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  “I’m through,” she said, gritting her teeth. “Don’t—”

  Delta held her hand up to stop Connie. “Save it. I’ve learned the magic of selective hearing. They obviously still feel the need to drum a few things into my pea-brain.”

  “Yeah, well, don’t take it personally.”

  Poking her head into the captain’s office, Delta forced a grin. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

  Captain John Henry was an Old Spice caricature of a man, with a big, barreled chest, Popeye arms, and a handlebar mustache. He looked more like a sailor than a cop, but fortunately for her, he had the temperament of neither. Delta’s run-ins with him were not nearly as explosive as his predecessor, mostly because Captain Henry was a very fair, very honest man. Even when he had sentenced her to Training Patrol, he hadn’t done so without doing some research into Delta’s background. When Delta and Tony shot and killed two child pornographers, he quickly rescinded his initial orders and immediately put her back on the street.

  Still, he had called her to his office, and that always made her uneasy.

  “Come in, Delta. Have a seat.”

  Delta grinned. “I prefer to remain standing, sir.”

  Captain Henry looked at her and shook his head. “Based on your identification, Jonesy made a composite of the jewel thief. Did you finish with your full report to the Burg Unit?”

  Delta nodded. “Yes, sir. They have everything I know.”

  “Good.” Captain Henry leaned forward on the desk. “That was quite a little confrontation you had with her, wasn’t it?”

  Shrugging, Delta held her hands behind her back. “I wouldn’t exactly call it a confrontation, sir. It was more like two ships passing.”

  Raising his large bulk from behind the desk, the captain strode over to the window and looked out. “You know, that’s what’s bothering me. She didn’t pass you; she made a direct hit. She hitched up with you, made personal contact, and I don’t like it. Not one bit.”

  “I couldn’t help it, sir.”

  Captain Henry turned from the window, his features softer than she’d ever seen. “Oh, I’m not blaming you, Delta. I’m not questioning what happened, where.”

  “Then what are you questioning, sir?”

  Returning to take the seat next to Delta, Henry pulled on his mustache. “Delta, you are one of the finest officers to come through those doors. Your scrapbook of news articles must be two-feet thick. Your picture has been in the paper more times than all your colleagues put together. A lot of the younger guys really look up to you. To put it bluntly, you’re sort of the star of our team.”

  Delta had absolutely no idea where he was going with this. “I just do my job, Captain.”

  This made him laugh. “Delta Stevens never just does anything. You have quite a reputation among law enforcement and the media alike.”

  “Captain, I appreciate all of this, honest I do, but it’s late. Could you make your point?”

  “My point is, I don’t like the direction this case is heading. I don’t like the fact that she has established contact with one of my officers.”

  “I don’t believe she’s dangerous, sir.”

  “You don’t know that. She’s followed you and probably knows where you live. She’s stalking you, Delta.”

  Delta felt the hair on the back of her neck tingle, and she looked impatiently at the captain.

  “Once she established contact with you, the rules changed, and we’re not going to play by her rules. If this woman is counting on you to show up at her burglaries, then we need to take the wind out of her sails.”

  She was about to hear the words she feared most. “I don’t believe it. You’re taking me off the streets, aren’t you?” He might as well be stabbing Delta with an ice pick. “But I didn’t do anything!”

  “I am aware of that, and you’ll return as soon as we’ve assessed the situation. You may not be alarmed by her actions, but the department is. Until we’re sure you’re out of danger, we’re going to pull you.”

  Delta paced over to the window and peered through the mini- blinds. The ice pick felt more like a pickax. “What about Carducci?”

  “He stays. It isn’t him she’s after.”

  Delta didn’t turn from the window. “If I were a man, would you still yank me?”

  “Delta, don’t insult either of us with that sexist bullshit. This isn’t personal. It’s procedural. I’d do it for any of my officers.”

  Delta nodded. “So, you yank me. Then what?” Delta slowly turned and leveled her gaze at the captain.

