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3

She felt Trapper’s breath on her neck, his presence so palpable it was as if he was giving her little shoves. Flanking him were Graham Beaudry and Rob Brown. Plenty of backup, but she was still point person—the first one out as well as the most vulnerable. They had decided that Estella must see her first. It showed that the police could be trusted. In the currently charged atmosphere of police corruption, every point scored by the good guy carried some weight. Cindy’s heart smashed against her chest. Yet, the fear invigorated instead of paralyzed.

They had come into the house through the back door—a safer move and less confrontational than front-door entries. The place was stuffy, the air moist and heavy.

Cindy shouted, “We’re in the kitchen now, coming into the dining area. Don’t move, Estella. We don’t want any problem.”

“Keep talking,” Tropper whispered.

She said, “You don’t want problems, and neither do we.”

“No, I no like problems,” Estella said.

“I no like problems, too,” Luis agreed.

As Cindy stepped behind the dinette set, she could see Estella’s red-shirted back hunched over, a swath of black hair resting over her shoulders like epaulettes. The woman had a shotgun jammed between her husband’s legs.

Cindy stretched her neck far enough to make out Luis’s face. Drenched in sweat, his skin looked like steaming milk-laced coffee. A small man with small bones, he possessed a narrow face, which was rather effeminate except for a sparse mustache and a plug of hair between his lower lip and his chin. Traces of acne roughened his cheeks. He resembled a petulant teenager rather than the father of two children.

Leaning backward, she spoke to Tropper. “I see them. He’s facing me, but she’s got her back to us.”

Tropper gave a signal to the others, and the three men drew their weapons. “Okay. You tell her that you’re coming out in the open. Tell her we’re behind her with our weapons drawn. Tell both of them not to move.”

“Don’t move, Estella,” Cindy said. “I’m right in back of your dinette set, but do not turn around. I don’t want Luis to make a grab for the gun.”

“No, I no move,” Estella answered.

“Good.” Suddenly, Cindy realized that droplets were running down her own forehead. “Now, I’m stepping out into the open so Luis can see me and my buddies. I want him to see that we have guns aimed at his face. So he doesn’t try anything dumb. You see me, Luis?”

“I see you—”

“She have red hair?” Estella interrupted.

“Sí, she have red hair.”

“Real or no real,” Estella inquired.

“Es look real?” Luis answered.

“It is real.” Perspiration rolled down Cindy’s nose. “You see our guns, Luis?”

“I see.”

“They work, Luis. They work really well and really fast. So don’t do anything stupid.”

“I no move.”

Sarge whispered, “Tell her to remove the shotgun from his balls and lift it into the air. Tell her to move slowly. Then you take the gun; we take it from you. After that, you cuff her and the party’s over.”

“I cuff her?”

“Yeah, Decker, you cuff her,” Tropper barked. “She’s the one with the barrel in his crotch. What’s the problem? Are you gonna do this or not?”

“Yes, sir. Of course, sir.” A one-second pause. Then Cindy said, “Estella, I want you to take the gun and slowly, slowly lift it in the air—”

“I move, he take gun.”

“He won’t move now,” Cindy said. “We have three guns pointed at his face.”

“I no move, I no move,” Luis said frantically.

But Estella was also agitated. “I no move de gun. Why you no do what you say, Missy Redhead? You say you put hancuffs and arress him. Why you no do that?”

Tropper said, “Keep telling her that he’s not going to try anything, that we’ve got the guns pointed at him!”

Cindy hesitated. “She sounds upset, sir. Why don’t I just placate her, and do what I said I was going to do?”

“Because, Decker, if you walk around to cuff Luis, you’re in line with her shotgun barrel.”

Oh. Good point!

“Go get the gun,” Tropper ordered. “Go on! Start talking!”

Cindy wiped her face with her sleeve. “I’d like to do what you want, Estella, but if I handcuff him, I’m right in front of your shotgun. That’s not going to work.”

“Why? I no shoot you, jus’ Luis.”

