She took another sip of coffee then slipped her tablet out of her handbag and logged onto the coffee shop’s Wi-Fi. She wrote a quick email to Wu, asking him how the investigation of Andy’s disappearance was progressing and reminding him that she wasn’t able to work until he exonerated her. Then she wrote to Kevin, her boss, to let him know how disappointed she was that he hadn’t stood byher.
She deleted that secondone.
You’ll just get yourselffired.
Damnit!
Shehatedthis feeling of helplessness. She hated to have to wait, not knowing what was going on with the investigation or when it would be over. She hated having this cloud of suspicion hanging over her head, following her everywhere shewent.
At least Joaquin believedher.
He was the one thing about this past weekend that didn’tsuck.
I feel a connection to you, Mia. I can’t explain it. I just know it’sthere.
She knew what he meant because she felt it, too. It hardly seemed possible that she’d met him only lastFriday.
He had kissed her. No, it hadn’t been a kiss on the mouth. It had been more like a kiss you’d give your sister. But if that’s what it felt like when Joaquin gave her a little peck, what would a full-on kiss with lips and teeth and tongues do toher?
Warmth that had nothing to do with caffeine zinged throughher.
She probably shouldn’t think aboutthat.
Is there a man in your life? You’re too smart and beautiful to besingle.
He probably hadn’t meant that. He’d seemed serious, a warmth in his brown eyes that had made it hard to breathe. But Mia knew she wasn’t any man’s idea of beautiful, not really. Her hair was more orange than red. Her mouth was too broad. She was too thin with small breasts that barely filled a Bcup.
You shouldn’t be thinking about Joaquin anyway, not when Andy is still missing and Jason is in themorgue.
She set her coffee down, pulled her smartphone out of her handbag, and called the one person in the world she’d hoped never to speak toagain.
He answered on the second ring. “If it isn’t the Iron Maiden. What do you want, Starr? Is your ice cave gettinglonely?”
Bennett Powell was an asshole. He was also her former commandingofficer.
“Knock it off, Powell.” She refused to take the bait and got to the point. “Garcia is dead. Someone killed him last night, shot him to death in his home. Andy Meyer is missing. He disappeared from his home Friday evening. There were bullet holes in his showerstall.”
For a moment, he said nothing. “So?”
“You were their commanding officer. I thought you’d want toknow.”
“Am I supposed to sendflowers?”
And he thoughtshewascold?
“You don’tcare?”
“Meyer was a fuck-up. The planet is better off without him. Garcia—that’s a bummer. He wasokay.”
“Someone is trying to make it look like I’mresponsible.”
Powell burst into laughter. “That’s the best damned thing I’ve heard all day. Hey, did the cops bring you in, maybe strip search you and make you bend over? Please tell me theydid.”
She fought to control her anger, reminding herself that he no longer had any power over her life. “The two of them gone in four days—it made me wonder whether this might have something to do with Tell al-Sharruken.”
Powell gave a snort. “You think ancient Assyrians came afterthem?”
“Of course not. Maybe someone isangry—”