Spinnelli's eyes narrowed. "Well, it just became public knowledge. Who was she?"
Her churning stomach turned upside down. Now everyone would know. "I don't know her name. I saw her for the first time three weeks ago. She's popped up a few more times in the last few weeks. Then again today."
Spinnelli's eyes widened. "She's been following you?"
"Yeah." Mia swallowed hard, but the bile still burned the back of her throat.
"What does she say, Mia?" Solliday asked, very quietly.
"Nothing. She just looks at me. Then runs before I can find out what she wants."
"She saluted you today," Solliday said.
She saw it in her mind. That little salute with that small reluctant smile. "I know."
Miles leaned back, his eyes sharp. "You do know who she is."
"I know who I think she is. But she has nothing to do with this case. Sir."
Spinnelli cocked his jaw. "She's following you. Last night you were shot at."
Mia frowned quickly. "That was different. That was Getts."
Spinnelli leaned forward. "You don't know that for sure. So tell me, Mia."
It was not a request. "All right. I found out the day of my father's burial that he'd had a son with… with a woman not my mother. The boy is buried in the plot right next to his. The woman who's been following me was there, at the burial. She looks just like my father." She lifted her chin. "I assume she's his daughter, too."
There was a long moment of uncomfortable silence. Then Jack reached over and covered her hands with one of his. She hadn't realized how cold she was until she felt his warmth. "You're going to pull your fingers out of their sockets," he murmured, loosening the death grip she had on her hands.
Spinnelli cleared his throat. "I take it you never knew about these… siblings."
"No, sir. But that's not really important. The fact remains that I diverted my attention from a stakeout for personal reasons. I'll accept the consequences."
Spinnelli looked at her, hard. Then blew out a breath. "Everybody out. Except you, Mia. You stay." Chairs scraped as Miles, Solliday and Jack rose to their feet.
When the door was shut, she closed her eyes. "Just get it over with, Marc."
She could hear his footsteps as he paced the length of the room. Then he stopped. "Look at me, Mia." Bracing herself, she did. He stood on the other side of the table, his fists on his hips, his mustache bunched in a frown. "Hell, Mia. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I…" She shook her head. "I don't know."
"Abe said you told him you were distracted that night. Now I guess it all makes sense." He sighed. "I'm not sure I'd have done anything differently."
Her heart thumped hard in her chest. "Sir?"
"Mia, we've know each other too long for this shit. You have a personal problem, you take personal time, okay? But under the circumstances, I would have followed her, too. You think she's a danger?"
Mia drew her first easy breath in an hour. "I don't think so. Like Solliday said, today she saluted me. It was almost… respect. All I could think was that we were watching for suspicious faces and there she was. But she showed up before the arson started."
"She just gives you the creeps."
"Yeah. Makes me wonder how many more there are out there."
"Well, figure it out on your own time," he said, but gently. "Now, get back to work. I want to know who that woman in the news video is, ASAP You're dismissed."
Mia made it to the door, then paused, her hand on the doorknob. "Thanks, Marc."
He just grunted. "Get out of those monkey shoes, Mitchell."
Mia got back to the bullpen and stopped. Dana stood next to her desk, a small cardboard box clutched in her hand. "What's up?" she asked, dropping to her chair.
Dana lifted her brows. "I've come to report a homicide." She set the box on Mia's desk and pulled out a crab, its claws wrapped with rubber bands. It wasn't moving.
Mia wrinkled her nose. "Jeez, Dana, what the hell is that?"
"It was a Maryland crab. I caught it with my own hands. It was alive and would have been alive if you'd come last night. Now it's dead and you're to blame. I want justice."
"I can't believe people eat those. They look like giant bugs from a bad fifties flick."
Dana dropped the dead crab back in the box. "They're pretty tasty, which you would have found out if we could have cooked this one for you. I heard there was a press conference, so I figured you'd be here. I've been worried. How's your shoulder?"
"Good as new."
"And now you've got a new owie. What did you do to yourself now?"
"Dodged a bullet," she said carelessly and Dana's eyes narrowed.
"This new case?"
"No."
"You'll tell me later. For now, I need to know what's happening on this arson case."
"You know I can't tell you specifics, Dana."
Pain flashed in Dana's brown eyes. "I knew Penny Hill." And she was mourning her, Mia could see. "She was a good person. You'll catch who did this?"
"Yes." Now if they had a lead or two, she'd feel better about that promise.
"Good." Dana tilted her head. "And everything else? How's all that?"
"I had to tell Spinnelli. She was at the press conference."
Dana blinked in surprise. "Damn."
"She got away again, but I got half her license plate this time."
"You want Ethan to track her down?"
Dana's husband was a PI with a way around computers. "Not yet. I'll try first." Mia's gaze swerved to the edge of the bullpen, where Solliday had entered, a small television under one arm and a VCR under the other. He'd covered for her when he didn't have to. Dana twisted around to see what she was looking at and whistled softly.
She looked back, her appreciation evident. "So who is he?"
"Who?" But it was a bad plan to play dumb. "Oh. Him."
"Yeah, him." Dana's lips twitched. "Want me to run a background check on him?"
Mia felt her cheeks heat, knowing exactly what Dana meant. She'd run Ethan through the system herself when Dana got all floppy eyed over him and they'd been married just a few months later. It didn't take a detective to connect the dots. "Not necessary. That's my new partner."
Dana's eyes now flashed amusement. "You were a little sparse on the details, girl." She stood up as Solliday put the video equipment on Abe's desk. "Hello, there. I'm Dana Buchanan, Mia's friend. And you are?"
Solliday shook the hand Dana extended. "Reed Solliday, her temporary partner." His mouth curved, his eyes warming. "You're the foster mother."
Dana's smile broadened. "I am. Right now I have five, but I'll get another soon."
"I was a foster kid. My parents were active in the system for years. Good for you."
Dana still held his hand, studying his face in a way that made Mia's cheeks hotter. "Thank you." She let go of his hand and turned back to Mia. "Call me later, or I'll come find you. That's a promise." She gave a backward wave as she walked away.
Mia grabbed Wright's video. "Thanks for getting the TV."
"No problem." Watching her friend from the corner of his eye, Reed tossed Mia the cord. "Plug it in and I'll set it up." When the redhead got to the edge of the bullpen, she stopped and looked back. Her brows lifted in silent challenge, then she disappeared into the hall. There had been a comforting quality to her voice and in the way she'd held his hand, as if they'd been old friends. "She forgot her box," he said.
Mia glanced up and laughed. "She would. It's got a dead crab in it."
"Your friend brought you a dead crab?'"
"It was supposed to be a culinary delight." She ducked under her desk to plug the cord in, then stood, briskly tugging at her dress uniform. "Let's look at Mr. Wright's opus."