“You could shoot me accidentally. I know you wouldn’t mean it, but it’s just not going to work.”

“You lie to me!” Estella hissed. “You es liar jus’ like him!”

“Estella, we have three revolvers aimed at Luis’s face. He’s not going to move—”

“I no move,” Luis concurred.

“Well, I no move, too,” Estella said. “Luis estrong. I move, he take de gun and shoot me.”

Cindy blurted out, “How about if I come next to you, and I take the gun?” Immediately, she heard Tropper swear, but didn’t dare turn to face him. “If you just stay still and don’t move, I can do that. I’ll take the gun—”

“Then Luis take gun from you.”

“I’m a very big woman, Estella. I could take Luis down in a minute.”

Luis said, “She es bery beeeg, Estella! You give her de gun.”

Shut up, Luis! Cindy was thinking. Anything you say, she’ll do the opposite. Time moving in slo-mo, she waited for a response.

Estella said, “Luis is bery estrong—”

“So am I!” Cindy said. “Look, I’ll talk so you can hear me, so you know I’m not sneaking up on you. Then I’ll tap your shoulder when I’m right behind you—”

“I no sure …” Estella said. “I no thin’—”

“I’ll talk you through it.”

Tropper was growling! “This isn’t what I ordered!”

“But she’s going to go for it, Sarge!” Cindy persisted. “This way I’m not facing the barrel of her gun, and you three will be right behind me.”

One second passed, then two …

“Please, Sergeant Tropper,” Cindy whispered forcefully. “I can disarm her—”

Estella said, “I no hear you. Wha’ you sayin’? I getting mad.”

She looked at Tropper’s furious face, knowing he was trapped. If he didn’t respond soon, the situation would escalate. His voice snapped like a leather whip. “Do it! But tell her we’re right behind you!”

Cindy said, “Okay, Estella, I’m coming in. My buddies are going to be right behind me, so Luis can see them. I’m starting now. I’m taking a couple of steps forward. You hear me, don’t you—”

“Sí, I hear you! Wha’ you thin’? I no have ears?”

“Now I’m taking a couple more steps. Luis is looking right at my buddies … at their guns. Is my voice getting closer?”

“Sí, I hear you.”

“Okay, I’m right behind you now. I’m going to tap your shoulder. Don’t move—”

“I no move.”

“Luis, you don’t move, either—”

“I no move.”

“That’s good. No one is going to move except me,” Cindy said. “Now I’m putting my hand on your shoulder …” She touched the woman’s bony joint. Estella remained motionless. “That’s my hand—”

“Hokay.”

“Estella, listen carefully, okay?”

“Hokay.”

“I am going to bend down and put my arms around your waist, okay? Don’t move—”

“I no move!”

Slowly, Cindy bent over, her chest touching the woman’s back, her head peering over Estella’s red-clad shoulder. She slipped her arms around a trim middle and wiggled her fingers. “You see my hands?”

“I see.”

“You see my fingers?”

“Sí.”

“Okay, I’m going to take the gun from you now.”

“Hokay.”

“Don’t move!”

“I no move!”

“Luis, if you move and I slip, you no have cojones. Do you understand me?”

“I no move, I no move!”

Cindy had had the primary academy training with shotguns. But she hadn’t done much private practice with them on the range, choosing to hone an expertise with her service Beretta. But she did know that shotguns weren’t warm and fuzzy firearms. They were hard to control, because they were heavy mothers. Estella was keeping hers stabilized by resting the stock in her lap. Her right hand was clenched around the pistol grip, the index finger inside the guard, resting on the trigger. Her left hand was underneath the slide handle—the pump. Both of her hands were shaking noticeably.

Cindy spoke quietly. “Don’t move. I’m going to touch your hands.” She placed her palms over Estella’s fingers. Her skin was hot and damp.

“You feel my hands?”

“Sí.”

“Don’t move your body, okay?”

“Hokay!”

