sudden interest—is it me, or are you just after a story?”
Alex was silent for several long seconds. She wondered if the question hurt his feelings.
Suddenly he laughed. “That’s one of the things I love about you. You don’t play games or indulge in subterfuge. I don’t meet many women who tell it like it is.” He took her hand in his and held it to his chest. “Edwards, I’ll return the favor; I’ll be boldly honest. Four months ago, you burst into my life and turned things upside down. I’ve always hated cops; I looked at them as racist storm troopers. They covered for one another.” At her raised eyebrows, he laughed again. “Sorry, I did. But you were different. When Mayor Burke was murdered, it was truth you were after even if it meant a cop would go to jail. On top of that, you saved my life, no matter that I printed stuff that hurt you.”
“Alex . . .” Emotions still churning, she tried to pull her hand away. He held it tighter.
“No, let me finish. I want this out in the open. I’ve been bonkers for you for months. The only reason I looked forward to court was the chance to cross paths with you there. All I think about is you, but I had no idea how to get close. How do you get close in the hallway of the court building?” He paused and threw his hands up before continuing.
“This tragedy happened, and I asked to cover it because I really want to help Joe—and in doing that, I knew I could see you as well. Now you ask me if it’s a story I’m after, and yeah, I guess I am. It’s my job, after all. But I want you first, and to help Joe any way I can. I’m trying to be here for you and prove I care. Anything you tell me in confidence stays in confidence, okay?” He pinned her with a steady gaze. One hand held hers to his chest while the other stroked her forearm.
He wants to give me everything Nick just took away. She took a deep breath and firmly pulled her hand away.
“Thanks for being honest. And thanks for being a friend, but that’s as far as we can go. I don’t know what’s going on with Nick, but I still love him. That wouldn’t be fair to you, would it?”
He shrugged. “I guess I’m not thinking fair right now. Just don’t close the door on me, and remember, I’m a good listener.” He smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets again. For a minute he just looked at her with a goofy expression on his face.
“Okay, thanks, Alex. You think we can head back to the station now?”
Trejo rolled his eyes and laughed sheepishly, quickly unlocking the car.
• • •
Fortifying herself with some station coffee that had been cooking all day, Carly stayed at the phone lines until she felt herself dozing. Fatigue was closing her eyes, and she knew she was useless. Nick had not come back to work the phones, and she didn’t want to ask if he was helping somewhere else. It was disappointing that none of the calls were promising. But tomorrow was the beginning of a new week. All the local morning news shows planned to air A.J.’s information first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Anticipating a blitz of new information, she’d decided to go home when her phone buzzed. It was Pete.
“Carly, can you come up to the homicide office? Agent Wiley, our FBI liaison, is going to share a profile of the kidnapper.”
“I’ll be right up.” Though tired, Carly was glad the FBI was helping as much as it was and prayed she’d hear something encouraging in the profile. Carly had read a lot about FBI profilers and profiles, and she believed they were useful tools for most investigations.
Nelson waved her into the office when she reached the door. “Have a seat. This is Agent Wiley, and he’s got a possible profile worked up of our kidnapper.”
Carly sat and gave the agent her attention. He looked so much like an agent in his dark suit and tie, Carly felt that his picture could appear in the dictionary under the definition of FBI agent .
Wiley dove right in.
Alex was silent for several long seconds. She wondered if the question hurt his feelings.
Suddenly he laughed. “That’s one of the things I love about you. You don’t play games or indulge in subterfuge. I don’t meet many women who tell it like it is.” He took her hand in his and held it to his chest. “Edwards, I’ll return the favor; I’ll be boldly honest. Four months ago, you burst into my life and turned things upside down. I’ve always hated cops; I looked at them as racist storm troopers. They covered for one another.” At her raised eyebrows, he laughed again. “Sorry, I did. But you were different. When Mayor Burke was murdered, it was truth you were after even if it meant a cop would go to jail. On top of that, you saved my life, no matter that I printed stuff that hurt you.”
“Alex . . .” Emotions still churning, she tried to pull her hand away. He held it tighter.
“No, let me finish. I want this out in the open. I’ve been bonkers for you for months. The only reason I looked forward to court was the chance to cross paths with you there. All I think about is you, but I had no idea how to get close. How do you get close in the hallway of the court building?” He paused and threw his hands up before continuing.
“This tragedy happened, and I asked to cover it because I really want to help Joe—and in doing that, I knew I could see you as well. Now you ask me if it’s a story I’m after, and yeah, I guess I am. It’s my job, after all. But I want you first, and to help Joe any way I can. I’m trying to be here for you and prove I care. Anything you tell me in confidence stays in confidence, okay?” He pinned her with a steady gaze. One hand held hers to his chest while the other stroked her forearm.
He wants to give me everything Nick just took away. She took a deep breath and firmly pulled her hand away.
“Thanks for being honest. And thanks for being a friend, but that’s as far as we can go. I don’t know what’s going on with Nick, but I still love him. That wouldn’t be fair to you, would it?”
He shrugged. “I guess I’m not thinking fair right now. Just don’t close the door on me, and remember, I’m a good listener.” He smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets again. For a minute he just looked at her with a goofy expression on his face.
“Okay, thanks, Alex. You think we can head back to the station now?”
Trejo rolled his eyes and laughed sheepishly, quickly unlocking the car.
• • •
Fortifying herself with some station coffee that had been cooking all day, Carly stayed at the phone lines until she felt herself dozing. Fatigue was closing her eyes, and she knew she was useless. Nick had not come back to work the phones, and she didn’t want to ask if he was helping somewhere else. It was disappointing that none of the calls were promising. But tomorrow was the beginning of a new week. All the local morning news shows planned to air A.J.’s information first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Anticipating a blitz of new information, she’d decided to go home when her phone buzzed. It was Pete.
“Carly, can you come up to the homicide office? Agent Wiley, our FBI liaison, is going to share a profile of the kidnapper.”
“I’ll be right up.” Though tired, Carly was glad the FBI was helping as much as it was and prayed she’d hear something encouraging in the profile. Carly had read a lot about FBI profilers and profiles, and she believed they were useful tools for most investigations.
Nelson waved her into the office when she reached the door. “Have a seat. This is Agent Wiley, and he’s got a possible profile worked up of our kidnapper.”
Carly sat and gave the agent her attention. He looked so much like an agent in his dark suit and tie, Carly felt that his picture could appear in the dictionary under the definition of FBI agent .
Wiley dove right in.
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