Tunnel Vision Part 3

aDid he get the name of the caller?a Brodie asked.

aNo.a aWho the h.e.l.l calls in a tip for aluminum cans?a Nicholls asked.

aMaybe the perp figured we needed a little help locating the body,a Brodie said.

aWell, thereas no way in h.e.l.l weall get any useable prints off that dumpster,a Nicholls observed.

aProbably right,a she agreed as Cardona reapproached them, pulling gloves from his hands.

aOkay, ladies and gent, scribble this down. The remains are the second installment of your find yesterday morning. No question in my mind. Heas a mess, but the cuts are as precise as the first. No blood around anywhere. Still a Hispanic male. Iad say about five eight and one ninety. Hadnat missed too many tacos. Fully clothed in some kind of uniform, also sans blood. Must have been dissected and then redressed. No I.D. on the body or the clothes. Itas been warmer than usual the last few days and the heat can really build up in these metal dumpsters. From the degree of decomposition, Iad guess that the time of death was three to five days ago. The maggots are pretty advanced so theyave been at it for a while. Thatas about what youall be getting in my report, Brodie, but Iall put it in writing and send it over.a aThanks, Frank. Go home and get lucky. Give my regards to Maria,a she said patting the man on the back.

aYou, my friend, will be the last topic of conversation tonight,a he laughed and then jogged away and jumped into the forensics van.

aWeall need to get some people into that dumpster,a Nicholls sighed. aA wallet could have fallen out of the vicas pocket.a aWe could always call Romero,a Brodie said with a chuckle.

Nicholls snorted loudly. ah.e.l.l, you couldnat get Romero in there unless you promised him Weston was in there buck naked and willing.a Realizing what he had said, Nicholls shot a looked at Maggie. aJesus, Iam so sorry, Maggie. I shouldnat have said that,a he apologized.

aNo need to apologize,a she said. aI have four brothers.a Brodie turned and looked at Maggie as Nicholls walked away shaking his head. aThereas never been another female detective in Cedar Springs except me,a she said. aTheyare used to saying whatever they think, so if you have a problem with it you can report it to Captain Donaldson.a aI know how cops talk. You donat have to explain things to me, Lieutenant,a Maggie said as they began walking toward the car. aBy the way, I may have an ID on our victim.a Brodie stopped and looked sharply at her. aWere you planning to keep that your little secret?a aNo. I planned to tell you when I got back to the station, but we got the call to come here. The supervisor of janitorial services reported that one of his men hasnat come to work for the last few days.a She pulled her notebook from her jacket pocket and flipped a few pages before continuing. aThe manas name is Cruz Garcia. Very reliable worker. Never sick. He doesnat have a telephone so the supervisor wasnat able to check on him. I was going to run by the address he gave me, but we were interrupted.a aWhatas the address?a Brodie asked as they resumed walking.

a1229 Val Verde in Southeast Austin. Itas in the last area I worked on patrol. Not exactly the high rent district. Lots of gangs, lots of problems.a aIall go with you after we drop Nicholls back at the station. Heas checking on another suspicious death from last Thursday night anyway.a Brodie chose her Camaro over the department issued Crown Victoria and accelerated onto the highway ramp toward Austin, hoping the trip would go quickly. They drove along in silence for what seemed like an eternity, before Maggie broke the silence.