Cindy began sliding her hands up and down the shotgun, feeling around for a stable, strong area to grip. It was difficult to find a spot because the wood and metal were wet and sticky from Estella’s sweat. She hunted until she found a couple of semidry places that gave her leverage with the weapon. She grasped the gun, not talking until she was certain she had a strong hold on the weapon.

Finally, she said, “Take your hands away.”

“I take my hans off?”

“Yes, take your hands off the gun, but don’t move your body.”

“You have de gun?”

“Yes, I have the gun. I’ve got a good grip on it. Take your hands away.”

“Hokay …” But still she didn’t move. “You está segura you have de gun?”

“I have the gun.” Cindy remained calm. “I have a good hold on it. Take your hands away, but don’t move your body.”

“Hokay.”

As soon as Estella’s fingers were off the weapon, Cindy stood up and lifted the shotgun high in the air. Instantly, Beaudry took the gun. Luis jumped up, wiping sweat from his face. He screamed, “You arress that crazy bitch!”

“Cuff her, Decker.”

“Wha’?” Estella turned an irate face toward Cindy. She was a pretty woman with big black eyes, high cheekbones, smooth skin, and deep, full lips. Why the hell would Luis want someone else?

More than that, what the hell did she see in him?

Maybe he had a big—

“Wha’ he say?” Estella was screaming. “You arress him! He have de puta!”

Cindy took out the handcuffs from her belt and, in one fluid motion, turned Estella around and brought the woman’s right arm against her back. She was seconds away from securing the left arm, but then Estella suddenly realized what was happening. Wrestling in Cindy’s grip, Estella started spewing out high-pitched Spanish, punctuating her tirade with curses and spit.

“Don’t make this difficult—”

“You es una beetch! You eslying daughter of a put—”

“Let’s not get personal.” Cindy kneed her in the back of her legs just hard enough to get Estella to buckle. Once the woman’s legs were bent, it was a snap to bring her down, and lay her facedown on the floor. Again, using knees and elbows to restrain the writhing body, Cindy held Estella’s right arm flat against her back and rooted about for the left one, which was trying to sock her in the face. Estella was no match for her in strength, but her resistance—the bucking and rolling—made Cindy sweat from exertion.

Here was the big showdown, and it was mano a mano. Because none of the others were making even the slightest effort to help her. Instead, they were standing around, watching with amusement as she struggled. Luis was buoyant, a big smile on his ugly face.

He said, “You go to cárcel, you estúpida, loca—”

Again, Estella spit in his direction. “He the one with the puta! He go to jail! Why he no go to jail!”

Luis was doing a victory dance. “Have fun wit de other beeeg ladies—”

“Graham, will you shut him up!” Cindy snapped.

To Luis, Beaudry said, “Shut up!”

Finding the flaying arm, Cindy gripped it and shoved it against Estella’s back. She snapped on the loose cuff, then held her manicled arms firmly, and brought Estella to her feet. She said, “We can’t send him to jail, Estella, because adultery isn’t against the law. Otherwise politicians would have rap sheets a mile long.”

Luis made kissy noises at his wife. Struggling against Cindy’s hold, Estella tried to break away and kick him.

“Don’t do that,” Cindy said. “Otherwise, I’ll have to tie your feet—”

“I hope de matrona in de cárcel is a beeeg woman—”

“You es un diablo with a pequeño pecker—”

“You arress her!” Luis shouted. “Slam her lardo ass in jail!”

“I no have lardo ass!” Estella screamed. “Your whore have lardo ass, beeg, fat ass!”

“Shut up! Both of you!” Cindy broke in. “Luis, you’ve got to come down to the station, you know.”

“Wha’?” Luis’s smiled waned. “Me? Wha’ I do?”

“We’ve got to take your statement,” Cindy said. “Also, you’re going to have to go to court and speak to a judge if you want to get your kids back. Otherwise, your kids’ll end up in foster care.”

“Me?” Luis’s face registered shock. “I go do it?”

“Yeah, you, buddy,” Cindy said. “Your wife can’t do anything if she’s in jail.”