  “We make catching her a priority. Along with, and you’re not going to like this, a guard posted at your house.”

  Delta turned. “No way. I don’t need a babysitter. Captain, I’m a cop—”

  “And I’m your captain, and I say we post a guard. You know, Delta, if anyone is being sexist here, it’s you.”

  “How’s that?”

  “You don’t feel threatened because she’s a woman. If she were a man who had invaded your space, do you think you might handle this differently?”

  Delta opened her mouth to respond, but stopped. Hadn’t Connie just said the same thing? Was it possible that they both were right? Delta hated the thought. “I don’t know.”

  “Right. So, in cases like these, we follow procedures. Now, I know you’re not very good at that, but this time, you’d best make an exception. I don’t want to see you ditching the guard, sending him on errands, or otherwise getting in his way.”

  Delta bowed her head and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “Oh, don’t look so glum. Just to show you what a fair kind of guy I am, I’ve given you an assignment I think you’ll enjoy.”

  “What’s that, sir? Meter maid? How about animal control? Oh, I know, I can run errands and make coffee.”

  Captain Henry smiled patiently. “I’ve had the opportunity to watch you work for more than two months. And, well, to be honest with you, you’re every bit the renegade cop I was warned about.” Captain Henry waited for Delta’s retort. When none came, he continued. “I would be a fool to underestimate you on any level, including your incredible sense of loyalty. So, given your penchant for rule-bending, I’m putting you on an assignment I’m sure you’re probably already on.”

  Delta tilted her head. “Already on?”

  “Yes. I want you to find out what asshole tried to kill our DA.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Captain Henry moved back behind his desk and opened a folder. “I’ve been studying your file for some time, Delta, and three things became glaringly obvious: one, you never quit; two, you’re loyal beyond reason; and three, you pay back your debts. Put all of these together with your relationship to Alexandria Pendleton, and you know what I came up with?”

  Delta shrugged.

  “That it would be easier to find a snowball in hell than to find you following my directive to stay clear of this investigation. How’m I doing?”

  Delta looked at him, but said nothing.

  “That’s what I thought. I know that you’re not about to sit idly by while some shithead takes a shot at Pendleton. And, for once, I can’t say I blame you.” Reaching into the folder, the captain pulled out a dog-eared, yellowing newspaper article and handed it to Delta. Taking the article, Delta skimmed it and realized it was of a well-known 1985 drug bust. The arresting officer was a young man by the name of John Henry. It was his second year on the force. The lawyer who prosecuted the case was an even younger Alexandria Pendleton.

  Delta looked up from the article, not quite knowing what to say. “You’re not the only one who owes her, Delta. Pendleton put my name on the map with that case, and it’s probably the reason I’m sitting on this side of the desk.”

  Delta looked down at the article before handing it back. The pieces were all falling into place. When Delta was bucked back to Training Patrol, the captain was initially going to take her off the streets altogether. Only Alexandria’s request had made Henry put her on the str
eets as a Field Training Officer. At the time, Delta had wondered what it was that gave Alex so much clout. Now, she knew.

  “Delta, Alexandria is a cop’s DA. She’s a tough, hard-hitting, low-ball player who does her damnedest to help make sense of our jobs. She gave me a reputation that leapfrogged my career. I owe her.”

  “I know how that feels.”

  “I’m sure you do. But you see, I have two problems here. One, I have an officer being stalked by some nutcase thief. The other, some asswipe is trying to whack a good DA during an election year. There’s a way for me to cover all my bases without having to juggle the duty roster.”

  Delta nodded. “I see.”

  “Besides, I know you’ll leave no stone unturned in your investigation, and that’s what this needs; someone devoted to finding the perp. We can’t have this shooter go unchecked. He’s already done damage to her campaign, and the thought of that windbag Wainwright heading up the office makes me sick to my stomach.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Good. Then as far as anyone knows, you’re on special assignment until we can roust your little admirer. And for God’s sake, watch for tails. I don’t like the thought of you in the morgue, either.”