aIs this the same Camaro you were working on while you were in Austin?a Brodie hesitated before answering. Why revisit old times? But it wasnat going to be possible to work every day with Maggie and not speak to her. She supposed they had to talk about something and her car seemed like a harmless enough topic. aYeah, finally finished it a couple of years ago. Didnat have much else to do in my spare time.a aIt looks great.a aThanks.a aNicholls seems like a good detective. How long has he been your partner?a aThree or four years. Since he finished his training.a aWere you his training officer?a aYeah.a aSort of unusual for a TO to become the traineeas partner, isnat it?a aYou ask too many f.u.c.kina questions, Weston.a aIam a detective,a Maggie quipped. aItas what I get paid to do.a Brodie smiled slightly and then said, aWell, the truth is, Detective, Curtis Nicholls is a semi-racist, h.o.m.ophobic hot-dogger with a tendency to believe heas G.o.das gift to women and the police department. I got stuck with him because no one else wanted to work with him.a aDoes he know youare gay?a Brodie glanced across the car at her. aYes. But he doesnat know you are and if youare smart it will remain that way.a BRODIE EXITED THE Interstate onto Cesar Chavez Boulevard and turned into an older, rundown neighborhood within sight of the freeway. The majority of the houses were in need of paint, which gave them the overall appearance of weathered gray wood. Occasionally, someone had made an attempt to beautify their property, but the effort had obviously been hampered by a lack of money or a lack of interest. What once pa.s.sed for gra.s.s was generally dying from a scarcity of water. Periodic green patches appeared to have been mowed but not edged, leaving long tendril of gra.s.s crawling across the cracked sidewalks. She followed Maggieas directions through a series of turns that carried them deeper into economic depression. Brown faces stared at the Camaro as it moved slowly through the area, searching for a house number. It didnat help that the many of the street signs were missing. The city had replaced them for years before finally giving up. Although she never caught them doing it, she suspected local gang kids or illegals removed them to confuse the authorities.

Eventually, she was forced to stop and ask directions from a juvenile who was walking lazily up the street. The kid looked about fourteen years old and was dressed in baggy tan work pants that fell across the tops of expensive looking tennis shoes in multiple folds virtually obscuring his feet. A white tshirt, and long-sleeved blue and black plaid shirt b.u.t.toned only at the neck completed his gang-banger attire. The boyas hair was wavy and neatly trimmed, held in place by a hairnet which was pulled together in a small knot in the middle of his forehead. The beginnings of a skimpy moustache sprouted along his upper lip. He stared appreciatively at the car as it pulled to the curb next to him. Brodie rolled the window down and motioned for the boy to approach the car. He sauntered over to the car and rested his hands on the window frame.

aIam lookina for Val Verde,a she said.

aWhat for?a the boy asked.

aWell, if I wanted you to know that, Iad have told you,a she said.

aYou a cop, right?a aAnd youare an upstanding citizen whoas always happy to help out the police,a she answered with a grin.The boy chuckled and looked into the car at Maggie. Then he looked back at Brodie. aShe a cop, too?a aYeah. So whereas the street, jefe?a aI ainat you f.u.c.kina jefe,a the boy spat, backing away from the car, gesturing with his hands. Opening the door of the car, Brodie took a deep breath and stepped out, grabbing the kid by the shirt. She dragged him to the back of the Camaro as Maggie heard long strings of Spanish flying between Brodie and the boy, most of it recognizable in almost any language as profanity. Eventually, she heard laughter and watched the boy stroll away at the same speed he had been going when Brodie stopped him.

aWhat the h.e.l.l was all that about?a she demanded as Brodie settled back behind the wheel. aThis isnat the kind of neighborhood where you can just grab one of the locals and ha.s.sle him. He could have twenty armed friends watching from the windows around here.a aRelax. There wasnat going to be any trouble. Just a lot of macho bulls.h.i.t posturing. Now he looks good to his homeboys if they were watching because he stood up to the cops and walked away. Val Verde is a couple of streets over.a Less than a minute later they parked in front of a house that looked better than most of the houses surrounding it. The gra.s.s was green and the small yard had been edged. Flower baskets hung from hangers along the porch. The stucco-covered building was partially newly painted. Tricycles and other childrenas toys littered the yard. Brodie followed Maggie up the walkway to the front door. An old window unit hung from one of the front windows. Brodie knocked on the screen door and waited. She was about to knock again when the door opened. A man approximately her age peered at them through the screen. He was holding a crow bar in his right hand and appeared to be slightly out of breath. She smiled and asked, aIs this the home of Cruz Garcia?a The man looked at her and then Maggie. aWe donat buy nothing,a he said.

aIam not selling,a she replied, flashing her badge.

aIam Detective Brodie and this is Detective Weston. Weare with the Cedar Springs Police Department. Weare looking for Cruz Garcia. Does he live here?a The man relaxed and nodded, aSi. Yes. Come in.a Opening the screen door, Brodie followed Maggie into the front room of the small house.

