Reed recognized the younger man. "We met, kind of."
Murphy looked surprised. "When?"
Reagan glanced up at his partner. "In the morgue on Monday. I told you I'd seen him there." Then he dropped his eyes back to his keyboard and Murphy's lips twitched.
"Don't be hurt by my partner's bad manners. He's a newlywed and today's his one month anniversary."
Aidan looked up, his eyes narrowed. "Actually it was yesterday, but I had to work and missed it. If I miss it tonight…" He shook his head. "I will not miss it tonight."
Murphy's chuckle was just a tad evil. "I hope not. I hate to even think about the mood you'll be in tomorrow if Tess doesn't try what's in the box tonight."
Reagan didn't even look up. "You're trying to break my concentration, but it won't work." He tapped a few more keys and hit the button on his mouse with fanfare. "There. My report's done and submitted. I'm off to have dinner with my wife."
"And dessert," Murphy said.
Reagan's eyes rolled heavenward as he pulled on his coat. "God, yes. Don't work too late, Murphy. Nice to see you, Solliday." He dashed off, the roses under one arm and the wrapped box under the other.
Murphy's sigh was lusty. "I was with him when he bought what's in the box. Almost made me want to get married again." He looked over at Reed. "You married, Solliday?"
"No." But his imagination was working overtime, envisioning what had been in the box. Envisioning it on a certain curvy little blonde. "I take it that you're not, either."
"Nope." Murphy absently crunched on his carrot stick, but his eyes had gone from watchful to sharp and Reed got the feeling that the man was annoyed with him. '
"How did Mia get home?"
"Spinnelli got her a department car."
"Oh. Well, was she all right when she left?"
"Sure. She packed her files and said she'd read them at home. Said to tell you to meet her in Spinnelli's at eight tomorrow morning. Oh, and she took a message for you." Murphy pushed a piece of paper to the edge of his desk and sat, waiting.
Reed sighed when he read the words.
Holly Wheaton called. She'll meet you for dinner at seven tonight at Leonardo's on Michigan. Wear a tie. She says their pasta is divine and it's her treat.
"Dammit. She had my cell number. Why did she call Mia?"
"I expect she wanted to rub it in Mia's face. Having her take a message like she's your secretary just sweetened it. You and Wheaton have something going?"
Reed flinched. "God, no. The woman's a viper. I made a deal with her so that she'd give us some video she'd made of one of our fire scenes. I've done it before-trade an interview for information. I just had no idea Mia would get so angry about it."
"Most of the time Mia's just like one of the guys, fairly predictable. But when Wheaton crosses her path… Stand back because the claws come out."
He'd seen a little of that last night. "Why?"
"You'll have to ask her that. It was personal. Was that coffee for her?"
"Yeah." Reed handed Murphy one of the cups. "You've known her a long time?"
"Ten years. Back before Ray Rawlston was her partner."
"What happened to him?"
"He died." Murphy looked away. "Line of duty. Mia took out the guy that did it. Took a bullet herself." He looked back, his face pained. "We almost lost her."
Reed sat on the edge of Aidan's desk, stunned. "My God." He couldn't think about her that way, almost being gone. "And then she and Abe get shot? What are the odds?"
"I don't know. I do know she's very… vulnerable right now."
It was a warning and Reed had the good sense to take it as one. "She had a shock this morning, seeing that woman in the crowd. But I think having to admit it to us might have been even harder for her."
Murphy nodded. Slowly. "She's strong, mostly. But she's got heart, and that sometimes yanks her under. Don't yank her under, Solliday."
"I won't."
"Good. Now, throw me that box of Pop-Tarts in her drawer. I'm tired of these damn carrot sticks. Kicking the habit's a bitch."
Reed tossed him the box, brows lifted. "She won't like you eating her stash."
Murphy shrugged. "I'll just blame it on you."
Wednesday, November 29, 7:15 p.m.
"That was delicious," Reed said. "You'll have to make this recipe again."
Beth beamed. "We made it in Consumer Tech."
"Home Ec," Lauren supplied. "He's right, Beth. This is terrific." She lifted a teasing brow. "I might just be replaced as cook of the household."
Beth laughed. "I don't think so. Besides, this was homework. I get points when you fill out the questionnaire." She pulled two pens from her pocket. "If you gush too much,
Mrs. Bennett'll think you're lying, but be nice enough so that I get an 'A." Nines will be good, but give me a ten for cleanliness. Bennett's a neat freak."
"And here I thought you were trying to weasel something out of me," Reed murmured, scanning the questionnaire. "Or perhaps to apologize."
Beth scrunched her mouth in a frown. "Da-ad."
He'd leveled the worst punishment he could think of. No weekend party. "What?"
"I thought you might let me out this weekend. Just to go to Jenny Q's house."
Reed reached over and tapped her nose. "You don't have to bribe me, Bethie. Just say the words. I'm… sorry." He drew them out and she rolled her eyes.
"I'm sorry." She snapped it out, fast and far less sincerely than he'd wanted.
"For what?"
"Dad!" She bristled, looking so much like Christine in a snit. A dramatic sigh rustled the papers on the table. "I'm sorry I was difficult last night."
"You weren't difficult, Beth. You were downright rude. And in front of a guest."
Her eyes went sly. "New lady partner. Does this mean Foster won't be coming for dinner anymore? That would be a real shame."
"Sure he will. Detective Mitchell is a temporary partner. Why worry about Foster?"
"I dunno. He's kind of hot in a… artsy kind of way. Cameras. Film. Maybe he can take some shots of me. For my modeling career." Then she laughed as his jaw dropped. "Just kidding." She propped her chin on her fist. "So how about the dame?"
Lauren was laughing by now. "Yeah, Reed, how about the dame?"
Reed drew a breath, still reeling from the "Foster hot" comment. "Just to be straight, were you kidding about Foster being hot or you having a modeling career?"
She peered over at his paper. "Ten on cleanliness and nine on taste?"
His eyes narrowed. Women and their deals. Thoughts of facing Holly Wheaton across a table left him nearly as cold as the thought of Foster being hot. "Deal."
Beth smiled. "Both." She looked down at her plate, then back up. "I'm sorry, Dad. I was rude. I was just so mad you wouldn't let me stay over Jenny's house that I…" She trailed off when he lifted his brows. "I'm sorry. That's all."
"Accepted." He filled out the questionnaire and handed it back to her. "And done."
She brightened. "So I can go to Jenny's for a sleepover this weekend."
Lauren put a cup of coffee next to his plate, her expression saying she was ready to take cover over what was coming next. "No." he said. "The punishment stands."
Beth's mouth dropped open. "Dad!" She lurched to her feet. "I can't believe this."
"Sit down," he said and was shocked when she obeyed. "You were insufferably rude. You raised your voice to me and slammed the door so hard you knocked a picture off the wall upstairs. I'm usually so proud of you, but last night I was ashamed."