I'll Be Seeing You

Kate broke all her own rules. She chucked the shells from the oysters Rockefeller into her client’s trash—he was hardly in a position to pass on word of her unprofessionalism. She dumped the rock salt back into its bag without checking off a use on her master list. She did a cursory cleanup and grabbed a wine bottle off the counter on her way out the back door. She paused in the alley and chugged from it.

Then she looked around quickly to make sure no one—heaven forbid, Montiel—had seen her. She was alone.

Everything went out of her. Kate leaned weakly against her panel van. What had happened here tonight? And why was it necessary for that cop to follow her home? Kate could not remember a plot she’d ever read that had involved the authorities baby-sitting a witness, unless that witness had turned State’s evidence. But she didn’t have any evidence to turn.

Suddenly, her heart nosedived into her stomach. Was she actually a suspect? Did they think she had killed that man?

She needed a lawyer.

“Okay, Betty Crocker, lead the way.”

Kate came away from the van quickly as Montiel left the kitchen door and came into the alley. She tucked the wine bottle behind her. “Do I need a lawyer?”

“What for?” He jiggled the handle of her panel van. “Unlock this thing.”

“Absolutely not.”

He turned back to her slowly. There was a streetlight on a nearby corner. It flung mild light into the alley, just enough that she could see something tic at his jaw.

“You don’t want to push me right now.”

Kate held her ground but her voice quavered a little. “I simply want a few explanations before I allow you in my vehicle—and besides, you said you had your own.”

“I do. It’s out on Willings. You’re going to drive me around. And damn it, you’re going to stop elocuting while you do it.”

When she opened her mouth to protest, he came toward her and he did it fast. Kate gave an involuntary cry and took a step in retreat. She brought her hand up to ward him off.

Unfortunately, it was the one with the wine in it.

His gaze flashed to it. “Misdemeanor. Slap on the wrist if you have no priors.”

“What?”

“For stealing the wine. Is that why you wanted a lawyer?”

“I brought the wine!”

“Did you charge McGaffney for it?”

“Of course!”

“Then you’re a criminal if you leave here with it. Unless he gives his permission.”

“He’s dead!” Then she realized that he was deliberately provoking her into forgetting her question. “Why won’t you just talk to me?”

“Because you do it funny.”

“I do not!”

He turned his back to her. “Come on. Drive me around to Willings and give me some vague directions in case I lose you in traffic.”

“Some cop,” she muttered.

A stillness came over him. “Come again?” he said neutrally.

In for a penny, she thought. “Aren’t you trained for this? For tailing people?”

“What I’m trained for,” he said without looking at her, “what I’ve spent fourteen years working my way up in the ranks for, is a hell of a lot more than what I’m doing right now. I’m not happy about that. So if you’re smart, you’ll stop ticking me off.”

Kate knew suddenly that that wouldn’t happen if they stood out here for days. She rubbed him the wrong way, and that made her heart sink in a way that was all too familiar.

“I just want to understand,” she said quietly.

He finally looked at her. “Do you know who that guy was? The dead one?”

“Of course. Phillip McGaffney.”

“Not his name. Who he was.”

“I—” She broke off, took a deep breath. “No.”

“Second in line for the O’Bannon throne.”

“O’Bannon?” She knew the name from somewhere, but couldn’t place it.

“Some say third in line. There are probably a hundred or so gun-wielding idiots in this city who think that Charlie Eagan damn well ought to replace O’Bannon instead. Ten to one, those are the guys who killed McGaffney.”

Kate finally understood what he was talking about, and it almost knocked her legs out from under her. “You’re talking about, like…the mob?”

“I’m talking about like the mob.”

Kate gave up the effort. She sank slowly to sit on the street. “I served dinner to a member of the mob?”

“Don’t lose any sleep over it. They eat just like the rest of us.”

“I served dinner to a member of the mob.” She looked up at him. “The woman?”

“She’s known in these circles, too.”

“I tackled her.”

Though Raphael had thought five minutes ago that he would never smile again, he felt a grin pull at his mouth. “Wish I could have seen that part.”

“She was being stupid.”

“Allegra is known for it.”

“Allegra…” Kate whispered it, giving a name to the very strong, very tall woman who had been trying to fling herself all over Phillip McGaffney’s body. “I don’t feel very well,” she murmured.