aYou find my cousin?a the man asked.

aDid you report him missing?a Maggie asked.

aYes, two, three days ago.a Their conversation was interrupted as a woman in her thirties came quietly into the room accompanied by three young children. One of the children, a girl about two, clung to the womanas leg so tightly that white handprints could be seen on the womanas brown skin. She wore simple clothes, which hid a slim figure. The beginning of tears made her eyes sparkle. Her straight dark hair fell to the middle of her back. She spoke to the man in soft Spanish.

aThis is Cruzas wife, Magdalena.a aDoes she speak English?a Brodie asked.

aA little, but not so good as me.a aWhen did your cousin disappear, Mr... Iam sorry. I didnat get your name, sir.a aAlejandro Ruiz.a aWhen did your cousin disappear, Mr. Ruiz?a aHe go to work Wednesday evening and has not returned. Magdalena is very worried.a aI imagine. Where does Mr. Garcia work?a aAt university in Cedar Springs. He works there as a janitor.a aDoes he have a car?a aNo. There is a bus that goes near the university. Cruz walk the rest of the way.a aI see. Does Mrs. Garcia have a recent picture of her husband?a The detectives waited while Ruiz spoke briefly to the woman. She nodded and left the room, dragging children with her.

aShe wouldnat answer the door when she saw you. I had to run over from my house behind here. Have you found Cruz, Detective?a aWe donat know yet, Mr. Ruiz. We have found someone. If it turns out to be Mr. Garcia, someone will have to identify him.a aI understand,a the man said weakly. His voice trembled as he spoke. aCruz wanted to bring his family here for a better life. He is very hard worker. A good husband and father. To come all this way...a sad thing.a aWas Mr. Garcia an illegal?a aNo,a Ruiz said, obviously insulted. aI sponsor him myself. He live with me until he save enough to bring Magdalena and the children here. He have a green card.a aSo he only has his wife and three children,a Maggie asked.

aFive. The older ones are in school. Cruz he go to night school. His English was very good. Will get his American high school paper this year,a the man explained with pride.

Mrs. Garcia came back into the room and said something softly as she handed a picture to Ruiz. He looked at it and then pa.s.sed it to Brodie.

aShe said this was taken at Christmas before midnight ma.s.s,a he said. aThis is Cruz,a he continued, pointing to a man in a suit.

She held the picture up for Maggie to see. It left little doubt that the head in the aquarium belonged to Cruz Garcia. She led Ruiz onto the porch and explained that they were reasonably certain his cousin was dead and explained the procedures the family would have to follow to identify him and reclaim the body. She explained that considering the circ.u.mstances of the death, it would probably be better for Ruiz to make the identification. Giving him her card, she and Maggie left Ruiz, Magdalena Garcia and her children to grieve and try to make sense out of a senseless act.

THE TWO DETECTIVES returned to the squad room shortly after five-thirty and found Nicholls sitting at his desk with his shirt sleeves rolled up, peering at yellow lettering on a green computer screen. When he saw them come in, he stopped and rubbed his eyes. Brodie went to her desk and sat down heavily. While Maggie wandered off down the hallway and entered the restroom, she leaned back and closed her eyes for a minute.

Detective Phillip Romero had seen them come in. A tall, slender, dapper man, he watched Maggie disappeared down the hallway before getting up from his desk and approaching Brodie.

aHey, Brodie. Whoas the new chica?a Romero asked, resting against the edge of her desk.. She opened her eyes. aWhat?a aThe new woman. How come I havenat been properly introduced yet?a aI guess because you werenat here. Hang around; sheall be back. I tried my d.a.m.nedest to get her a.s.signed to you, but Donaldson didnat think you could keep your d.i.c.k in your pants long enough to train her.a af.u.c.k you.a aAsk him yourself if you donat believe me, Romero.a aSingle?a aI donat give a s.h.i.t about my traineeas s.e.x life. Ask her yourself. Here comes your big chance now,a she said when she saw Maggie coming back down the hallway.

