Page 45 of Falling for Her

Who taught you that?

Finley:

Asa. It means okay.

Me:

I know what it means, Finley.

Finley:

Just in case. I don’t want you to get fired, but you haven’t paid me yet.

Me:

Good night.

Finley:

10-7. Oh, wait, I think it’s 10-6 I want to use. What’s the code for busy unless urgent?

Me:

10-6

Finley:

10-6

I look out the window, the minutes ticking by, the frustration of the night getting heavier and heavier. “What time are we calling this?” the guy beside me asks.

“Fuck,” Martinez says, “I think we got fucking played.”

I shake my head. “How good was your source?”

“Not good enough,” Johnson says, “or he got paid to give us the wrong intel.”

“Let’s call it a night,” Martinez says. “We can regroup tomorrow.”

We head back to the undercover office. There is a brown box waiting for us, sitting right outside the door.

“Should we call SWAT?” Martinez asks as we approach it. “Has my name on the top.”

He decides to open the box. Inside is a bag of potato chips with a note which reads: Next time, take snacks.

“I guess this answers our question,” I say. “I’m going to head out.”

The minute I get in the car, I text Captain.

Me:

They were tipped off and are fucking with us. I’ll call in tomorrow for a debrief.

The drive home takes more time than I’d like. I pull into the driveway a little after 2:00 a.m., my eyes burning with fatigue. I check that Finley’s door is locked, as promised, then enter the house through the front door, doing my best to make no noise. I slide off my boots and grab a glass of water. The pillows are all back where they belong, and there is a bottle of furniture polish on the living room cabinet, with a rag on top.

I start upstairs to check on Asa and am on the third step when my foot slips on the wood, as if it’s been oiled. I grab the railing before my knee smashes into the next step. I move my foot side to side, and it slides far too easily. “Did she polish the fucking stairs?” I cautiously try the next one.

By the time I get to the top, the answer is a definite yes. She used furniture polish to clean the steps. I shake my head as I crack open Asa’s door. He’s in the middle of his bed, asleep. I bend to kiss his cheek.