disapproving glare, the doctor’s face flamed from pink to red. Nate ambled over to the smaller man who in his elevator shoes came to Nate’s shoulder. Given her penchant for 5-inch high heels, Nate judged that Laura also towered over the little prick. Which must not have bothered the doctor. He had the self-satisfied look of a small man who was accustomed to people deferring to him, no matter what their height.
Nate looked him up and down. Another clothes horse, naturally. The doc could probably out-do Sam in his choice of expensive attire. What he didn’t have in physical stature, he attempted to add with monetary measures and his professional credentials. Trying to regain his composure, Dr. James rose to his full height, glaring at Nate like a stern schoolmaster confronting a disruptive teenager. Nate guffawed inwardly. The doctor looked for all the world like a banty rooster defying the barnyard guard dog—as if Nate couldn’t knock him over with one large paw.
Nate grinned at him and drawled. “Before you do any more informing, Doc, let me inform you. As a sworn officer of the law it is my duty to inform you that you have some explaining to do. Perjury is a crime, Doc. Punishable by a nice little stint in prison. Given that you were shall we say, less than truthful with me last evening, I recommend that you call your lawyer and see if between the two of you, you can twist your words enough to beat the perjury rap. Just so you know, Doc, in my opinion, the odds aren’t good.”
Dr. James gasped and went from red to white in seconds. He stared at Nate, unable to look away, a frozen field mouse seeing the owl hovering overhead. Nate held his gaze for a long moment and then focused on Laura who was looking at the doctor in dismay.
“Dan will be waiting for you, Laura—at the station—10 a.m.”
He turned back to the doctor enjoying the sheen of sweat on the little man’s upper lip. A rancid odor emanated from his expensively clothed armpits. “As for you, Doc, I’ll see you at the station at 11 a.m.”
Dr. James swallowed, his Adams’s apple bobbing nervously in his throat. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath—to no avail. His voice was a frightened squeak. “I… I don’t know if that is possible. My… my mornings are usually busy. I… I… will have to check my schedule.”
Nate grinned at him.
“Yeah, you do that. You check your schedule. I think you’ll find that the only thing you have scheduled is an 11 a.m. meeting with me at the police station.” He added a menacing note. “Oh, and Doc, I suggest you bring your lawyer.”
Nate glanced around the silent room from one startled participant to another, then said pleasantly, “Good bye, Laura. Nurse Johnston. Doctor.”
Then he nodded at Maggie Burk, who was gathering up her equipment. Maggie’s eyes were gleaming with amusement.
“Come on, Maggie. We’ll help you get your gear to your car.”
He winked at Dan and Sam.
“Gentlemen, shall we?”
Chapter 10
“Masterful, Nate. I’m glad you made a recording. If you don’t mind, I plan to use it with rookie detectives. Or, forget rookies. I haven’t seen twenty-year detectives own a room the way you did.”
Nate met Sam’s admiring gaze over the seatback and shrugged.
“Sure. Go for it. Whatever is useful.”
Nate knew he was being abrupt. Sam was clearly impressed and that should mean something. But the last thing Nate wanted to do was discuss the scene they’d just left. If he had his wish, he’d be pounding a bag with his fists and his feet. Or better yet, pounding into Erin, burying the frustration and unease roiling him into the sweetest, most erotic place in the world.
Fortunately, Dan stepped in as he often did, to soften the rough edges of his partner.
“Get used to it Sam.” Dan faced the man in the rear view mirror. “You’re lucky. You got to see him in action, real time. Rookies across the state clamor for the privilege and hardened cops jockey
Nate looked him up and down. Another clothes horse, naturally. The doc could probably out-do Sam in his choice of expensive attire. What he didn’t have in physical stature, he attempted to add with monetary measures and his professional credentials. Trying to regain his composure, Dr. James rose to his full height, glaring at Nate like a stern schoolmaster confronting a disruptive teenager. Nate guffawed inwardly. The doctor looked for all the world like a banty rooster defying the barnyard guard dog—as if Nate couldn’t knock him over with one large paw.
Nate grinned at him and drawled. “Before you do any more informing, Doc, let me inform you. As a sworn officer of the law it is my duty to inform you that you have some explaining to do. Perjury is a crime, Doc. Punishable by a nice little stint in prison. Given that you were shall we say, less than truthful with me last evening, I recommend that you call your lawyer and see if between the two of you, you can twist your words enough to beat the perjury rap. Just so you know, Doc, in my opinion, the odds aren’t good.”
Dr. James gasped and went from red to white in seconds. He stared at Nate, unable to look away, a frozen field mouse seeing the owl hovering overhead. Nate held his gaze for a long moment and then focused on Laura who was looking at the doctor in dismay.
“Dan will be waiting for you, Laura—at the station—10 a.m.”
He turned back to the doctor enjoying the sheen of sweat on the little man’s upper lip. A rancid odor emanated from his expensively clothed armpits. “As for you, Doc, I’ll see you at the station at 11 a.m.”
Dr. James swallowed, his Adams’s apple bobbing nervously in his throat. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath—to no avail. His voice was a frightened squeak. “I… I don’t know if that is possible. My… my mornings are usually busy. I… I… will have to check my schedule.”
Nate grinned at him.
“Yeah, you do that. You check your schedule. I think you’ll find that the only thing you have scheduled is an 11 a.m. meeting with me at the police station.” He added a menacing note. “Oh, and Doc, I suggest you bring your lawyer.”
Nate glanced around the silent room from one startled participant to another, then said pleasantly, “Good bye, Laura. Nurse Johnston. Doctor.”
Then he nodded at Maggie Burk, who was gathering up her equipment. Maggie’s eyes were gleaming with amusement.
“Come on, Maggie. We’ll help you get your gear to your car.”
He winked at Dan and Sam.
“Gentlemen, shall we?”
Chapter 10
“Masterful, Nate. I’m glad you made a recording. If you don’t mind, I plan to use it with rookie detectives. Or, forget rookies. I haven’t seen twenty-year detectives own a room the way you did.”
Nate met Sam’s admiring gaze over the seatback and shrugged.
“Sure. Go for it. Whatever is useful.”
Nate knew he was being abrupt. Sam was clearly impressed and that should mean something. But the last thing Nate wanted to do was discuss the scene they’d just left. If he had his wish, he’d be pounding a bag with his fists and his feet. Or better yet, pounding into Erin, burying the frustration and unease roiling him into the sweetest, most erotic place in the world.
Fortunately, Dan stepped in as he often did, to soften the rough edges of his partner.
“Get used to it Sam.” Dan faced the man in the rear view mirror. “You’re lucky. You got to see him in action, real time. Rookies across the state clamor for the privilege and hardened cops jockey
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