The two of them watched as she stopped at the coffee maker and poured a cup of coffee. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she added powdered creamer and sugar to the cup. The fit of her slacks showed off a well rounded b.u.t.t. Brodie looked up at Romero and smiled.

aMight want to wipe the drool off your chin before you introduce yourself,a she chuckled.

aI could be in love,a Romero sighed.

aGive me a f.u.c.kina break,a Nicholls mumbled into his computer screen.

Romero leaned down next to him and whispered, aWatch and learn from a man withaexperience.a aI hope your d.i.c.k falls off, Romero,a Nicholls whispered back.

Brodie watched as Romero went to the coffee maker and refilled his cup while engaging Maggie in conversation. She remembered how it made her feel to know there were others who wanted Maggie and were attracted to her clean-cut good looks. She had never been jealous when other women hit on Maggie. She knew Maggie would be going home with only her each night.

aSo what has your little computer told you so far?a she asked Nicholls, dragging her attention away from Maggie.

aThe lab sent over a list of part numbers,a he answered, turning back to his computer screen.

aApparently we have an a02 Mercedes. The last registered owner is Clifford Jenkins. Checked with DMV and got an Austin address and phone number. There was an answering machine at the other end and Iam waiting for a return call. The car isnat listed as stolen either here or by Austin PD.a aMaybe Mr. Jenkins doesnat know itas missing yet,a she offered.

aI contacted Austin PD and theyall send someone by the address, but who knows when thatall be.a aWell, itas about time to call it good for today anyway. Maybe something will come in tomorrow. We got a tentative ID on our other guy.a aThat was pretty quick.a aWeston found a missing employee from the university. We checked out the guyas home and got a picture. A family member will be making a positive ID, probably tomorrow. Is the body still at Travis County?a aYeah.a She sighed, pulling a piece of paper from her pocket and dialing the number. aI hate this part,a she said as she waited for someone to answer.

A few minutes later she replaced the receiver in its cradle and rubbed her face.

aMigraine?a she heard Maggieas voice ask.

aNo. Just a garden variety headache,a Brodie said, thinking Maggie knew her too well. aProbably just need something to eat.a she responded. aIam about ready to pack it in for the day.a aMe, too,a said Nicholls. aI still have a couple more things to check, but Iam about to go blind from staring at this d.a.m.n screen anyway. Why donat you run what we have past Jacobs? See if she can give us a bead on what this guyas mind looks like.a Brodie got up slowly and fished her keys from the pocket of her slacks. It had been three days since she lost her cool with Camille. She frowned at the thought of trying to explain what had happened Sat.u.r.day morning. She wasnat sure she knew herself. Maggie watched as Brodie stopped on the way out and spoke to the officer behind the front desk. She had always been an intense and intriguing woman, but there was something different about her now. Something was lacking from the woman she had once known so intimately. Nicholls typed more information into his computer and sat back to let it digest his newest request. He took a sip of cold coffee from his mug and swished it around in his mouth.

aYou going home, too?a he asked.

aYeah, but I want to go over my notes from today and see if I left anything out. Is it always this busy around here?a aNah, you caught us at a really unique time. Two deaths under suspicious circ.u.mstances in less than a week is pretty radical stuff for Cedar Springs. Usually itas a bunch of bored, rich juvies breaking and entering for kicks. If a citizen dies around here itas probably from lugging around too much money at one time and they keel over from the strain.a Pausing a moment, Maggie took a deep breath.

aWhoas Jacobs?a aWhat?a aJacobs. I heard you mention the name to the lieutenant.a aSheas a psychologist friend of RBas. Nice lady.a He smiled. aGreat legs. I think she works for Austin PD. Or at least consults for them. Since RB was a psych major back in the day, they have a lot to talk about.a He looked at his computer monitor for a moment. Turning to look at Maggie, he said, aLook itas none of my business, but I think thereas something you should know about RB.a aWhatas that?a Maggie said as she glanced through another report.