Tropper was glaring at her. She looked back at him with innocent eyes, and tried to smile. It wasn’t easy because she was still restraining Estella. “I was just informing Mr. Ojeda of the procedure for securing his children, Sergeant. That’s assuming he wants them.”

Estella started foaming at the mouth. “You send de children away, I curse you from mi cama de muerte! I speeet on you!”

“No, no, Estella,” Luis said gravely. “I no send de children away! I tell de judge. Don’ worry.”

Ron Brown muttered, “No way a judge is going to give you your kids back. Not with a shotgun in the house.”

“I no shoot my kids!” Luis was appalled. “You take de gun. I no need it.”

Estella was crying. “They take de kids away, Luis! You no let them—”

“They no take de kids!”

“You can petition to get them back, sir,” Cindy said. “Or course, if your wife’s in jail, you’ll be responsible for them. That means you stay home at night baby-sitting while your buddies are out having fun—”

“Decker …” growled Tropper.

“Not that I’m trying to influence your decision to press charges, of course.”

“They’re not going to give them back the kids, anyway,” Brown said. “You need to be a responsible adult to raise kids.”

“Maybe there are other relatives,” Beaudry said.

“Her mother.” Luis brightened.

“You really think her mother’s gonna watch your kids after you’ve slammed her daughter’s butt in jail?”

“Decker, you’ve said enough!”

Cindy slammed her mouth shut. She couldn’t understand why Tropper was taking it so personally when she’d seen her colleagues talk other domestic cases out of pressing charges time and time again. Maybe it had something to do with a gun aimed at a pair of nuts.

Estella was sobbing. “They take de kids, Luis! They take de kids!”

Luis’s sassy petulance had been replaced by panic. “No, they no take de kids, Estella.” He looked at Tropper. “I no charge my wife! She no do nothin’. You let her go! Then, we come down and get de kids.”

Tropper was swearing to himself. “I don’t believe this!”

Estella said, “He say I no do nothin’. You let me go!”

“It’s not that simple,” Cindy said. “Even if Luis doesn’t press charges, Estella, we’ve still got to take you down to the station and book you for the illegal possession and negligent use of a firearm.”

“Then wha’?” Luis asked.

Cindy said, “She’ll wait in jail until her arraignment, which will be in maybe three, four hours. Then a judge will probably let her off on her own recognizance. Which means you won’t have to pay any bail—”

“De judge don’ put her in jail?”

Cindy shrugged. “I don’t know what he’ll do. But we’ll have to put her in jail until a judge sees her.” Tropper was giving her the evil eye. She pretended not to see him. “Usually illegal possession and negligent use of a firearm if it’s a first-time offense doesn’t warrant jail time. But I don’t know what a judge will decide. It’s not up to me.”

“If he says I go home, do we get de kids?” Estella said, anxiously.

“No,” Cindy said. “That’s up to another judge—”

“But es better if there is a mother, yes?” Luis asked.

“Probably.”

“So I no put charges,” Luis said. “You let her go.”

Brown chuckled with amazement. “She held a gun to his balls, and you’re letting her off.”

“He es hokay,” Estella said.

“I hokay!” Luis confirmed.

Tropper said, “Bring them down. Charge both of them with felony possession.”

“Charge me?” Luis said. “I no do nothin’.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Tropper turned Luis around and cuffed him. “If you’re telling me that you were both fooling around with the gun, the charges are possession and negligence against the both of you. That means you and your wife get slammed.” Tropper paused. “Unless you change your mind about charging your wife.”

“No, I no change my mind!”

“Then you’re both under arrest,” Tropper stated. “You made your bed, buddy. Now you lie in it.”

“That’s hokay,” Estella said, nodding. “He eslie in de bed, but only with me.”

Tropper rolled his eyes and propelled Luis forward. “Let’s go!”

As they stepped outside and onto the front porch, cheers and hoots from the neighborhood crowd greeted them. Estella had lowered her head as they walked to the cruisers, but Cindy noticed that Luis was smiling broadly. Probably would have waved if his hands hadn’t been cuffed.

