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“This intel means that you’re in danger,” Anne insisted. “I suspect, from both whoever has been tailing you and the unsub that took down Pigg. He was literally twice your size, Will.”
“You’ll find that five rounds will take down the best of us, pet. I can hold my own,” William said more defensively than he’d intended.
Anne rolled her eyes and sighed. “Do you really have time for this masculinity pride parade? Isn’t your life worth more than your ego?”
“Dunno.” William rubbed his index finger over his chin. “My ego’s worth a lot.”
Anne pressed her lips together and stared him down.
“You’re adorable when you do that.” William chuckled. “Don’t worry your pretty little head. I have a few places I can look to find out who’s out to get me. While I’m there, I can see who might be behind your murder. Chances are, you’ll catch the dolt that hired your hit man before you catch the man himself.”
“Where are these places? I’ll go with you.”
“Absolutely not. You walk like a cop. God, love, you smell like a cop right now.”
Anne looked down at herself.
“Coffee and desperation,” he clarified.
“I’ll shower. Don’t be stubborn about this. If you’re really hitting the street to find out information that I’m seventy percent sure that you’ll be sharing with us either voluntarily or with a little pressure and/or flirting, then it makes sense to have a trained officer nearby.”
William turned from her and grabbed his tea, which had gone cold, and took a long sip. “For the life of me, I don’t know what makes you think all of a sudden that I’m this kittenish sop that can’t handle himself. You know who I am, what I’m capable of. Moreover, you know who raised and then trained me.”
“You are always so dramatic! This is a case. My case. I’m the primary here, and I have to make sure that it’s handled properly. So you’re going to bring me along. I’m not sending a civilian in undercover without backup, even if you are the son of a sadistic crime lord as well as the shadiest fucking man in an already shady as fuck city!”
William turned to her with a frown. “This is about your job, then?”
“Mostly, yes.” Anne’s eyes flitted up, then to the left. It was a classic sign that she wasn’t entirely being truthful about something.
Regardless, William would’ve been more suspicious if she hadn’t been hiding something. What was their relationship if they were completely open with one another?
“Right. Well, some of my contacts I’m not lettin’ you in on no matter what, but there is this one thing you can do with me, if you’re up for it.” William smirked at the pleased expression on her face.
“Absolutely. I’ll just check in with Lopez, and we can go.”
“Nope.” William shook his head. “You definitely need to clean up.”
Anne’s nose wrinkled.
“And it’s not until Saturday, in any case.” William shrugged impishly. “Good thing, as I wouldn’t imagine you’d have the appropriate outfit.”
“I know how to do undercover,” Anne protested.
“Not like this.”
Anne was close enough now for him to reach out and touch a loose curl dangling against her neck. She pulled away, but not hard. Just enough that he knew why she was really avoiding his touch.
“How about you come up to my place to prepare? I can guarantee there won’t be any eyes on us that we don’t want there,” he said.
“That’s not…” She trailed off. Not what? Necessary? Appropriate?
“Have you ever been to The Gergitch Gala before?” William tilted his head to the side. “I feel like that might be an event that you’ve missed.”
“A gala? Your big secret place to go skulking for information is a gala?”
“You’re not looking for some grungy dope in a hoodie, pet. You’re looking for the people who are really good at crime. The ones who don’t get caught. The ones who get themselves off.” William gestured to himself with flourish. “You’re looking for people like me.”
Anne narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. She was considering whether or not she bought this line of reasoning.
William felt a stab of satisfaction as her face softened.
“Fine. We can play dress-up. But we’re just picking out a dress. That’s all.”
“Be at my place in the morning,” he ordered. “Your bun and leather jacket aren’t gonna cut it around this crowd.”
Anne nodded. Just before she turned to go, she stopped herself. “Since the department is no longer investigating you, I can have someone make an official statement to that effect to the press. I know it’s a lot of pressure on you to have that kind of slight to your reputation this early after being released.”
