Chills & Thrills: Three Novel Box Set (63 page)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Tony pulled up in front of the hospital and parked his gray sedan in the loading zone. He got out and approached the thick glass doorway. The panes slid silently open for him.

He went inside the lobby and sat down in the waiting area. He picked up a National Geographic, thinking he should get a copy for Luke, who loved the glossy photos of wild animals and foreign cultures.

Everyone else seemed to be focused on a gameshow on TV. Pazzini glanced up and saw Simmons and Dr. Morales come out of the elevator. She looked worn out. Pretty, but tired.

They approached the lobby. “How’s it going, Doc?” Tony asked.

“Okay, considering.” She tucked her long, dark hair behind her ears.

“You ready for a great evening?”

“What have I got to lose?” she smiled.

“Hmm.” Tony wasn’t quite sure what to make of her. Was that sarcasm he detected, or was she being nice? He’d never been great at reading women.

Simmons broke into a wide grin. “Ah, she’s a sweetheart once you get to know her.”

Kelly frowned at Simmons. “And here I thought you had my back,” she said. “I like him though.” She pointed at Simmons.

Pazzini covered a hand over his heart. “Oh, so you don’t like me? Ouch! I’m only doing my job.”

Simmons glanced from Kelly to Pazzini and quickly stepped in, “Hey, so thanks for covering me, boss. I’d really hate to miss my little sister’s rehearsal dinner.”

“No problem.” Pazzini smiled. In the past couple of days Simmons had grown on him. And as far as the doctor went, he couldn’t deny there was something about Kelly that intrigued him. She was the first woman since his wife, Anna, who provoked any kind of response from him other than a purely sexual one. This lady had already made him angry, feel sorry for her…hell, whether or not it had been her intention, she’d even made him smile a time or two. After Anna died, Luke was the only one who got any kind of smile out of him.

Tony noticed Simmons wink at her and she smiled back. He coughed. “I think we’d better get going.”

They left the hospital and got into his car, driving silently for a few minutes before Tony blurted out, “So, you and Simmons hit it off, I see?”

She turned to face him, her almond-shaped eyes darker than before. “He did his job. I did mine. He stayed out of my way. It worked.”

“I’m trying to do my job, too.”

“Stop provoking me, then. And what are you looking at?”

“You. Trying to figure you out.”

“Don’t you think you should be keeping an eye on the road?”

He focused back on the freeway, slamming on the brakes as the rush-hour traffic began to slow to a standstill.

“Look, this is likely only for a couple of nights. I think we should make the best of it, okay? See if we can’t get along. Is that a problem for you?” he asked.

For a moment she didn’t respond. Finally she muttered, “No. I guess not.”

“Good. I hope you’re hungry because I’m famished. Why don’t we go have a decent meal, try and make nice. I’m actually a good guy. I know you probably think I’m an ass…”

She shrugged. “I don’t know why I would think that.”

He shook a finger while keeping his eyes on the road. “I do detect the sarcasm in your voice.”

“You are the detective.”

“Funny. Cute really.”

“Not trying to be cute,” she replied.

If they were on a date…if…shit. How could he even think like that? But how couldn’t he? He was after all a man. But a detective first. No. A man first. A man doing his job. His mind was going all stupid on him now, because he knew if they were on a date he would have told her she wasn’t even close to cute. She was goddamn hot. Well, maybe he wouldn’t have said those exact words, but he’d at least tell her she was beautiful. He tried very hard to erase that thought from his mind, knowing it went against every professional and ethical code grilled into him. He decided to try and get back to being completely irritated by her. She was irritating. She was damn irritating. Gorgeous but still irritating. Smart but irritating. Damn!

“Oh you’re not cute. Not at all,” he said keeping his tone as monotone as possible.

