Evelyn David - Sullivan Investigations 02 - Murder Takes the Cake by Evelyn David

to her ripped dress and Detective Gorden’s rumpled attire.
    “ Detective Gorden and I were catching up,” Rachel answered, shoving her empty cup at the angry detective. “But we’re done now.”
    Under the steely glare of his boss, Gorden was forced to take the cup. He stalked out of the room without a word.
    Lieutenant Greeley took out his cigar. “Problems?”
    “ From him? Nothing I can’t handle.” Rachel smiled. “I wish I could say nice to see you again, but you know….”
    He nodded. “Yeah, I get that a lot. You think you can identify the person who attacked you?”
    “ Probably not. It was dark. He was behind me the whole time and then I was under the car and you know.…” She shrugged. “It started snowing.”
    “ You said ‘he’. How do you know it was a ‘he’?”
    A good question. She wished she knew why she believed it was a ‘he,’ but she did.
    “ Instinct? I’m not sure.”
    She glanced behind Greeley. Mac was standing in the doorway.
    “ Cops understand about instincts, don’t they, Lieutenant?” He joined them, holding out her coat. “Jeff brought this over from your office. Thought you might want to wear it home.”
    “ He didn’t need to do that.” She put the coat on, hugging the soft wool to her. “But I’m grateful. I’m not sure Bridget’s jacket is salvageable.”
    “ Plus, we’re keeping it as evidence,” the Lieutenant added. “It’s got a cut in it. The collar is slit.” He made a motion with his cigar just to the right of his tie. “We might be able to match it to the knife if we find it.”
    “ Well, that’s something at least.” Mac took her arm and then turned to his former boss. “It’s late. I’m going to take Rachel home. Maybe we can talk tomorrow?”
    “ You can talk in front of me,” Rachel said, stepping back from the two men. “I’m not stupid. It wasn’t a mugger. Someone tried to kill me. This has something to do with Bridget O’Herlihy, doesn’t it?”
     
    ***
     
    “Lieutenant Greeley could have at least pretended to believe me! I pay plenty in taxes. He could have made an effort.” Rachel unlocked her front door and stamped the snow from her boots before stepping inside. “And he didn’t seem too interested in Bridget’s problems either.”
    She turned and looked at him and then his shoes.
    Mac took the hint and stamped his feet too.
    “ Cold feet. He thinks Bridget is just nervous about the wedding.” Mac wasn’t surprised Greeley had problems moving away from the simple mugging scenario. Rachel’s purse wasn’t taken and in spite of her aggressive self-defense moves, she hadn’t been hurt.
    As for Bridget? Greeley didn’t know Bridget and so far her ‘problems’ hadn’t come with a D.C. tag, so Greeley wasn’t going to get involved.
    “ Cold feet, my….” She draped her snow-dampened coat over the staircase banister. “Where’s Whiskey?”
    Mac shut the door behind him. “She’s having a sleepover at JJ’s.”
    “ Good. So you don’t have to rush off?”
    “ No. Not if you don’t want me to.” He was amazed at how calm she’d remained throughout the whole ordeal. They had stayed an extra hour, answering the Lieutenant’s questions and explaining about Bridget’s recent activities in Boston and Sullivan Investigations’ involvement with the deceased Brian Crager. Not that it had accomplished anything. If there was a connection between Rachel’s mugging, Bridget’s stalker…he turned the word ‘stalker’ over in his mind…maybe that was too strong but he didn’t have a better label at the moment. If there were a connection between Rachel’s mugging, Bridget’s stalker, and Brian Crager’s death, then Sullivan Investigations would have to figure it out. Not the police.
    “ Please. Give me a half hour. I want to take a hot shower and change. Then we need to talk.” She started up the stairs, calling out, “Raid the refrigerator if you want. There’s sandwich stuff.”
    “ Thanks.