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When he glanced up, when he smiled, she felt a number of the rocky areas of her life go smooth again.
“Hello, Lieutenant.”
“Hello, civilian.” Maybe she could take just a minute of extra time herself. She walked around his console, leaned down, and caught his face in her hands, pressed her mouth to his.
“Well then,” he remarked, and started to yank her onto his lap.
“Uh-uh, that’s all you get.”
“So, you just came in to torture and torment me?”
“There you go. What have you got for me?”
“A very crude answer to that question springs to mind, but I take it you’re referring to my little homework assignment rather than my—”
“Affirmative.” But relieved, she sat on the edge of his console to face him. It was good to see the tension gone from his face, from the set of his shoulders. “I’ve got Peabody working an angle, one she came up with. I’ve just spent a good hour stewing over one of my own without getting a bump.”
“I don’t know how much I can add to that. Though spreading the grease around, per your request, has netted me a few names, none fit your profile.”
“Maybe I’m off.” She pushed away from the console, paced over to the window to stare out at the storm. “I’ve been off since the get-go on this.”
“If you have, I’ll take the blame for it.”
“You don’t live inside my brain.”
Don’t I? he wondered. “I haven’t been any help to you.”
“Funny,” she said without turning. “I managed to be a pretty good cop for a full decade before you came waltzing along.”
“I don’t believe I waltzed along. And I’ve no doubt you’d continue to be a great deal more than a pretty good cop without me. But the fact is I’ve distracted you. Worrying about me has split both your concentration and your priorities. I’m sorry for it.”
“I guess you’ve never had them split because you were worried about me.”
“I’d like to say something to you. Look at me, will you?” He waited until she’d turned. “I’m caught between pride and terror every time you put on that weapon and walk out the door. Every time. But I wouldn’t have it any other way, Eve. Wouldn’t have you any other way, as that’s who you are and who we are together.”
“It’s not easy being married to a cop. You do a good job of it.”
“Thanks for that.” He smiled again. “You do a good one being married to a former criminal.”
“Hooray for us.”
“It’s important to me to have a connection with what you do. Even if it’s only to listen, though I enjoy doing more than that.”
“Tell me.”
“I’m annoyed with myself for scattering your focus on this case because I didn’t do what I’d have demanded you do. I didn’t dump on you. If I had, we’d have pulled this all together sooner. Next time I’m troubled like this, be sure I’ll drag you into my worries straight off.”
Her lips twitched. “Sounds good. And if you don’t drag me quick enough, I’ll just smack you around until you spill.”
&nbs
p; “Fair enough.”
“Now, let’s take a look at the names.”
He put them on a wall screen. “There’s nothing on any male in your age group. Not with a serious neurological problem.”
“Maybe it’s not the brain. Maybe it’s some other part gone dinky.”