“But you just said…”

He gripped the steering wheel. “Okay. So let’s get something to eat and then we’ll go back to your place. You can go about your business and I’ll handle some paperwork I need to catch up on. You won’t even know I’m there.” They turned off Fairfax, and pulled into Canter’s Deli. “Is this okay?” he asked, thinking maybe he should have taken her somewhere nicer, an upscale pizza place maybe? She struck him as the white wine-type who enjoyed pizzas with artichokes and goat cheese, or some kind of fancy shit that didn’t belong on a pizza. Not a real pizza, anyway.

“Fine,” she replied.

Fine! Fine. Good God. Well then, it would have to be fine. Yep. Irritating. He shook his head. Got out and waited for her. He wasn’t about to open the car door though.

No sooner were they in the door of the restaurant when the hostess—who’d been there probably as long as the deli itself—approached them. Her eyes lit up when she turned to the doctor. “Hello, Doc. Long time no see. How are you?” she asked, her Brooklyn accent thick and loud. “Is this your new man?” Her lips covered in coral-shaded lipstick puckered as she eyed Tony up and down in obvious approval.

He couldn’t help but be surprised and amused when he saw a blush rise in the doctor’s cheeks. He wanted to laugh but stopped himself.

“No. He’s, uh, he’s um…he’s just a friend.”

Friend. He was working hard not to laugh.

“Oh a friend, huh? Nice looking friend.” The waitress winked at him and turned to show them to a booth.

The doc was in front of him and he tapped her on the shoulder. She glanced back. “Friend? Nice. Good call.” He smiled widely.

“What was I supposed to say?” she said, trying to keep it down. “This is the cop shadowing me because some creep is out there sending me ominous messages and breaking into my house? Oh yeah, and he may have murdered a friend of mine. Sure.”

“Good point.” He smiled all the way to the booth.

“Enjoy, kids,” the hostess said as they slid into the pale pink seats. This was one of those old-school delis…pastel colors on the walls, Formica tables and counters, fantastic sandwiches.

Tony ordered a Reuben; the doc a turkey on sourdough and a beer on tap. She rubbed her eyes, which were red and tired looking but still sparkling with energy.

She broke the silence. “Did you find out any more about the note and the flowers? Do you have any more leads? And what about Jake? Is what happened with me related?”

He smiled sympathetically. “We are still investigating.”

Her shoulders slumped and she stared down at the table until the food arrived.

Tony watched as she guzzled down the beer and ordered another before taking a bite of her sandwich. “Might want to go easy there, Doc.”

She frowned. “It’s been a rough week.”

“Trust me, that won’t help.”

“Probably not, but it might for a little while.”

“Not long. I speak from experience.” He grew silent. The doc shifted uncomfortably in the booth. He weighed his options and decided he really didn’t want or need to elaborate. He was simply keeping the doctor safe, and finding her friend’s killer. He shut his emotions down. He finally looked back up and noticed her studying him.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Yep. Just tired. Long days.”

“I can relate to that,” she replied.

“I’m sure you can. I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what?” she asked.

“Your job. I mean you must see some really tough stuff.”

She laughed. “There’s the pot calling the kettle black! How about you? You’re a homicide detective.”

“Good point. But you have to deal with babies all day long. Sure, I have a lot of awful things that I see and deal with, but I couldn’t deal with sick or dying babies. How do you manage?”

She finished the second beer. “It’s not easy. Not at all. But I try not to let myself think about it much. I became a doctor to save lives and it’s what I do. There are far more babies who started out with me and grew up into healthy, happy kids than ones who die under my watch.”

“You have a difficult job and it’s got to be hard. I admire what you do. Believe me. I couldn’t do it.” He had the utmost respect for doctors.

She didn’t say anything at first. “You know what? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. You actually seem like a nice guy and I know you’re trying to do your job here. You respect me, I respect you, and now I think it’s probably time to head out.”

He sighed. “Okay. Oh, um…do you mind if we stop off at a bookstore? I know there’s one on the way to your place. I have to pick up a book for my son.”

“Sure. How old is he?”

“He’s six.”

“That’s a fun age,” she said. “So much going on with their little brains. I love kids.”

“You want some of your own?”

