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Authors: James Andrus
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Stallings started to sketch out some plans to talk to fraternity brothers outside the area when Patty walked up to his desk.
She had a bright smile when she said, “Whatcha working on?”
“Figuring out who we might need to talk to next week. What about you?”
“I used my feminine wiles to get the computer guys to rush the review of Zach Halston’s computer.” She plunked down a pile of paper on his desk. “List of what appears to be his customers. The list of all the fraternity brothers. Some unknown telephone numbers that look like they might be associated with his partners in the pot business and a half a dozen credit card numbers that he and other brothers were using to buy stuff online. All the cards are under other people’s names and the two people I checked with didn’t know that they had credit cards under their name. So it looks like Mr. Halston, in addition to being a college student, is a pot dealer, identity thief, and probably at the top of many people’s hit lists.”
Stallings patted the paper and said, “Does it bother you to go outside of guidelines to have some computer nerd rush your request?”
“You scare people, I tease people. We each have our skills, and as long as we don’t abuse them, it’s no problem. For instance, you haven’t punched anyone in front of me for several weeks. I think you’re using your scary skills reasonably. I made no promises to any of the computer nerds, but I’ll admit I unbuttoned my shirt one button and leaned in while I was talking to them. If that makes me a bad cop then I’m guilty.”
Stallings let out a laugh and said, “You’re not a good cop, you’re great cop, and don’t forget it.”
“Does that mean you won’t think less of me if I cut out early this afternoon and head down to my parents’ house?”
“That where you’re having Thanksgiving dinner?”
“Yep, what about you?”
“I signed on for the whole deal tomorrow afternoon at my mom’s house. It’s supposed to be my dad, my kids, and Maria. My mom says my sister may even make a guest appearance, which would make it the first time we were all in the same room together in more than twenty years.”
“It was nice seeing you and Maria out last Friday night.”
“There wasn’t much to it, I’m afraid. But I’m working on it.” Stallings paused and smiled and said, “Your date looked like a nice young man.”
“You think anyone that isn’t Tony Mazzetti is the perfect match for me.”
Stallings started to argue the point, then held up his hands. “I’m just saying, Ken seemed very nice.”
“I thought about asking him to my parents’ for Thanksgiving dinner, but I didn’t want to scare him off. I hope to hook this fish more securely before I decide to reel him in.”
Stallings looked up and said, “Enjoy your time off and we’ll crank up again on Monday.”
Patty gave him a dazzling smile and a quick wave and was on her way.
Tony Mazzetti returned Patty’s wave as she hustled out the door. All morning he’d been hoping she might sit down and chat with him at his desk. He didn’t need much, just a quick whiff of her perfume or an up-close look at that beautiful smile. He knew they weren’t getting back together, but he wished she’d spend more time with him in the office.
His cell phone rang as he watched Patty disappear out the door. He dug the phone out of his pocket and whipped it open to see Lisa Kurtz’s office number on it. He felt guilty not answering it. It had nothing to do with how he felt about Patty. He just couldn’t face the pretty Syracuse grad explaining why she was the most fascinating and intelligent woman in the world.
She may not have been all that bad. Mazzetti had to recognize he liked being the center of attention himself and it may be that she was just too close a reflection of himself. Regardless, he had no intention of spending his Thanksgiving with her, nor did he really want to
Stallings started to sketch out some plans to talk to fraternity brothers outside the area when Patty walked up to his desk.
She had a bright smile when she said, “Whatcha working on?”
“Figuring out who we might need to talk to next week. What about you?”
“I used my feminine wiles to get the computer guys to rush the review of Zach Halston’s computer.” She plunked down a pile of paper on his desk. “List of what appears to be his customers. The list of all the fraternity brothers. Some unknown telephone numbers that look like they might be associated with his partners in the pot business and a half a dozen credit card numbers that he and other brothers were using to buy stuff online. All the cards are under other people’s names and the two people I checked with didn’t know that they had credit cards under their name. So it looks like Mr. Halston, in addition to being a college student, is a pot dealer, identity thief, and probably at the top of many people’s hit lists.”
Stallings patted the paper and said, “Does it bother you to go outside of guidelines to have some computer nerd rush your request?”
“You scare people, I tease people. We each have our skills, and as long as we don’t abuse them, it’s no problem. For instance, you haven’t punched anyone in front of me for several weeks. I think you’re using your scary skills reasonably. I made no promises to any of the computer nerds, but I’ll admit I unbuttoned my shirt one button and leaned in while I was talking to them. If that makes me a bad cop then I’m guilty.”
Stallings let out a laugh and said, “You’re not a good cop, you’re great cop, and don’t forget it.”
“Does that mean you won’t think less of me if I cut out early this afternoon and head down to my parents’ house?”
“That where you’re having Thanksgiving dinner?”
“Yep, what about you?”
“I signed on for the whole deal tomorrow afternoon at my mom’s house. It’s supposed to be my dad, my kids, and Maria. My mom says my sister may even make a guest appearance, which would make it the first time we were all in the same room together in more than twenty years.”
“It was nice seeing you and Maria out last Friday night.”
“There wasn’t much to it, I’m afraid. But I’m working on it.” Stallings paused and smiled and said, “Your date looked like a nice young man.”
“You think anyone that isn’t Tony Mazzetti is the perfect match for me.”
Stallings started to argue the point, then held up his hands. “I’m just saying, Ken seemed very nice.”
“I thought about asking him to my parents’ for Thanksgiving dinner, but I didn’t want to scare him off. I hope to hook this fish more securely before I decide to reel him in.”
Stallings looked up and said, “Enjoy your time off and we’ll crank up again on Monday.”
Patty gave him a dazzling smile and a quick wave and was on her way.
Tony Mazzetti returned Patty’s wave as she hustled out the door. All morning he’d been hoping she might sit down and chat with him at his desk. He didn’t need much, just a quick whiff of her perfume or an up-close look at that beautiful smile. He knew they weren’t getting back together, but he wished she’d spend more time with him in the office.
His cell phone rang as he watched Patty disappear out the door. He dug the phone out of his pocket and whipped it open to see Lisa Kurtz’s office number on it. He felt guilty not answering it. It had nothing to do with how he felt about Patty. He just couldn’t face the pretty Syracuse grad explaining why she was the most fascinating and intelligent woman in the world.
She may not have been all that bad. Mazzetti had to recognize he liked being the center of attention himself and it may be that she was just too close a reflection of himself. Regardless, he had no intention of spending his Thanksgiving with her, nor did he really want to
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