leaving.”
“You’re not going to have to bring him back alone, are you? Does Stacy know what happened?”
“No and no. DPD wants to send an officer back with me to assist and I’m going to call the LT as soon as I get back to my hotel.”
“Are you in pain? Did they give you something for it?”
“They did, and that’s why I’m headed directly to my hotel. I could use a good night’s sleep and I plan to take it easy tomorrow.”
“You’re still flying back on Sunday?”
“Yeah, we were able to get another seat on the flight and it leaves early. I should be nice and rested by then so I’ll be able to stay awake on the plane.”
“Will your prisoner be difficult to manage?”
“Our seats are at the rear of the plane, and he’ll be cuffed to his. If he has to take a leak, he won’t have far to walk. Other than that, he won’t be allowed to move around. We’ll be first on, last off so he can’t pull any shenanigans with the other passengers, either. Gerd and I should be able to handle him.”
“Gerd?”
“Detective Eriksson.” He grunted in a self-disparaging way. “I hate to admit this, but I was flattened and a girl had to rescue me.”
A burst of laughter sounded in the background. Gerd, huh?
A flutter of something green whipped through Andi. “Oh.”
Jack must have caught her momentary lapse into jealousy. “It’s not like that.”
“Did I say anything?”
“You don’t have to. I can read you like a book.”
Not likely. “Then you know I’m worried about you.”
He didn’t respond immediately. “I’m okay, Andi, really. I’ve been beat up worse when I was on patrol.”
“You have? How come you never told me?”
“It didn’t come up.”
That was true enough. “I guess this guy’s injuries weren’t as severe as they thought.”
“The doc informed us he was mostly faking it, so there was no need to keep him hospitalized.”
“Sounds like a real loser.”
“In every way.”
“What time does your flight get in?”
“Should be on the ground at twelve-eighteen. The jail transport bus will be there to pick up the prisoner, then I’ll run Gerd in to her hotel so she can get checked in.”
No mention of, I’ll call you when I get in, Andi , or, I’ll see you Sunday night, Andi .
“I won’t keep you, then. I hope you feel better by the time you get on the plane.”
“Thanks. Me, too.”
Andi wanted to tell him about the last two days, but something held her back. He sounded drowsy already, but it was more than that. It was also remembering that he hadn’t picked up her call the evening before.
Be honest, she told herself. It’s Gerd-the-Detective. You’re worried about a woman you haven’t even met.
And then her rational self intervened. Just look at what not communicating had done for Clem Naylor.
After that, her mouth opened and she asked, “Do you think you and I can have dinner with Gerd Sunday night? I’d like to meet her and thank her for saving your sorry ass.”
Jack laughed. “Now you sound like the Andi I know and love. Dinner it is. Bye, babe.”
. . .
The next morning, Andi arrived early at Java Josie’s and asked Josie if she’d mind unlocking the back door so she and her friends could sit outside.
Josie looked at her as if she were nuts, but agreed and said she’d turn the outside heater on, as well. “You’re gonna need it,” she added, shaking her head.
Andi ordered a tall latté and a cinnamon roll.
Father Riley came in as she was paying and said, “Make that two.”
Andi paid for his, as well, and informed him it wasn’t polite to argue over who was paying in front of Josie.
Father Riley grinned and said, “For a logical-thinking woman, Andi, you sure come up with some doozy explanations sometimes.”
“I certainly do try,” she said agreeably.
The bell over the door tinkled and Stacy and Denise entered. They placed their orders and followed Andi and Father Riley out to the patio. Andi made
“You’re not going to have to bring him back alone, are you? Does Stacy know what happened?”
“No and no. DPD wants to send an officer back with me to assist and I’m going to call the LT as soon as I get back to my hotel.”
“Are you in pain? Did they give you something for it?”
“They did, and that’s why I’m headed directly to my hotel. I could use a good night’s sleep and I plan to take it easy tomorrow.”
“You’re still flying back on Sunday?”
“Yeah, we were able to get another seat on the flight and it leaves early. I should be nice and rested by then so I’ll be able to stay awake on the plane.”
“Will your prisoner be difficult to manage?”
“Our seats are at the rear of the plane, and he’ll be cuffed to his. If he has to take a leak, he won’t have far to walk. Other than that, he won’t be allowed to move around. We’ll be first on, last off so he can’t pull any shenanigans with the other passengers, either. Gerd and I should be able to handle him.”
“Gerd?”
“Detective Eriksson.” He grunted in a self-disparaging way. “I hate to admit this, but I was flattened and a girl had to rescue me.”
A burst of laughter sounded in the background. Gerd, huh?
A flutter of something green whipped through Andi. “Oh.”
Jack must have caught her momentary lapse into jealousy. “It’s not like that.”
“Did I say anything?”
“You don’t have to. I can read you like a book.”
Not likely. “Then you know I’m worried about you.”
He didn’t respond immediately. “I’m okay, Andi, really. I’ve been beat up worse when I was on patrol.”
“You have? How come you never told me?”
“It didn’t come up.”
That was true enough. “I guess this guy’s injuries weren’t as severe as they thought.”
“The doc informed us he was mostly faking it, so there was no need to keep him hospitalized.”
“Sounds like a real loser.”
“In every way.”
“What time does your flight get in?”
“Should be on the ground at twelve-eighteen. The jail transport bus will be there to pick up the prisoner, then I’ll run Gerd in to her hotel so she can get checked in.”
No mention of, I’ll call you when I get in, Andi , or, I’ll see you Sunday night, Andi .
“I won’t keep you, then. I hope you feel better by the time you get on the plane.”
“Thanks. Me, too.”
Andi wanted to tell him about the last two days, but something held her back. He sounded drowsy already, but it was more than that. It was also remembering that he hadn’t picked up her call the evening before.
Be honest, she told herself. It’s Gerd-the-Detective. You’re worried about a woman you haven’t even met.
And then her rational self intervened. Just look at what not communicating had done for Clem Naylor.
After that, her mouth opened and she asked, “Do you think you and I can have dinner with Gerd Sunday night? I’d like to meet her and thank her for saving your sorry ass.”
Jack laughed. “Now you sound like the Andi I know and love. Dinner it is. Bye, babe.”
. . .
The next morning, Andi arrived early at Java Josie’s and asked Josie if she’d mind unlocking the back door so she and her friends could sit outside.
Josie looked at her as if she were nuts, but agreed and said she’d turn the outside heater on, as well. “You’re gonna need it,” she added, shaking her head.
Andi ordered a tall latté and a cinnamon roll.
Father Riley came in as she was paying and said, “Make that two.”
Andi paid for his, as well, and informed him it wasn’t polite to argue over who was paying in front of Josie.
Father Riley grinned and said, “For a logical-thinking woman, Andi, you sure come up with some doozy explanations sometimes.”
“I certainly do try,” she said agreeably.
The bell over the door tinkled and Stacy and Denise entered. They placed their orders and followed Andi and Father Riley out to the patio. Andi made
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