aIt wonat make any difference in your training or anything, but, well, RBas gay.a aReally?a aYeah. I didnat mean to freak you out or anything. As a matter of fact, I think she might be dating Dr. Jacobs.a aDoes that bother you?a Maggie asked.

aWhat? That sheas a d.y.k.e or that if Jacobs is a d.y.k.e too it would be a total waste of a good-looking woman?a he quipped.

aEither one, I guess.a aWell, Brodieas a good cop. Really busted my b.a.l.l.s when she was training me. When I found out she was gay, I thought she was taking out her latent hostility against men on me for a while.a aWas she?a aNo, she was just doing her job.a aAnd it doesnat bother you to be partnered with her?a aWe donat talk about it much. To each their own, I suppose. I heard you did good today, by the way. Identifying Juan Doe.a aDid Lieutenant Brodie say that?a aNot in so many words.a aThatas what I thought.a aListen, Maggie, RB is okay. Just not very liberal with her praise. Never talks much, so I have to do most of the talking or go nuts in the car listening to some f.u.c.kina country-western station.a Maggie laughed. aCountry-western doesnat bother me.aaThen you and Brodie should be real tight.a Somehow I doubt that, Maggie thought, looking back into her notebook, remembering the first time she had encountered the formidable detective. MAGGIE WESTON WAS a rookie patrol officer partnered with Dale Simmons, a s.a.d.i.s.tic son-of-ab.i.t.c.h who made it obvious he didnat want to be saddled with a woman as his partner, even if her father was a commander. When they were called to handle a domestic disturbance, he sent her into the house alone to find out what was going on. What she walked in on was a very large Bubba with a belly full of cheap beer whaling on his girlfriend just because it was Friday night and he thought she needed it. She was forced to draw her service revolver and call for her partner to back her up. When Simmons failed to respond, she called for any available unit for a.s.sistance. She was still alone and holding her revolver on the man when a tall, dark-haired female officer and her partner entered the house. The girlfriend was leaning against a hall door and it was obvious she would require a few st.i.tches.

aProblem?a the officer asked calmly in a deep, husky voice as her eyes quickly surveyed the situation.

aThis gentleman doesnat seem to be in a very cooperative mood tonight,a Maggie answered.

aHow about calling the paramedics, Wheeler?

And see whatas delaying that jacka.s.s Simmons,a the female officer said to her partner.

Wheeler nodded and jogged out to their patrol car while she kept her eyes trained on the drunk.

aIs she willing to press charges?a aDoesnat have to. I witnessed the a.s.sault,a Maggie answered, her revolver still leveled at the man. Adrenaline was pumping through her body, but she felt safer with other officers on the scene. The older officer positioned herself near the young woman and glanced at her nameplate.

aAre you planning to arrest him tonight, Officer Weston?a aIf I could have gotten my son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h partner in here, head already be under arrest,a she seethed.

aTell this b.i.t.c.h to get the f.u.c.k outta my f.u.c.kina house!a the drunk yelled.

aShut up, a.s.shole! No oneas talkina to you,a the taller officer snapped, pointing at him.

af.u.c.k you, b.i.t.c.h! I know my rights.a aThen exercise your right to remain silent and put your hands on the wall,a the woman ordered. She was an imposing figure, Maggie thought as she quickly glanced at the other officer. Her eyes caught the name on the officeras ID tag. Brodie. She had heard the name during her training, but they had never met.

aDo you want me to take this one?a Brodie asked.

aI got it, but you can keep an eye on him for me,a she replied.

Maggieas partner finally found the front door and was resting against the door frame observing the proceedings nonchalantly, chewing on the remains of a toothpick. Wheeler had to push him aside to reenter the house. Maggie placed her revolver back in its holster and removed her handcuffs from their case on the back of her belt. aSir, youare under arrest for a.s.sault and battery. Turn around and place your hands on the wall,a she ordered in a firm voice as she approached the drunk.

