He took the phone but held it open so I could hear Stone’s responses. Dad said, “You’ve got a location for the vehicle?”

“A possible location,” Stone answered. “You’ve been with her the entire time?”

“Yes, I have been with her the entire time.”

A long pause. “Doing what?”

“Mostly reading while she slept.” He glanced at one of my magazines-a subscription toEarth and Heaventhat I acquired with odd-lot miles from Delta. He read from the cover article. “Did you know that the universe is expanding at roughly twice the rate than previously thought, according to the latest redshift data?”

“Very interesting, Pete,” Stone said. “Don’t you think the Nova just popping up like this is a big coincidence?”

Decker’s smile was slow and wide. “The world runs on coincidences, Mack. So does our business. Would you like to talk to Officer Decker again?”

“No need. Just tell her that if this tip pans out, I’ll need her for vehicle identification. Then we’ll have to clear her gun with a shooting team. Once we get the okay from them, she can report back for active duty. That’ll probably come through day after tomorrow, but when I say to call in at noon, I mean call in at noon.”

“Why are you castigating me? I’m not my daughter’s keeper.”

“I’m not castigating you, Pete; I’m asking you to pass along the message with feeling.”

“Got it.” Decker winked at me. “Thanks for everything, Mack. I’ll remember this.”

“Yeah.” A weary voice. “Fine. Bye.”

Dad hung up the line, then depressed the flash button. “Someone’s beeping in.” He handed me the phone.

“Youtellme this morning you call by nine. That wassixhours ago. I call you a dozen times. Where have you been?”

“I’m just fine, Koby. Thanks for asking.”

A pause. He said, “How are you?”

“Tired and nauseated. I’ve been out, but if anyone asks you, I’ve been home sleeping.”

Another pause. “Cynthia, what is goingon?”

“Nothing.” I softened my voice. “Really. I’m all right. How areyou?”

“I’m all right, now I know that you’re all right. I don’t know where you are. I was crazy with worry.”

So now you know what it’s like to wait and wonder.Of course, I didn’t say that. The poor man had been shot at, his car totaled and impounded. He was tired and grumpy and worried and without a set of wheels. It was not the time to make points. “I’m sorry I didn’t call. Honestly, I was preoccupied and forgot.”

“Youforgot?”

“Koby, my father’s here. He’s about to leave. Could you hold for a minute so I can say good-bye to him?”

Another exasperated sigh, but he said he’d hold. I put the receiver down and got up. I smiled at my father. “What can I say, Decker? Thanks a heap.”

“Anytime.”

Tears suddenly fell from my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. I hugged my father with profound gratitude that wentwaybeyond this incident. “I love you.”

He hugged me back with equal enthusiasm. “I love you, too, Princess.”

I finally broke away. Or maybe he broke away. He said, “I’ll let myself out.”

“No, I’ll walk you to the door.” I whispered, “He can wait.”

Dad’s smile was immediate and conspiratorial. As soon as I closed the door and locked it, I plopped down on the couch, phone in hand. “I’m back. Where are you now?”

“At work.”

“You found a car?”

“Marnie picked me up.”

“Marnie?”

“Yes, Marnie. When can we see each other?”

“I guess soon, or Marnie will move in on my territory.”

“Stop it,Cynthia! I’m in no mood. She’s engaged to a very nice doctor and it is you who have the key to my house.”

I didn’t answer right away, waiting for him to apologize for snapping at me. He didn’t. So I said, “I’m sorry. The humor is defensive. I’m still shaken. I’m sure you are as well.”

A loud sigh. “I’m sorry, too. I just want to hear your voice, that’s all.”

“Well, here I am.”

“Baruch Hashem!” There was a long silence over the phone. “Iachefor you. Please. When can we see each other?”

“You tell me.”

“Can you come pick me up after work?”

“Of course, Koby. What time?”

“Eleven.”

“I’ll be there unless I have to do vehicle identification.” I apprised him of the situation.

“That’s incredible!” His voice turned bright. “That issolucky.”

“Yes, it is very lucky,” I told him.

I smiled to myself.

Sometimes you make your own luck.

38

The William Tell Overturewas never my favorite piece to begin with. It was especially obnoxious as a jingle coming from my cell phone. I wanted to pull the covers over my head and keep sleeping, but because my current work situation was tenuous, I reconsidered. I reached down to the floor, rooted through my handbag, and came up with the infernal machine.

Koby shifted onto his stomach, then pulled the covers over his head. “Ignore it.”

I depressed the call button. “Hello?”

“It’s Brill.”

I sat up, my heart reminding me I was alive. “What’s going on?”

“Just giving you a heads-up and it’s all good. Shooting team is just about done. You’re fine.”

Suddenly, I could breathe easily. “Oh my God, that’s great! Did Forensics pull anything from the Nova?”

“Lots of prints. We’ll run through the electronic file by midafternoon.”

“Thanks, Justice. That’s a real load off.”

“That’s why I called.”

Koby yanked the covers off and bolted up. My eyes followed his body-upright as well as erect-as he walked to the bathroom.

“Someone will officially call you,” Justice told me. “You want to know where the shots landed?”

“Where?”

“All in the hood of the car, nothing through the windshield. Your aim was good. Except you fired six and the team only recovered four.”

“I must have shot a couple of wild ones,” I lied.

“Yeah, so long as they didn’t land in the wrong place. So far, so good.”

“Thanks again, Justice. Call me as soon as the prints go through, even if there isn’t a hit.”

A pause. “Maybe we should have that cup of coffee, Decker.”

“Whenever you’re ready to talk about the Sarah Sanders rape case-with Russ MacGregor’s permission, of course-I’m up for it.”

“Yeah, that too. You have the day off. How about a drink when I get off-around six. I should know something about the car’s prints by then.”

“Can I get back to you? I’ve got to arrange my schedule with my boyfriend. He’s still half-asleep right now.”

“Sure, Decker. Call me back.”

“Thanks, Justice. Bye.”

Koby slithered back into bed. “What schedule are we arranging?”

“Detective Brill wants to talk to me.”

“About what?”

“Prints in the Nova. He’s running them through this afternoon. He suggested talking over drinks when he gets off from work.”

“He asked youout?”

“He’s married, Koby.”

“A ring on the finger is not a ring on the gonads.”

“And that’s why I mentioned my boyfriend. He’s not stupid.”

“Are you going?” He sulked.

“I’ll call and find out what popped up on National Register. If it’s legit, yes, I’m going. I’ve been in this position before. I know these guys and I know how to steer it to business. Our dating makes it that much easier. Plus, Brill’s a superior. I need a jump start on the Sarah Sanders rape case, and if he can help me, great.”

“There are sexual-harassment laws in this country, you know.”

“He’s not harassing me, he’s throwing out feelers. Don’t worry.”

But his face held resentment. He waited a moment; then his long fingers skittered over my nipples.

“Let me brush my teeth,” I told him. As soon as I returned to bed, he turned to his side and propped himself up onto an elbow. He took in my nakedness.

“You are so gorgeous.”

I stroked his cheek. “So are you. Please don’t doubt me.”