Iris Johansen - Quinn

“And if I don’t find Bonnie by doing this, I may discover something that will help those other parents,” she said urgently.

“You don’t have enough on your plate? See, you’re already beginning to worry, and you haven’t even started.” He reached into his wallet and drew out some bills and threw them on the tray. “Finished?”

“I’d better be,” she said dryly. “I have an idea you’re about to scoop me up and throw me into the car.”

“It’s a possibility.” He stood up. “You’re backing me into a corner, and I have to get some space between us. You’re not going to stop. You’ll keep coming at me, won’t you?”

She nodded as she got to her feet. “I don’t give up easily.” She preceded him out of the restaurant and paused beside the car, gazing at the river. “You’ve been very kind to me tonight, Joe. You’re right, I’ll never forget what that woman said to me. But you made some of the sting go away. I’m very grateful to you.” She glanced at him as she got into the car. “And I’m sorry that I’m going to keep on giving you headaches. You don’t deserve it.”

He smiled. “I can take it. It’s nice of you to apologize in advance.” He ran around and slipped into the driver’s seat. “And this place is only fifteen minutes from your house. I can ward you off for that long.”

“I’m done for the night.” She added, “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

And she would, he realized, and keep on calling until she had the answer she wanted. He was only beginning to realize the ruthless determination that existed behind that fragile exterior. “I’ll make my own decision, Eve,” he said. “I won’t let you push me.”

“I won’t push. I’ll just remind you that there’s a decision to be made. And I have to keep you on track in case I have to take that other route.” She leaned back on the seat and wearily closed her eyes. “I’m so tired. But I learned a lot about you tonight. I know how strong you are. I know you have a balance of values that few people possess. I know there’s bitterness and independence and recklessness. You’ve told me that you could be violent, but you’re very protective of me. I feel as if I’m coming close to understanding you.”

“That doesn’t mean you can control me, Eve.”

“No, but it means I can argue and try to persuade.” She opened her eyes to look at him. “As friend to friend.”

But not as lover to lover.

Get used to it. Accept it. There was no telling how long it would be before she could even contemplate a relationship that held anything beyond the comfort of friendship. But he had made strides in understanding himself tonight. And he was beginning to know Eve as well. Eve, the person, not the object of this crazy fixation that had struck him the first time he had seen her. It was a relief that he actually liked Eve. He appreciated her courage, her discipline, her honesty, her lack of vanity.

What the hell would he have done if he’d found her a complete bitch? Would it have negated that instant powerful attraction? Or had he somehow sensed who and what she was, and that was the reason she had drawn him to her? Who knows? Love at first sight was all very well, but it was confusing as hell and out of his realm of comprehension.

“Love.” It was the first time that he had used that word even to himself. It was too sentimental and too much of a commitment. He didn’t know anything about it. But what other word could he use for an emotion that made him feel like a cross between a knight in shining armor and a kid with his first crush. Perhaps he’d get lucky and it would go away as fast as it had come.

“Friend to friend?” Eve repeated.

He smiled and nodded slowly. “As long as you realize that it’s always a friend’s privilege to say no.”

“Of course.” She closed her eyes again. “It would be unfair to think anything else.”

But it would be hard to say no to Eve. Even if he thought that to refuse her might be the best thing for her. “I’m glad that you have such a keen appreciation for justice.”

“I do. But I’ll still phone you tomorrow…”

“YOU’VE HAD THREE CALLS.” Sergeant Castro looked up as Joe came into the squad room the next afternoon. “Two from Washington, one from Eve Duncan. They all want you to call them back.” He made a face as he handed Joe a slip with numbers on it. “I have other things to do than act as your secretary, Quinn. Where have you been?”

“I was at that park where Bonnie Duncan disappeared. Sorry.”

The calls from the Washington office were from Jenny Rudler and Rick Donald. He had no need to return them. It would be Jenny making contact and trying to inveigle her way into the investigation. Rick Donald would have been sly and a little gloating to discuss what he’d told Eve about Joe.

The call from Eve?

He knew what that was about, too.

And he’d been weighing his decision for the greater part of the day.

He stared at the message for a long moment.

Then he turned on his heel and strode out of the squad room.

“CASTRO SAID YOU WANTED to see me.” Slindak gazed curiously at the huge pile of reports on the table beside the copy machine. “What are you photocopying? I could have had someone do it for you.”

“I wanted to do it myself.” Joe turned to face him. “I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to talk to you.”

“Yeah?” Slindak had picked up one of the sheets. “Kenny Lemwick’s missing person’s report.”

Joe nodded. “And I have the other reports on the other children. I’m making copies of all of them.” He paused. “I’m going to give them to Eve Duncan to do a comparison check.”

Slindak stiffened. “What the hell?”

“You heard me. I’m going to have her assist in the investigation.”

“Are you crazy?”

It was no more than Joe expected. “She’s smart, dedicated. I believe she could give valuable input.”

“Her kid could be one of those victims. You’re asking for trouble. I don’t know how your superiors at the FBI feel about family involvement in an investigation, but I could get fired for it if I got caught doing anything that nutty.”

“They wouldn’t like it either. That’s why I’m being up-front with you.” He stared him in the eye. “If you want to report me to protect your ass, do it now.”

“I’d rather talk you out of it.” Slindak scowled. “But I’m not going to be able to do that, am I?”

“No way.”

“Dammit, why ?”

“Eve Duncan has the best reason in the world to find the man who caused those kids to disappear. She’ll do a good job.”

“But that’s not the real reason, is it?” Slindak’s eyes were narrowed on Joe’s face. “You’re not the man I knew in the service. You’ve always been a loner. There’s no way you’d have taken on a partner, not even me. And breaking the rules and involving the mother of a victim? Not in a thousand years.”

“People change.”

“I can see how she’d arouse your sympathy, but there’s a reason for those rules against fraternizing with family members. There are not only the legal ramifications, but their emotional state leads them to act irrationally, and the department might-” He stopped and gave a low whistle. “But you’re not just sorry for her, are you? You’ve got a thing for her. You’re doing this to get her into bed.”

Joe wished it was that simple. “No.” He ran another report through the copier. “I’d be very stupid to think that she’d hop into bed with me because I’m letting her help with the investigation. You’ve met her. You know what kind of person she is.”