The drunk looked at the two male officers and winked. aYou boys need to teach your women to stay in their place,a he laughed. Suddenly he jumped toward her and yelled, aBoo!a As he reached out to grab Maggieas uniform, Brodie and her partner pulled their revolvers and yelled, aFreeze!a The drunken man looked startled for a second by their reaction. That was all the time Maggie needed to grab him by the arm and slam him face first into the nearest wall. She heard a cracking sound, followed by blood running from the manas nose after his close encounter with the peeling sheetrock. She used the extra time to throw the stunned man to the floor, jamming her right knee into the middle of his back. Grabbing his right arm, she handcuffed it while reciting, aYou have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand that, sir?a Before the man could spit out his answer she brought his left arm behind him and completed cuffing him. She finished reading the man his rights and pushed past the female officer and her partner, stopping next to where Simmons was still lounging against the door frame.

aI got him down. Now you can get his fat a.s.s up,a she said through clenched teeth.

She walked to their patrol car, straightening her department issue shirt on the way, working hard to control her anger. Leaning her arms against the vehicle, she took several deep breaths and exhaled them slowly.

aAre you all right?a Brodieas voice asked from behind her.

Maggie turned her head around quickly and glanced at her before turning away again. aYeah, Iam fine. But Iall probably be dead by next week if I donat get transferred away from that motherf.u.c.ker Simmons.a aRookie?a aFirst week.a aAre you related to Commander Weston?a aWhat if I am?a she asked defensively.

Brodie shrugged as she smiled at the rookie.

aMake sure you write this up in your report. Iall file a backup report and Iall speak to the Watch Commander about getting you with someone else.a aI donat expect special treatment because of my father,a Maggie said as she squared her shoulders and glared at the woman.

aIam not giving you any,a Brodie said. Seeing Wheeler and Simmons leading the man out of his house she called out, aPut that tax-payer in our car, Wheeler.a Wheeler nodded and changed direction with the drunk who was complaining loudly that his nose was broken and he felt sick. Wheeler looked at Brodie and Maggie and smiled before abruptly turning the drunk toward Simmons in time for the man to vomit. Simmons wasnat fast enough to get away out of the way and suddenly looked like he might puke himself. When the suspect was secured in the back of Brodieas patrol car, Brodie looked Simmons over as he walked toward his unit.

aJesus, Simmons, you look like s.h.i.t,a she said, the scent of regurgitated beer wafting from the officeras uniform.

aYeah, and he donat smell so good either,a Wheeler said with a grin.

aWhat happened, bud? Thereas blood on your uniform. Did you get hurt?a she asked with little genuine concern in her voice.

aNaw,a said Wheeler. aWe had a little trouble getting the moron up and his b.l.o.o.d.y nose sort of ran into Simmonsa uniform. Sorry about that, man.a af.u.c.k you, Wheeler,a Simmons mumbled.

aWell, you better get back to the station house and change. Your shift is about over anyway,a Wheeler smiled.

aYaall be careful now,a Brodie said as her soft brown eyes turned to Maggie and winked.

Maggie barely had time to close the door of their patrol car before Simmons peeled away from the scene. Two days later Maggie was transferred to a new training officer, at least in part due to the recommendation of Officers Royce Brodie and Stan Wheeler.

IT WOULD BE three months before Maggie finally saw Royce Brodie again. She hadnat been able to get the tall, confident officer out of her mind. She wasnat much of a socializer, but a friend talked her into going out for a couple of drinks after her shift. DreamWorks was a new womenas club a couple of blocks off the interstate in Austin and although she had never been there, she had heard of it. She had been suffering from bouts of insomnia and decided that a few drinks might help her get some sleep. When she walked in, it took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the low light and high volume level. Colorful neon beer signs decorated the wood paneled walls. She found her friends involved in a serious game of pool and after a round of hugs and handshakes, she excused herself to make her way to the bar which was fifteen feet of polished wood.

aWhat can I getcha?a the cheerful blonde behind the bar asked.

aMiller Draught, please,a Maggie smiled, dropping a five on the bar as she winked at the blonde, placing her in her mental notebook of women to check out more carefully later. Leaning against the bar, sipping her beer, she looked around the bar. About twenty couples with varying degrees of ability moved around the dance floor. Once upon a time she had loved to dance, but it had been a long time since she had taken a spin on a dance floor. Maybe later, she thought.