His thirty seconds of fame. That’s Hollywood for you. Everyone’s a friggin’ star.

4

Though Bellini’s hadn’t become Cindy’s second living room, at least it was comfortable. More than just a hard-core cop bar, it offered chops and sandwiches as well as salads and soups for the lighter fare. Cozy in size, the place had dim lighting, jazz music, and a big-screen TV, which, at the moment, was airing baseball—Giants-Padres. The floors were pine-planked and worn, and the ceilings held acoustical tiles. A half-dozen tables sat in the center area while red-Naugahyde booths lined the left wall. The right side was dedicated to the bar, its mirrored wall reflecting a black counter, which spanned the length of the restaurant. Technically, the law mandated the eatery to be smoke-free. But the patrons skirted the issue by opening up the back door, claiming the area to be an extension of a nonexistent patio. A moot point because who was going to cite the owner when the law was puffing away?

As Beaudry came in, he waved to a few of his friends. Cindy waved just to feel like one of the gang. Ron Brown was sitting on one of the bar stools, but Tropper wasn’t with him. In an eye blink, Cindy caught sight of someone’s back as he left the place. It could have been Sarge, but she wasn’t sure. There were several others that she knew by name. Andy Lopez was an academy acquaintance. There was also Slick Rick Bederman and his partner, Sean Amory. Bederman was solidly built with dark eyes and thick, curly hair, his face, as always, stamped with arrogance. She had met him once at a party … hadn’t liked the way he had looked at her. Amory was lighter in his coloring, but also projected ’tude. Beaudry must have caught her ambivalence. He said, “Feel like being social?”

“Maybe later.”

They ordered their beers, then took a booth, sipping for a few moments without talking. Beaudry was beating time to the music, fingertips drumming the table. It was soft jazz, the sax singing in a breathy voice which teased like foreplay.

Finally, Beaudry said, “So you did all right today.”

“Thanks.”

“Chalk one up for the good guys.”

Cindy said, “Are we the good guys? You wouldn’t know it by reading the papers.”

Beaudry waved her off. “This ain’t the first scandal and it won’t be the last.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Yeah, I suppose.” Beaudry picked up his mug. “Still, I’m not losing sleep over it. So you’re sure you’re okay with today?”

“I’m okay with it.” Cindy managed a smile. “I doubt if Tropper’s okay with it. So he’s pissed at me. He’s not the first, he won’t be the last.”

Beaudry raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

“What?” Cindy asked. “You’re gonna give me some advice?”

“If you’re okay with it, I’ve got nothing to offer.”

“So why’re you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like I’ve got herpes—”

“You’re being touchy, Decker. I’m not looking at you at all. And if I was looking at you, I wouldn’t be thinking about herpes. I’d be thinking that you look good in that black pantsuit outfit you’re wearing. That it goes good with your hair, which looks pretty when it’s loose.” He sipped beer. “That wasn’t a come-on. I’ve got a marriage, and I want to make it last. That’s just an old-fashioned, blue-collar compliment, so don’t go filing any sexual harassment complaints.”

“I look good tonight?”

“You look good tonight.”

“Thanks.” Cindy took another sip of suds, then licked the foam off her lips. “So you think I fucked up?”

“Nah, you didn’t fuck up as far as the incident goes. You handled the situation pretty good.” He looked around at nothing. “Nah, you didn’t fuck up with the situation.”

“But I fucked up with Tropper!” Cindy tapped her toe. “Do you think I fucked up with Tropper?”

“Not exactly—”

“What does that—”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Beaudry held out his palms in a stop sign. “Give me a sec, okay. You didn’t fuck up with him, meaning that he isn’t gonna make a federal case out of it. But you might think of doing something nice for him.”

“Like what?” She sneered. “Getting him coffee? One lump or two—”

“Don’t be a brat. Just … think about it.”

She laughed. “I haven’t been called a brat in a while.”

“But you’ve been called one before.”

“Oh yeah.”