  Nodding, Delta reached for the doorknob. “I’ll do my best, sir.”

  “You do that. In the meantime, report directly to me by nineteen hundred hours and don’t discuss this with anyone. Not even Rivera.”

  Delta opened the door. “Oh, there’s one more thing. Does it have to be a male you post at my house?”

  Captain Henry grinned. “What’s the matter, Delta? You shy?”

  Half-turning, she grinned right back. “No, sir. It’s just been a while since there was a man in my house.” With that, Delta left an open-mouthed, speechless captain sitting behind his desk.

  Sitting down at Eddie II in her den, Connie punched buttons and numbers until the computer came to life. “Okay, Del, I’ve run through all the parolees Alex put away, and only two have stayed in the area.”

  Delta nodded and looked up from a file she’d been reading. “What about recent incarcerations?”

  Connie typed data in and waited. “Numerous. Two minor felons beat a rap, but we have a fix on them, and they weren’t anywhere around at the time.” Connie printed up a list and then handed it to Delta. “These are all the cases she’s won.”

  Delta whistled as she took the list from Connie. “She’s been busy.”

  “And successful. Look how many received maximums.”

  Delta handed the list back. “What’s your take on this angle?”

  Studying the list, Connie slipped it into a growing file. “I think it’s a possibility that one of her perps came after her, but it’s a slim one.”

  “Why slim?”

  “It doesn’t add up. A perp who wanted Alex dead would find any number of ways to get her, don’t you think? A dark alley, her car, her house, even her office. How many low-level scumbags would do something as sensational as try to shoot her in front of the media with their cameras rolling and a huge crowd watching?”

  “Point taken. You don’t think it was revenge.”

  Connie shook her head. “Nope. This wasn’t some whacko shooting the place up. If it was, he would have gotten off more than three shots.”

  Delta nodded. “Another good point. How are we coming on the list of Wainwright’s employees?”

  Clicking the mouse, Connie changed the display. “It’s a long list, Del, and as varied as the pasta choices at Prima Vera’s. He’s got some big money behind him.”

  “Sure he does. The office of DA is just a stepping stone for him on the way to Congress. Wainwright couldn’t care less about law. It’s politics that float his boat.”

  “As evidenced by some of his more republican backers. It’s the greenbacks who are anchoring him to shore. Look at these guys.”

  Delta leaned over and followed Connie’s finger as it pointed to CEO’s, bank presidents, Hollywood executives, and various stock market honchos. “Yep, his intentions are pretty clear. They get him into office, and he pays them back when he gets to the big house.”

  “He wouldn’t be the first man to buy his way into office.”

  “Nor would he be the first to kill his way in, either.”

  Clicking the mouse twice, Connie changed the screen to various groupings of the names on the previous screen. “We can do backgrounds on all these guys, Del, but the bottom line is that there’s plenty of money in this crowd to afford a hit man.”

  “Then we dig until we find out who has connections to that kind of source.”

  Turning toward Delta, Connie grinned. “I feel sorry for the guy who meets up with you.”

  Delta grinned. “What kills me is that Wainwright is such a shitty lawyer. Look at his track record.”

  Suddenly, Gina came in from the kitchen carrying two cups of coffee. “You know, loves, once the baby arrives, that sort of language must disappear from both your vocabularies.”

  Taking her favorite Phantom of the Opera mug from Gina, Connie looked appropriately chastised. Delta snickered.

  “And that goes double for you, Auntie.”

  Her mug poised in midair, Delta grinned. “Or what? You’ll send us to our rooms without dinner?” Delta and Connie looked at each other like two little girls who enjoyed taunting their mother.

  “No. You two would enjoy that too much. But mark my words: you have eight months to practice changing your he-man vocabulary.”

  Connie set her mug down and pulled Gina to her lap. “Okay, sweetie, we’re sorry. What Delta really meant was that Wainwright is a poopy lawyer.”