“Sure, I think. Someday. Right now I’m so focused on my job I haven’t even made any time to meet anyone, much less think about starting a family.”

He nodded, not really knowing what to say. She was intelligent, attractive, a bit edgy, which he liked so it was hard for him to understand why she didn’t have someone in her life. “You know that you can have both?”

“What?” she asked.

“A career and a family.”

“Of course I know that, Detective. I just haven’t met the right guy yet.”

“You will. I’m sure you will.”

She sighed. “Maybe I’ll get myself a book, too. Something to take my mind off of things.”

“You like to read?” he asked.

“When I get a chance,” she said. “I like anything where I don’t have to think too hard. A good thriller, adventure, that type of thing.”

“You haven’t gone the way of the electronic world like everyone else, you know with a Kindle, Nook, or iPad?”

She smiled and it did strange things to his insides. That feeling could not be butterflies. Ridiculous. “I have an e-reader. I mean, who doesn’t? But there is something about the printed book I don’t think I will let go of completely. You know, holding it and smelling the ink. I don’t know…it’s appealing in a weird way. God, I think I’m buzzed. I sound stupid.”

“No, not stupid at all. I agree. About the books. I like the feel of a printed book myself.”

She smiled again and it threw him off-kilter. Again. Time to get the check and leave. But as they were walking out the door, he couldn’t help but smile. Who knew…maybe the night wouldn’t be so bad after all.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Mark watched them leave the hospital together. He’d noticed the cowboy dick hanging out with her all day and it made him real nervous. He’d been in and out of the lab, making sure he’d covered his ass with the files of those dead chicks, and their kids. It had not been easy though. He’d been able to get into the computer system and make some hasty changes once those girls had died, but he’d had to get a hold of hard copies to be certain nothing got lost in the shuffle.

He needed to talk to Chad and tell him what was going down. Mark was supposed to let him know what was going on with the doctors on the payroll, and with Dr. Morales who may or may not know something about them thanks to that dumb-fuck Hamilton. Chad could at least give him kudos for keeping an eye on the lab results. Maybe they could get together and have a beer over that.

Back to the problem at hand. The doctor. Little Miss Too-Good-For-Everyone-Else must be scared out of her mind to get the cops all over this. Now she thought she needed a big protector. All the pretty little doctor needed was him. Dammit. Mark couldn’t tell Chad he had a thing for the doctor for a couple of reasons. First of all, Dr. Morales was a Mexican…or something like that. Mixed relationships went against all the codes and rules. But it wasn’t like Mark was in love or nothing. There were other things the doctor could be used for. The other reason was if Chad knew about Mark’s little obsession and that he’d been semi-stalking her outside the parameters of what his job entailed, he might get into a bit of trouble with The Brotherhood. He definitely didn’t need or want that. He had to get his shit together…be more discrete.

Mark wasn’t too worried about the dipshit with her now. Some protection the cop was. Big asshole. Hell. He hadn’t even noticed Mark following them from the hospital. He’d screamed at him while in his car watching them go into Canter’s. “You’re a big fucking bozo, cop!”

That detective was no match for him. Hollywood had its perks. Like good costume shops with all sorts of great masks, make-up, and everything you’d ever need in order to change yourself quickly and effectively.

He wanted to get closer to them. See what they were doing. He put on a UCLA sweatshirt, a pair of sweats, and a baseball cap. Glasses, too. Made him look brilliant, which he obviously was.

“Yeah. Perfect.” He opened the car door and slung a camo back-pack over his shoulder for an added touch. He laughed.

Mark walked through the door and spotted them right away. Now why would a cop who was supposedly protecting someone take her out to dinner and then to a bookstore? What, were they in, some sort of dipshit book club? He chuckled at his own joke. But really, what the hell was going on here?

And what if she recognized him? Nah. Fat chance. She hardly glanced at him in the halls at the hospital. She wouldn’t recognize him. He worked for The Brotherhood and they didn’t hire idiots.

All he had to do was keep his special feelings for Dr. Morales a secret. She’d be his soon enough.