“It’s written all over your face, Decker. ‘I am a brat. Not only a brat, but a snotty, educated brat.’”

Cindy maintained the smile, but the eyes dimmed. “That’s how you see me?”

“No, that’s not how I see you.” Beaudry sighed. “It’s just that you’re out there, Decker. Like today. You put yourself … out there. Right in the firing line. And when you’re out there, people notice you. Like Tropper.”

“It worked.”

“That’s not the point.”

“Silly me, I thought it was.”

Beaudry wiped suds off his mouth with his sleeve. “Listen, we don’t have to be talking about this. We can talk about other stuff. You tell me your gossip, I’ll tell you mine. I’m just trying to … you know. Tell you like it is.”

She averted her stare. “Look, Graham, no offense, but I’m not in the mood to be dissected.”

“That’s fair enough.”

“On the other hand, no sense being on the outs with Tropper.” She stared at her beer. “What should I do for him?”

Beaudry looked around, then called her closer. She leaned in, elbows on the table.

He said, “Tropper isn’t a stupid man—”

“I didn’t say he—”

“Just shut up and listen, okay?” He lowered his voice. “He isn’t stupid, Cin. He’s got great street smarts. He knows how people operate.”

He waited. Cindy said, “I’m listening.”

“If you ask him to recount an incident, he’s crystal. He can recap from A to Z in perfect detail. The problem comes when he tries to write it down in a report. He’s a fish out of water. It takes him centuries to finish his forms. Writing confuses him. He gets things out of order—”

“He can’t sequence?”

“Something like that. He’s constantly rewriting his reports because the old ones are always messy-looking.”

“Why doesn’t he just use Word?” she asked. “You know … cut and paste?”

“He has trouble with computers. The keyboard confuses him.” Beaudry finished his first brew, held up a finger, signaling the waitress for a second. “Computers probably aren’t your problem, right?”

“Not word processing.”

“And I don’t imagine you have trouble with report writing, either.”

“I find it mind-numbing, but it’s not difficult. I did lots of papers in college. I usually outlined them before I wrote. You know, occasionally, I’ll still outline a report if the incident was complicated—lots of people coming and going. You might suggest he try that.”

“I don’t suggest anything to Tropper, and you shouldn’t either. I think the Sarge got into the academy with a GED. So now you know why he sneers at you.”

Beaudry locked eyes with her.

“It’s something you should be aware of, Cindy. The guys and gals you’re working with are the salt of America. Lots of us are ex-military. We’re G-workers who hate the nine-to-five, but still want a good pension. You’re from another planet—a college brat who somehow wandered into law enforcement. Not only college, but a private college—”

“Let’s not forget an Ivy Leaguer.”

“See, that’s what I mean!” Beaudry pounded the table for emphasis.

“I’m sorry.” She tried to stop smiling. “It was just too tempting—”

“Forget it.”

“Graham, I hear you.” She poked her finger into the suds and licked it. “You know, if the guys think I grew up rich, then they’re stupid. My father climbed through the ranks the hard way.”

“Which brings us to another point, Decker. You gotta stop talking about your father—”

“Ah, c’mon! Now you’re getting personal!”

“I’m just telling you for your own good.”

“Do I do anything right?”

“Not much.”

Cindy looked away, biting her lip to control her rising temper.

Beaudry said, “Every time we start shooting the bull, talking about the day, you say things like, ‘Yeah, my father once had a case like that.’”

“I’m trying to relate.”

“It pisses people off. It makes them think that their experiences are nothin’ special. Everyone wants to feel special. You already feel special because you’ve got all this college. You gotta remember that the average Joe on the force is a high school graduate, maybe a couple of years at a junior college like me. If you’re real smart, okay, you do a four-year state, then enter the academy with the idea of doing the gold.”

“Like my dad—”

“Stop mentioning your dad. He isn’t a legend, Decker, he’s a pencil pusher.”

For the first time, Cindy was genuinely offended. “That’s crap, Beaudry! He was down in the trenches when the Order blew up.”

“Yeah, and a lot of people have said he could have handled that better.”