  Delta laughed. “Somehow, that loses something in the translation.”

  Pulling herself out of Connie’s grasp, Gina feigned hurt. “Fine. I see trying to talk to you two when you’re like this will get me nowhere. Happy hunting.”

  Watching Gina return to the kitchen, Connie sighed. “God, I love that woman.”

  Delta nodded. “Yeah, she’s a good thing.”

  “Can I tell you something really bizarre?”

  Delta’s eyebrow shot up. “As long as it isn’t some wild tale about your heritage.”

  Connie laughed lightly. “Do you think it’s odd that I find pregnant women sexy?”

  Delta stared at her. “You mean, women with their big, round bellies out to here turn you on?”

  Connie nodded. “Isn’t that bizarre?”

  “Yeah, but so are you. Does this mean that I should start knocking before I come in?”

  “Oh, shut up. Where were we, anyway?” Turning back to the computer, Connie grabbed the mouse to release the screen saver floating across the monitor.

  “Wainwright and his band of moneyed men. What’s our next step?”

  “See what the dicks have come up with. Glean their files, see where their investigation is headed, and then go from there. They have the manpower for the kind of extensive checks we need to run. Let them do all the work.”

  “And you?”

  “I’m going to run a check on everyone in Alex’s campaign. We can’t rule out the possibility that Wainwright planted someone in Alex’s organization.”

  “Or that someone with a vendetta is out to get her.”

  Connie rose and stretched. “You think this is an inside job?”

  “Hard to say. Either way, Alex’s career is in trouble if we don’t come up with the shooter. The press is already having a field day with the notion that she can’t defend herself, so how can she defend us. Like she goes out there with a gun and badge to keep peace. God, I hate the press.”

  “Sounds like a planted story to me. Too pat, know what I mean?” Connie returned her attention to the monitor. “So, the way we’re looking at it, we have either a revenge theory or a conspiracy angle.”

  “Right.”

  “I don’t have to tell you that both are going to be a bitch to prove.”

  “Remember your vocabulary.”

  Connie grinned. “And you remem
ber to stay out of trouble.”

  Delta stood and finished her coffee. “Who, me?” Smiling, Delta handed her mug to Connie before making her way to the front door. “You don’t call me Storm for nothing.”

  The doors to the Property Crimes Division looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in years. The last I in Division was missing and there a slight crack marred the bottom of the frosted glass. Delta wondered if all the budget cuts meant the janitorial staff had been the first to go.

  Carefully pushing the door open, Delta stepped into a large room. Unlike the rest of the station, PCD was a brightly lit area as quiet as a library. Evidence was being examined, people spoke in hushed whispers, and investigators hovered over crowbars, screwdrivers, hammers, and other telltale pieces of jigsawed investigations. There was a waiting room air about the place as technicians waited for matching prints, entry mark matches, and other assorted identification. This was one of the labs where crimes were solved. The other lab, a place Delta hated more than the dentist, was the forensics lab, where most homicides and violent crimes were dealt with.

  “Officer Stevens!” a young investigator whispered. “Over here!” Delta looked over to see a thin, short, blonde kid coming toward her. Delta took a quick look to see if he was wearing a pocket protector along with his white lab coat and black-rimmed glasses. He wasn’t.

  “Christian, right?” Delta had worked with Christian on a case when she first came to the force. Miles had introduced him as the Whiz Kid because at thirty-two, he looked half his age, with six times the IQ.

  “Same old me, Delta. How are you these days? I keep reading about you in the paper.” Christian wiped his hand on his lab coat before shaking hers. “Miles would be proud.”

  As always, whenever she heard his name, Delta warmed inside. “I hope so. And you?”

  Christian shrugged. “Crime’s up. So is my workload.” Releasing Delta’s hand, Christian pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “So, what’s this about?”

  “There’s some speculation that our jewel thief has an agenda that includes me. I need to know if she’s stealing prior to setting off the alarms.”