The cops tore themselves away from the computer monitor to stare at him.

              “Come again?”

              Alex put down his cup and crossed his arms. “Contact the guy and tell him that you’re a young lady who’s interested in playing for a big pot. Say that Sampson referred you. If they invite you, take backup and arrest the lot of them.”

              Jacob shook his head. “Too dangerous. What if they get to Kim before we can make a move?”

              Alex shrugged. “Kim wants to close this case. I’m giving her options. It’s up to her whether she wants to take the risk. I don’t know your opinion, fellows, but from what I’ve seen, the woman can handle herself just fine.”

              Kim looked at Alex with new appreciation. “I hate to say it, but he’s right. What’re we going to do? Email the perp asking if we can arrest him, pretty please?”

              Jacob and Phillips exchanged looks. “I don’t like the sound of this,” said Jacob. “There has to be another option.”

              Kin shook her head impatiently. “Every minute we spend debating this, the trail grows colder. I say we send the email. Who knows whether he’ll even respond – bastard may have closed the account after he scored Winters.”

              With a heavy sigh, Phillips turned back to the computer. “Just tell me what to write, Detective. And good luck explaining this to Captain Woodside.”

Chapter Twelve

              The two detectives sat on opposite sides of the small metal desk, catching up on some long put-off paperwork. They looked in Phillips’ direction from time to time, hoping for indication that he’d received a response, but the officer merely shook his head.

              Alex had gone off in search of lunch for the lot of them, much to Kim’s relief. She was happy for a moment of respite from his antics. Still, she’d been pleasantly surprised that he’d had her back on going undercover.

As one of the few female detectives on the force, she was constantly trying to prove that she could compete with the boys. She suspected that most of her fellow officers saw her as a buxom redhead who was paid to play with a gun, despite her excellent track record. Scratch that, her formerly excellent track record. All the more reason to go undercover and nab the men responsible.

But it was more than just her case record that was eating at her. She had other reasons too, ones she tried not to think about. She and Jacob got on well, most of the time, because they were both workaholics. They were both single-minded and obsessive. Kim only differed in that she worked hard in order to forget certain parts of her past. Jacob had no such compulsion.

“Kim?” came Jacob’s voice, breaking into her thoughts. She looked up at him from her paperwork. “You really want to go undercover?”

“You know me, Jacob. I’ve never shied away from a challenge.”

Jacob sighed and put down his pen. “This isn’t just a challenge; it could be a death trap. It seems reasonable to assume that these players are sadistic, given the nature of the murder.”

“I know you’re concerned about me, Jacob, but I don’t think we have a choice.”

“We can ambush them. It’s not logical to send you in there.”

“If I go in and they make a move against me, we have a much better case.” Jacob sat silent for a moment, his face expressionless. “What, Jacob? You’re giving me the creeps.”

“Your illogical behavior leads me to believe that this is about your sister,” he said finally.

Kim breathed deeply and turned back to her paperwork. “I’m not having this conversation.”

“They couldn’t solve her case. You’ve had the same problem lately. To compensate, you’ve been engaging in riskier and riskier behavior. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.”

“Ever tactful, Jacob,” Kim muttered. She signed a report so forcefully that the ballpoint ripped through the paper. “Damnit!”

“Jacob, tactful? Never,” said Alex, appearing with giant brown paper sacks. “What are we talking about?”

“Jacob was describing a particularly painful scene of yours in Time After Time,” Kim said, grabbing a sack.

“And after I bought lunch and everything!” Alex said, looking hurt.

Jacob looked confused. “I have never watched Time After Time, so it is impossible for me to have an opinion on your acting ability.”

Kim bit into a pastrami sandwich lustfully. “Tell him your thoughts on when Jareth tried to fake his own death by stealing his wife’s identity.”

“Now that was a bit of a stretch,” Alex muttered. “I do the best I can with the drivel those writers come up with.”

“Guys!” shouted Phillips from across the room. “We got a live one!”

Lunch forgotten, the detectives and actor rushed across the room to crowd around Phillips’ computer.

The King of Spades kindly invites Miss Amanda Egan

To a simple match of wits

Tonight at 7:30 p.m.

24-16 th Street, at Avenue C

Follow the sound of the music

              The group stood for a moment in silence.

              “Now’s your big chance, Detective!” said Alex. “Time to practice your Daisy Mae act.”

              “Your bravado is completely inappropriate given your future role in this situation,” said Jacob.

              “And what’s that?”

              “Safely sitting at home with a late night special and a bowl of popcorn,” snapped Kim. “I’m going in. Phillips, get a team to case the area. We’ll reconvene back here for 5 p.m. to brief the crew and wire me up. Jacob will lead the backup team. I’ll handle Captain Woodside.”

**

              “You have to be out of your mind, Detective,” Woodside said, pacing behind his desk. “Just send in a team, arrest the bastards, and get out. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that. I’m starting to think you have suicidal impulses just like your partner.”

              “With all due respect, he doesn’t want to commit suicide, Captain. It’s more like a sick philosophical affiliation.”

              Woodside shook his head. “Man gives me the creeps. It’s like talking to Deep Blue, not a human being.” He sat down heavily. “At least he had the sense to recommend not to send you in.”

              Kim flinched. Jacob had spoken to the Captain? Sure, they were equals – the detective didn’t need her permission to talk to Woodside. But they were also partners. They never did anything without discussing it with the other first.

              “I understand Detective Newport’s concern. However, if we send in a team, the perps could get wind of it and spook. From the look of the crime scene, they’re professionals. This lead is our one chance to get them. I don’t need long in there, just enough time to set them at ease so the team can move in.”

              Woodside passed a hand over his face in exasperation. “You have a point, Detective. You always have a point and are never shy about sharing it to boot.”

              Kim ignored this. “Think of the publicity if we bag the killers,” she said, aiming for Woodside’s weak spot. “This is a high-profile case – struggling actress brutally murdered by poker ring. The papers are not going to let this one go until it’s solved. The sooner and cleaner we can tie this up, the better for the department.”

              Woodside shot her a bleary eyed look of defeat. “You’re a sharp one, Detective Daniels. Maybe too sharp. All right, you have my permission. But for God’s sake, don’t try to be a hero out there. Get in, get out, and bring me back the psychopaths who did this.”

Chapter Thirteen

              “Do you want to start a betting pool as to whether Officer G … I mean Detective Daniels shows up?” said Alex, hanging about Officer Phillips’ desk, as he had all afternoon. He hadn’t wanted to miss a minute of the excitement.