Morgan Hayes - Falling For Him

There was no doubt in her mind regarding the man’s identity. In fact, he even looked the part of the commissioner’s driver, so clean-cut and crisp that she could easily imagine him in some chauffeur’s monkey suit. Immediately Claudia found herself hoping Tony was right about Monaghan’s experience, because the man bore little resemblance to a seasoned detective who’d reputedly been run ragged by Drug Enforcement and Homicide.

With his jet-black hair clipped short, the angular lines of his face seemed even more pronounced—regal, almost. They accentuated a strong jaw and square chin.

He towered over Claudia, and as he looked down at her, his mouth curved into a charismatic smile. But it was Monaghan’s eyes that riveted Claudia. They were absolutely penetrating, and every bit as dark as the brows that arched over them in an almost expectant expression. It was obvious he’d heard her last remark.

“Claudia, Gavin Monaghan,” Gunning introduced. “Gavin, this is our illustrious Detective Parrish. You can just ignore the foot in her mouth. And don’t let her give you any grief. If she does, I don’t wanna hear about it.”

Monaghan extended his hand in greeting. “It’s good to meet you, Claudia.”

She should have anticipated his smooth voice. It matched his looks, rich and seductive. The kind of voice that probably swept most women off their feet at the mere sound, Claudia decided, returning his firm handshake with one she hoped would make him flinch. He didn’t.

“Sergeant Gunning’s told me a lot about you.”

“Well, maybe you’ll get to hear my side of the story sometime,” she said quickly, wishing she could break her gaze from his. “But right now, I have…I mean, we have a homicide.”

“I’ll get our coats,” he offered, turning on the heel of one perfectly polished black wing-tip oxford. His stride was assured as he walked down the corridor. She watched him, unable to resist admiring the impressive outline of his body, his broad shoulders and tapered waist. The expensive suit looked good on him, she decided. Probably better than any monkey suit. Then again, with a body like that, Gavin Monaghan probably looked good in just about anything.

“He needs to get his feet wet,” Sarge said, as Claudia saw Gavin veer into the main office out of sight. “He’s put in his time with Homicide in D.C. In fact, I’m sure he could even teach you a few tricks, but I still want you to show him the ropes around here.”

As though foreseeing the impending argument, Tony mumbled something and made a hasty exit.

“Sarge—”

“No, Claudia.” He held up one thick hand. “No arguments. I’ve catered to your wishes long enough. You know this unit works on the premise of partnerships. I can’t exclude you from that any longer. It’s time. You gotta put the past behind you. You’re working with Monaghan.”

In his hard, gray-eyed stare, Claudia recognized that protest would get her nowhere. She took a deep breath and adjusted her suit jacket. “Fine. I’ll show Monaghan the ropes.”

Sergeant Gunning gave her a solemn nod. “I’m expecting you to make this partnership work,” he told her over his shoulder as he left for his office.

Optimism, Claudia thought as she watched Gavin Monaghan step into the corridor again. She’d give him the benefit of the doubt, and with any luck he’d prove to her that all his experience counted for something.

He held her trench coat in one hand and clipped his holster with the other as he joined her. “I’ve got the keys,” he said, heading for the elevators. “I’ll drive.”

AT FIVE IN THE MORNING, with minimal city traffic, it took only fifteen minutes to drive from Central to the Eastern District. Still those minutes seemed like an hour for Claudia. She wondered if she should apologize to Monaghan. He’d been silent during the entire drive, and no doubt he’d stay that way unless she spoke first.

She snatched another quick glance at him, as she had throughout the drive, then cleared her throat. “Listen, Gavin, about what I said back in the office…I should probably explain.”

“Hey, you don’t owe me an explanation.” He flashed her a look of apparent understanding. “I’ve been around long enough. I know no one likes being saddled with the new guy until he’s proved himself.”

Claudia felt another twinge of regret. “Actually, that’s not the real reason I objected. Honestly. I know you’re not a rookie. It’s just—”

“No, but you probably think I’m burned-out. Driving the commissioner’s car around for the past year doesn’t exactly give people a lot of confidence in my abilities.”

Studying his chiseled profile in the soft shadows of morning, Claudia had to admit she appreciated his candor.

Gavin slowed the white unmarked Lumina at a red light, double-checked for traffic and accelerated through the intersection. “Look, if it makes you feel better,” he said, “I promise you won’t be stuck picking up after me on this investigation. But there’s something else, right?”

He caught her quick glance this time.

“You can’t escape the rumors,” he continued. “I’m aware that you’ve refused to work with anyone else on the squad since your partner died.”

“You mean since my partner shot himself, don’t you?”

“I was trying to be tactful.”

“Well, if we’re going to be partners, you don’t need tact. Besides, I’ve dealt with it.”

She directed her gaze out the windshield and saw the sign for Boston Street zip past them. “You missed the street,” she said, and Gavin braked. “I guess the Commissioner never had much need to come out to this armpit of the city, hmm?”

She caught the enticing amusement in his glance before he turned the Lumina around. “All I’m saying is I respect the fact that you prefer working alone. It seems to me Gunning is determined to partner us up, but if you’re going to have a problem working with me, perhaps we should speak to him together. I can certainly handle a homicide on my own.”

“Oh right, and you actually believe you’ll get out of working with me that easily? I don’t think so. If you screw up, it’ll be me taking the grief from Sarge.” She wasn’t sure why she said it; she should have welcomed Gavin’s offer to work on his own, to relieve her of playing his shadow on every move in this investigation. Perhaps it was that honesty and candor of his, but for the first time in months, the idea of working with a partner—particularly Gavin Monaghan—was beginning to have appeal. Besides which, as Sarge said, it was time. And what better time to put Frank behind her than on the day of their anniversary. Not to mention the fact that maybe she could learn a thing or two from Gavin.

The north side of the five-hundred block of Boston Street was lined with aging row houses, some boarded up, others literally crumbling to the sidewalk. The south side of the seemingly deserted street was dominated by the old Marmack Bed & Mattress Company, a weather-beaten red-brick warehouse that had been converted, apparently unsuccessfully, into a series of offices. Parked outside the building’s main entrance were a couple of police cruisers, and Claudia realized that in the time it had taken her to argue with Sarge about Gavin, the crime-scene unit had got the jump on them.

Gavin pulled to the curb, and Claudia was out the door before he’d taken the key from the ignition. In moments he was at her side, his long stride keeping easy pace with hers as they headed down the sidewalk to the main doors. She directed another glance at him, half-expecting to find Frank at her side. It felt odd, she thought, responding to a scene with someone else.

And she wasn’t the only one who seemed to think so. The uniformed officer who greeted them at the door—a young rookie she recognized from previous scenes—gave her a quizzical look, obviously surprised to see her with someone.