On her way in she had seen a few interesting faces in the pool room and wandered back toward it. She leaned against a wall and observed the games already underway. Then she noticed a familiar face and a smile made its way across her lips. Fishing quarters from her pocket, she stepped forward and placed them on the side rail of the table, a challenge to take on the winner of the match in progress.

When the match ended, she picked up a cue stick and walked to the table. The winner walked up to Maggie as she shoved the coins into the slots. aRoyce Brodie,a the winner said. Looking at Maggie closely, Brodie asked as they shook hands, aHave we met before?a aSort of,a Maggie said.

as.h.i.t! Youare the one with the drunk Bubba last month!a aIs it true what they said around the station?

About Simmons,a Maggie asked.

Brodie smiled at the mention of the rookieas former partner. aI heard he fell off his roof while adjusting his satellite dish,a she said as she shrugged.

aYeah, I heard that, too.a Not long after the incident Wheeler had suggested he and Brodie should give Simmons an off-duty att.i.tude adjustment. When reason hadnat worked they wound up knocking the s.h.i.t out of him. Maggie laughed as she hoisted her drink. aTo the roof.a As the challenger, Maggie racked the b.a.l.l.s and watched as her opponent prepared for the break. She guessed Brodie was ten or twelve years older, but still attractive enough for Maggie to consider getting to know her a little better.

aIave got a twenty that says I can take you,a the rookie challenged, reaching into the back pocket of her jeans.

aYour money,a Brodie said with a shrug.

aI should warn you,a Maggie said, her eyes flashing. aI hate to lose.a aYeah, well, I hate green beans, but that doesnat mean I donat get stuck with them on my plate from time to time.a Maggie lifted the rack from the b.a.l.l.s and took a drink of her beer as she stepped back for the break. A solid ball fell into the side pocket and Brodie walked confidently around the table looking for her best shot. Four b.a.l.l.s later she missed a difficult shot and had to turn the table over to Maggie. She picked up her beer and leaned against the wall as her opponent surveyed the table. Maggie couldnat suppress a smile as she leaned over the table to line up her first shot and gave her opponent a primo view of her a.s.s.

She studied each shot carefully, considering where the cue ball should stop for her next shot. She never spoke and seemed to be oblivious to the appreciative looks from the older officer. She got down to her last two b.a.l.l.s on the table before a ball rattled a corner pocket, but failed to drop.

aBetter not miss or your a.s.s and your money will be mine,a Maggie said in a low voice as she brushed past Brodie.

aIall do my best, but suddenly losing doesnat sound like such a bad thing,a Brodie responded with a grin.

She sank her remaining b.a.l.l.s, but was left with a difficult bank shot the length of the table for the eight ball. Squatting down, she estimated the angle to the corner pocket before tapping it with her cue and leaning over the cue ball. The second her stick hit the cue ball Maggie knew Brodie had hit it perfectly and watched the eight ball drop into the designated pocket. She walked over and extended her hand. As Brodie took it, she smiled broadly. aKeep your money,a she said.

aI always pay my debts.a aIt wasnat a fair match, you know. Iave probably been shooting pool since you were in diapers.a aI never make excuses for losing. You just outplayed me, this time. But you could ask me for a dance to soothe my damaged ego.a Stepping onto the lightly saw-dusted floor, Brodie took Maggie in her arms and glided off into a slow two-step. Maggie followed her every step and spin as they moved effortlessly around the floor.

The way Brodieas body moved against hers made the room seem warmer than it was. Maggie hadnat been with anyone for quite a while and hadnat expected anything more than a dance. The song finally ended and Brodie released her, but Maggieas arms remained around her waist as she looked up at her. Unable to redirect her eyes anyplace except Maggieas lips, Brodie began to lean closer, then pulled away.

Maggie stopped her, wrapping her arms around Brodieas neck, engulfing her senses as she pulled her into a slow, exploratory kiss. As their lips parted, Maggie looked into her eyes. aI like you, Royce,a she said, the low timbre of her voice an invitation to more.

aI like you, too, Maggie, but...a aBut what?a she challenged.