie Cooper worked late. With a little luck nobody would ever know or care she hadn’t been there at all.
Susie was the perfect patsy. He didn’t allow his thoughts to stray to her soft scent or the feel of her lips. He had no intention of adding to her reasons to hate men, although he was pretty sure if she knew he’d stolen her wallet, he’d be top of her shit list.
Putting thoughts of Susie aside, he moved along the dark corridors which hummed with electricity from unseen machines. If he was caught, Dr. Susie Cooper would protest with enough honest indignation to convince even the most hardnosed cop she was not involved; whereas Lily, whose card he had contemplated borrowing on more than one occasion, would have ’fessed up and sent her career down the crapper.
And he’d already done enough damage to the Heathcote family.
He headed up a flight of stairs, risked his flashlight in the stairwell. Inched the door open carefully, wincing as its hinges squealed. He slid through the gap, along the corridor to the open-plan office that housed the secretaries’ desks. Skirted hulking masses of photocopiers and
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