Kellen slapped him on the shoulder. “Now you’re getting it.”
“This is why I didn’t want to do this shit,” he complained as they stepped outside into the blistering August heat.
The pavement sizzled, and cicadas buzzed menacingly from the trees on the street.
“But you’re doing it, and you’re doing it for her. She must be pretty special.”
Nick sighed. “She is. Which is why I’m here. You let her get within a city block of trouble, and I will break your face into so many pieces you’ll need a transplant.”
“Message received. I’ll be careful with your girl, Nicky. Make sure you do the same.”
They crossed the lot to Kellen’s shitty department-issue cruiser.
“She wanted to talk about it,” Nick said.
Weber shot him a bland look. “Women tend to like to talk about things.”
“What do you know about women?”
“A hell of a lot more than you. I was married.”
“And how did that work out?”
“You know how it worked out since you were my best man and you helped me move out, asshole.”
Reminding his friend about his own idiocy made Nick feel better about his own. “She wants to talk about Beth,” he said finally.
Kellen’s eyes sharpened. “Does she know something? Has she seen anything?”
Nick shook his head. “No. And I haven’t asked her to look. And you’re not going to either. I don’t want to put her in that position.”
Weber scratched the back of his head. “I get it. Maybe it’s better we don’t know, anyway.”
Nick glanced back toward the building where haggard cops, devastated families, victims, and perpetrators intersected. Sometimes it was better being left with hope instead of answers.
“Speaking of Beth, I need the case file.”
Kellen eyed him blandly. “You know I can’t do that.”
“Bullshit. Mine got burnt to a crisp when your bad cop buddies torched my place.”
“I can’t just hand over department files to a civilian.”
Nick rolled his head back. “Fine. Then copy yours. I know you’ve got a file and a board at home.”
“She was my sister,” he pointed out.
“And you’re practically my brother. I want the file.”
“Fine. I’ll get you a copy.”
Nick nodded. “Appreciate it.”
Weber slipped on a pair of aviators and climbed behind the wheel. “Now do me a favor. Wish your girl luck today so she isn’t too busy worrying about her stupid boyfriend’s bad attitude to get a read on the husband.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Nick muttered and pulled out his phone.
6
