cold, looking around with a frown.
„My car.“ She pointed to the rental and his face changed to a beaming smile.
„You finally listened to me and got rid of that old thing.“
„It was not old. It was just well used.“ She opened the rear passenger door and he put the bag on the seat.
„It was a bucket of bolts that Vincent prayed for daily. We worried about you driving around at night in that rust heap.“
„This is just a rental. Mine’s in the shop.“ Kristen bit her lip over the little white lie.
The scowl returned. „Bucket of bolts, Kristen. It’s going to leave you stranded on the side of the road some night and…“ He shook his head, disgusted. „Stubborn girl.“
„With no monthly car payment. Go in out of the cold, Owen. You’ll get sick.“
Chapter Seven
Thursday, February 19,
7:00 p.m.
„Where’s Spinnelli?“ Mia tossed her jacket onto a chair at the same table they’d used the night before. Abe saw that someone had set up a whiteboard for their use as they cataloged evidence. A young woman in a white lab coat already sat at the table, and Jack’s coat hung on the back of the chair next to her although Jack was nowhere to be seen. The woman rose and extended her hand.
„I’m Julia VanderBeck,“ she said as she shook his hand. „I’m the ME.“
She was thirty-five or so with wide brown eyes and hair the color of coffee with heavy cream. She was pretty, he thought. He should be interested, he thought But all he could think about was ivory skin and green eyes and wild, curling hair.
„I’m Abe Reagan,“ he said. „Do you have all five bodies in your office?“
„Yes, I do, but if you don’t mind, let’s wait until everyone gets here so I don’t have to say it twice.“ The request was made politely, but wearily.
Mia dropped into her chair. „Where’s Spinnelli?“ she repeated. „And Jack?“
„We’re here,“ Spinnelli said, coming through the door, holding a casserole dish. „We have a visitor.“ His eyes were amused.
„Who’s welcome anytime,“ Jack added, his arms laden with Tupperware bowls.
Abe recognized the dishes and bowls even before he heard his mother’s voice, before she bustled into the room.
„Abe!“ She pulled his head down for a loud smacking kiss on his cheek and ignoring the grins of his co-workers, he let her do it.
„Mom.“ She smiled up at him, so happily that he didn’t have the heart to tell her she shouldn’t have. He smiled back. He’d wondered when she was going to show up. Sean said their father had told her not to come, but Becca Reagan generally followed her own mind. „What have you done?“
„Now don’t you be telling me I shouldn’t have,“ she clucked. „I called your Lieutenant Spinnelli to get your telephone extension and he kindly informed me that you all would be working late tonight so that I wouldn’t worry.“
Spinnelli lifted the cover from the casserole dish and Abe could smell his mother’s cabbage casserole from across the room. It was one of his favorites.
Spinnelli took a deep breath of appreciation. „Your mother offered to bring supper.“ He grinned. „How could I refuse?“
Abe leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. „Thanks, Mom.“ Her cheeks blushed, and he thought she looked as beautiful today as she had when he was a first-grader and she’d arrived at school with chocolate cupcakes on his birthday. „This is so sweet of you.“
„Sweet, my eye.“ She swept away to retrieve paper plates and plastic cutlery from the enormous handbag she was never without. „Couldn’t let you go hungry, now could I?“
Mia was leaning over the dish, sniffing. „Does it have meat?“
His mother looked affronted, then concerned. „Of course it does. You’re not a vegetarian are you, dear?“
Mia laughed. „No, ma’am. I’m Detective Mia Mitchell, Abe’s new partner.“
His mother looked even more worried. „You’re his partner?“
Mia chuckled,
„My car.“ She pointed to the rental and his face changed to a beaming smile.
„You finally listened to me and got rid of that old thing.“
„It was not old. It was just well used.“ She opened the rear passenger door and he put the bag on the seat.
„It was a bucket of bolts that Vincent prayed for daily. We worried about you driving around at night in that rust heap.“
„This is just a rental. Mine’s in the shop.“ Kristen bit her lip over the little white lie.
The scowl returned. „Bucket of bolts, Kristen. It’s going to leave you stranded on the side of the road some night and…“ He shook his head, disgusted. „Stubborn girl.“
„With no monthly car payment. Go in out of the cold, Owen. You’ll get sick.“
Chapter Seven
Thursday, February 19,
7:00 p.m.
„Where’s Spinnelli?“ Mia tossed her jacket onto a chair at the same table they’d used the night before. Abe saw that someone had set up a whiteboard for their use as they cataloged evidence. A young woman in a white lab coat already sat at the table, and Jack’s coat hung on the back of the chair next to her although Jack was nowhere to be seen. The woman rose and extended her hand.
„I’m Julia VanderBeck,“ she said as she shook his hand. „I’m the ME.“
She was thirty-five or so with wide brown eyes and hair the color of coffee with heavy cream. She was pretty, he thought. He should be interested, he thought But all he could think about was ivory skin and green eyes and wild, curling hair.
„I’m Abe Reagan,“ he said. „Do you have all five bodies in your office?“
„Yes, I do, but if you don’t mind, let’s wait until everyone gets here so I don’t have to say it twice.“ The request was made politely, but wearily.
Mia dropped into her chair. „Where’s Spinnelli?“ she repeated. „And Jack?“
„We’re here,“ Spinnelli said, coming through the door, holding a casserole dish. „We have a visitor.“ His eyes were amused.
„Who’s welcome anytime,“ Jack added, his arms laden with Tupperware bowls.
Abe recognized the dishes and bowls even before he heard his mother’s voice, before she bustled into the room.
„Abe!“ She pulled his head down for a loud smacking kiss on his cheek and ignoring the grins of his co-workers, he let her do it.
„Mom.“ She smiled up at him, so happily that he didn’t have the heart to tell her she shouldn’t have. He smiled back. He’d wondered when she was going to show up. Sean said their father had told her not to come, but Becca Reagan generally followed her own mind. „What have you done?“
„Now don’t you be telling me I shouldn’t have,“ she clucked. „I called your Lieutenant Spinnelli to get your telephone extension and he kindly informed me that you all would be working late tonight so that I wouldn’t worry.“
Spinnelli lifted the cover from the casserole dish and Abe could smell his mother’s cabbage casserole from across the room. It was one of his favorites.
Spinnelli took a deep breath of appreciation. „Your mother offered to bring supper.“ He grinned. „How could I refuse?“
Abe leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. „Thanks, Mom.“ Her cheeks blushed, and he thought she looked as beautiful today as she had when he was a first-grader and she’d arrived at school with chocolate cupcakes on his birthday. „This is so sweet of you.“
„Sweet, my eye.“ She swept away to retrieve paper plates and plastic cutlery from the enormous handbag she was never without. „Couldn’t let you go hungry, now could I?“
Mia was leaning over the dish, sniffing. „Does it have meat?“
His mother looked affronted, then concerned. „Of course it does. You’re not a vegetarian are you, dear?“
Mia laughed. „No, ma’am. I’m Detective Mia Mitchell, Abe’s new partner.“
His mother looked even more worried. „You’re his partner?“
Mia chuckled,
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