As a result, she didn’t see that his already ruddy cheeks had turned an even deeper shade of red.His hazel eyes grew wide as he seemed to realize who he was talking to.
“Oh man,” he groaned.“I can’t believe that the first time I meet Jessie Hunt’s sister, I inadvertently assault her.”
Hannah looked at the young man, who appeared to be only a few years older than she was, for the first time.There was suspicion in her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “but who are you and how do you know who I am?”
"Oh, right," he said sheepishly."My name is Harper—I mean Officer Harper Devery.I was assigned to Central Station a few months ago.I've been lucky enough to help out HSS, and specifically Ms.Hunt, on a few cases.I recognize you from a photo on her phone's screensaver."
“Okay,” Hannah said.“I hope you’re less clumsy when you’re working with her.”
If possible, his cheeks turned even more crimson.
“You’d hope,” he said.“But I’m really not.Everyone has to be on guard against concussions when I’m around.”
Kat was amused as she watched his self-deprecation almost immediately melt Hannah’s anger.
“I’ll give you a pass this time,” she said.
"I appreciate that," he said, awkwardly half-bowing before turning to Kat."I apologize, but I don't have an inappropriate awareness of who you are, ma'am."
Kat felt about a decade older at hearing him use that term.
“First of all, please don’t ever call me ma’am,” she told him.“I think I heard my bones creak at the term.I’m Kat Gentry, a friend of Jessie’s.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Ms.Gentry,” he said, extending his hand.
"You as well," she said, shaking it.
“Can I do anything for you two?”he asked, “I mean, other than injure you?”
“We’re good, Officer Devery,” she told him.“We’re just here to visit Jamil and Beth in research.It’s been a while since we’ve seen them.”
Devery seemed like a perfectly pleasant, if slightly goofy, guy.But she didn't know where his allegiances lay.He might be excited to help out HSS, but that didn't mean he wouldn't share their presence here with Captain Parker.To be on the safe side, she decided that the less he knew, the better.
"Okay, then I'll get out of your hair," he said, before adding, "It was really nice to meet you, Ms.Gentry, Ms.Dorsey."
Hannah groaned.
“You can call me Hannah, Officer,” she said.“Otherwise, I’ll start hearingmybones creak too.”
Clearly sensing that he was starting to make things worse again, he nodded and shuffled off quickly, though he did steal a glance back at them, or to Kat’s mind, at Hannah.Once he was gone, she turned her attention to her young temporary assistant.
“You can call me Hannah?”she teased.“Don’t lead that young fella on when he seems to have a crush.”
Hannah scowled.“That’s nice for him if it’s true, but I’m not interested.The last guy I was into tried to kill me so it’s a hard pass.”
“But he’s vetted,” Kat told her, enjoying needling Hannah, who was usually so self-assured.“He’s a cop and he’s kind of cute.”
“You heard him.He’s barely a cop,” Hannah scoffed.“And I’m off romance for a while.”
“For how long?”
“I’m thinking the rest of the decade,” Hannah said acidly.“Talk to me again when I’m 25.And I know what you’re doing, trying to get me in silly schoolgirl mode so I get out of my own head.”
“Is it working?”Kat asked.
“Not when you’re that transparent about it,” Hannah told her.“Maybe I should do the same to you.After all, you’ve been pretty chummy with that Dalton guy.”