Her face grew red with anger. “What a truckload of bullshit!” She whispered fiercely. “He saved dozens of kids—”

“But lots of adults were pulverized—”

“He wasn’t in charge, Graham. He wasn’t calling the shots!” She winced. “Ah, screw it! I’ve had enough.”

Beaudry caught her arm before she got up. “I’m not criticizing your dad, Cindy. Just repeating what I’ve heard. You gotta know these things.” He let go of her. “Otherwise, you’re working blind.”

She didn’t answer, staring at the bottom of her empty glass. Beaudry said, “Take a refill.”

“No, thanks,” she said stiffly.

Within moments, a waitress appeared. She wore a low-cut red tank top, a petticoat-red miniskirt topped by a white, ruffled apron, and red heels. Her hair was short, blond, and sprayed stiff. She placed a glass of beer in front of Beaudry.

“How about another for my partner, Jasmine,” he said.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Cindy said.

Under the table, Beaudry kicked her.

“On the other hand, another would go down real smooth.” Cindy gave the waitress her empty glass and a ten spot.

Jasmine smiled. “Boss says that tonight it’s on the house. Just as long as you don’t get greedy.”

“What did I do to rate?”

“He’s been watching you. You came three times this week. He wants to reward your loyalty.”

“Tell him thanks.” Cindy forced herself to smile. “Really. And keep the bread.”

Jasmine’s smile turned into a grin. “A cop with class. Be back in a minute.”

When she was gone, Beaudry said, “Ten’s a big tip.”

“Easy come, easy go.”

He slid his glass across the table. “Here, take mine.”

“No, that’s okay.” She slid it back.

He took a long swig. “You’re pissed, Decker. You look like my wife did when I fucked up with her anniversary gift.”

“I’m fine.”

Beaudry waved her off. “The gossip about your dad is sour grapes, Cin. The little guys getting back at the one who’s made it. Any of us would love to be in Big Decker’s shoes. But that’s not the point. You keeping talking about Daddy, it looks like you’re hanging on to his coattails. It also reminds the rank and file that they haven’t gotten as far. Not that your dad doesn’t deserve it. His rep is a good one. But you gotta stop being so concerned about him and start being more concerned about yourself. Start thinking about what you’ve done lately.”

Again, Cindy averted her glance. She reached across the table and took Beaudry’s brew. “So getting back to Tropper … what do I do?”

“Tell him you have some free time and it makes you antsy. Ask him if he needs any favors.”

“He’ll say no.”

“Course, he’ll say no. Then you say something about the pile of crap lying inside his ‘in’ box. You say something like, ‘Hey, Sarge. Lemme clear some of your paperwork. I’m doing some of my own reports. Lemme type up a couple of your handwritten ones.’”

“He’ll see right through it.”

“Yeah, he will. He’ll know you’re trying to kiss ass. But I bet he’ll take you up on it. He’ll act like it’s no big deal. Real casual. But he’ll remember it.”

“And that’ll be that?”

“That’ll be that.” Beaudry looked around the place. It was filling up by the minute. “I’ve got to get home to Sherri and the kids. What’s today?”

“Today’s the twenty-first.”

“What day of the week?”

“Thursday.”

“Ah … that’s our chili night. That’s a good one. You drink up my beer. I want to save some room for the brewskis with my dinner. Chili and beer. Now there’s a perfect marriage for you. If only men and women were chili and beer.”

At that point, she probably should have cut her losses and gone home. Instead, Cindy surveyed the room for civil faces if not friendly ones. Beaudry’s comments had left her disconcerted. She didn’t want to play the role of the stand-alone, crusading against the world. The maverick made for fine fiction, but was a bitch in reality.

What she wanted was to blend in. What the hell was wrong with her?

Ah well, she sighed. She couldn’t change the past, so she concentrated on the present. Andy Lopez and his partner, Tim Waters, were still at the bar. Andy seemed like a straight-up guy. Tim didn’t impress her much. Conversation with them would be strictly lightweight.