Indivisible. Part 42

He came around, head c.o.c.ked. "I was joking, Tia. We can eat here every night, if you like."

"On your salary? On mine?"

"Or go somewhere else if you'd rather." He was picking up her mood.

She reined it in. "I wouldn't."

"Then our table is waiting." He took her hand.

For a moment she lagged, then with a slow transfer of weight, stopped resisting. As they followed the manager through the elegant, meandering dining room, she caught sight of Piper with Bob Betters at a table by the windows. It seemed Bob went all out too.

A waiter appeared to take their drink order. Tia ordered a gla.s.s of Shiraz.

"Coffee," Jonah told him.

She looked over when the man had gone. "Not even wine?"

"Six years sober."

"Is Jay your sponsor?"

"How'd you know that?"

"You gave his name weight."

"Pretty good police work."

The compliment peeled one layer of the tension in her chest. "Nothing to it."

His eyes crinkled. "Uh-huh."

"You've said that exactly the same way as long as I can remember."

"Okay."

"And that." She opened her menu. "So what's he like? Jay ..."

"Laugersen. Half Dane, half Cherokee."

She c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "Is that what defines him?"

"Wait and see."

"Will I?"

"He's eager to meet you."

She bit her lip. "How much does he know?"

"He pretty much saved my life."

So everything. Skidding off that thought, she sipped the wine, then glanced up. "Will this bother you?"

"Never was a wine fan."

"You haven't slipped in six years? Not even once?"

"Have to start over if I do." He took a sip of coffee. "Can you live with that?"

"Of course." But then she wondered how he'd meant it. "If it became relevant."

"Oh, it's relevant."

"I meant that living with each other's frailties implies a future together."

"I guess I wasn't clear before."

"You were." She looked up. "But just because you have some organic hold on me doesn't mean everything goes away."

"I know that."

"I need to do this right." She moistened her lips. "I need time."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Another layer peeled away.

He glanced past her. "What's the story on Bob and Piper?"

She ran a finger down her gla.s.s. "If I tell you, will you not overreact?"

"No promises."

She frowned. "Miles had an episode at the bakery. Bob was ribbing him, and then he tried to get his attention-tactilely."

"He touched him?"

She nodded.

"And Miles went ballistic."

"He b.u.mped a table into Bob, who got really upset, then said he'd get over it if Piper went out with him."

Jonah nodded slowly. "Which part am I not overreacting to, Miles, or Bob extorting a date?"

With a rush of warmth, she leaned in and squeezed his hands. "Good answer."

Jonah glanced across the room again. He couldn't hear the conversation, but from the continuous flapping of Bob's mouth, Piper was paying big time. Her plate was nearly empty. Bob paused now and then to shovel in his own food, then took up where he left off.

The server brought new gla.s.ses of wine. Piper dabbed her mouth and escaped to the ladies' room. Jonah slid his gaze back to Tia, but a shift in Bob's posture caught the corner of his eye. Bob leaned, then settled back in his seat.

"Jonah?"

"Sorry."

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure." When their server came over, Jonah motioned for her to order.

"I'll start with the glazed pear and walnut salad and then the pan-seared rainbow trout."

"Very good. Chief?"

"That salad sounds good. Make my entree lobster. Thanks." He checked Piper's table. She had rejoined Bob and was downing her wine for reinforcement.

"I thought you were a red-meat man," Tia said.

He turned back to her. "At places like this, I order things I don't cook myself."

"You don't like dropping the wiggly fellows head first into boiling water?"

"Thanks. I'll enjoy my meal much more now."

"I think it's just the tail here. He's already pa.s.sed on."

At least she seemed to be coming out of her funk. Bob was holding forth again, and Piper had made it halfway through her wine. He studied her face, saw her blink.

"Not that I'm sensitive, but are you staring at Piper?"

"I need to watch for a moment."

"What's wrong?" Tia looked over her shoulder.

"Don't draw attention."

She turned back, drilling him with her gaze. "Is something wrong with Piper?"

Jonah folded his napkin and set it beside his fork as Piper put her palms to the table and gave a little shake of her head. He stood up, walked over to their table, and removed the gla.s.s from her hand. "I'll take this."

Bob looked up, a flash of irritation, followed by concern, followed by jocularity. "Hey, Chief. She's a little tipsy, but I'm looking out for her."

"I don't think so." Jonah signaled the server for Bob's bill. In a moment the woman in black and white stood the leather folder on the table. Jonah said, "Pay it."

"Okay, sure." Bob took a credit card from his wallet and slid it into the slot in the folder.

Piper blinked. "Jonah?"

Bob spread his hands. "Look, what's this about?"

"It's about what you put in her drink."

Bob pushed back with a schmoozy grin. "You're not serious."

Jonah lifted the goblet. "Blue Chardonnay?"

Bob blanched. "It's a wine cooler. With Curacao or something."

"No," Piper slurred. "White. White wine."

"Didn't know about the dye in the new pills, did you?"

Bob looked from Piper to the gla.s.s Jonah held. He started to say something and stopped. Jonah called the station, reached McCarthy, and apprised him. Less than ten minutes later, McCarthy, dark Irish and wiry, and Newly, towheaded and fleshy, had Bob Betters cuffed and marching out of the dining room between them.

Tia had come to Piper's side, and Jonah asked her to find the server and cancel their order. "Tell him I'll come back and settle up the bill."

"That won't be necessary, Chief." The manager spoke softly, approaching from behind.

Jonah nodded. "Thanks. I'll return the goblet once the lab has it processed."

"Let me seal it in plastic."

He shook his head. "I can't let it out of my sight. Chain of custody."

"I didn't drink that much." Piper's words slushed. As slight and young as she was and with the alcohol she'd already had, the drug had hit hard and fast. "Why am I ..."

Tia crouched down beside her. "It's all right, sweetie. We'll take care of you."

Tia helped Piper into the Bronco as Jonah opened his kit, poured the liquid into a sterile container, then bagged and labeled the goblet. Tia climbed in back with Piper.

He glanced over his shoulder. "Sorry about dinner."

"Are you kidding?" She stroked Piper's hand. "If you hadn't seen this?" She shook her head, jaw c.o.c.ked.

He debated driving Piper to the hospital but took out his phone instead. "Hey, Lauren. Have you finished up with Sarge?"

"A while ago."

"I was hoping you were still in town."

"I'm still in town."

"Can I ask a huge favor?"

"You can ask."

He glanced in his rearview mirror. "A guy slipped someone a roofie. I hate to take her to emergency. Could you draw some blood for the lab?"

"Hold on a second." She talked to someone in the background, someone whose voice he recognized.