Peter looked up at his boss, suppressing a snarl of frustration.Reggie.What was going on with Reggie?
Muriciano managed to look annoyed.“How the fuck she get my number anyhow?”
Maybe it was when you hit on her last Christmas party, you fat fuck.“I don’t know, Inspector.”
Muriciano’s lips pulled away from yellow teeth in a snide smile.“Of course.”His red-rimmed eyes glinted.“So, was that your sister’s name I heard you shoutin’ out a second ago?She okay?”He swiped a hand over his pate, licking his lips.“You can give her my number anytime.I’d hate for such a pretty young thing to be in trouble.”He snorted, mouth stretching into a wide leer.“Unless it’s trouble with me.”
Peter’s fist clenched and he shoved aside the urge to pull his own gun from its holster and shoot his captain in the head.“She’s fine, Inspector.”He held up the phone still clenched in his grip.“Just a lousy connection.”
Muriciano gave his head a nod.“Hmmm.Well, if she needs a hand…” He chuckled, the sound both low and crude, and Peter had to sink his nails into his palm to keep his hand from wrapping around his Glock.
The Inspector turned and began weaving his way back to his office on the other side of the room, barking orders and insults at various detectives and uniformed officers as he went.“Your wife’s on line ten, Thomas,” he shot back over his shoulder.“She sounds pissed.”
“Ex-wife,” Peter growled, returning the phone in his hand to his ear.How the hell the man ever made detective, let alone Insp?—
“Fuck!She’s not here!”
The harsh shout spat from the handset and Peter jumped.
“The bitch isn’t here!They’re not here!Where the fuck is O’Connell?”
“McCoy, look!Near the bed.On the floor.Why’s that red light blinking on the phone?”
There was a scuffle, the distinctive sound of cotton sheets being disturbed followed by a guttural male voice with a broad Scottish accent saying, “Hello?”
The phone creaked as Peter’s grip curled harder.“Who’s this?Where’s my sister?”
“Now?Or after I fuck her?”
Peter’s blood ran cold.“You touch my sister and you’re?—”
A sharp clunk stabbed at Peter’s ear, followed by the drilling beep of a disconnect tone.Shit!He leapt to his feet, chair tumbling over.Shit!
It would take approximately forty-five minutes to get to Reggie’s house, thirty with the blue and reds on.Too long.He’d have to call in a Bondi unit.
Snatching up his wallet and badge, he grabbed his jacket from under his chair and took off across the room.Blood roared in his ears.Christ, what had Reggie got herself into now?
“Thomas!What the fuck you think you’re doin’?”
Muriciano’s bellow bounced around the room, and more cops lifted their heads from their paperwork.
Hot impatience tore through Peter and he slowed down, scowling at his boss.“Gotta go, Inspector.”
“Detective Thomas!”
Grinding his teeth, Peter stopped, turning to watch Muriciano lumber toward him.“Sorry, Inspector.I’ve got to?—”
“Just received a call from HQ, Thomas.”Muriciano gave him a smug grin and for a second Peter saw utter belligerence flare in the man’s eyes.“Williams broke his shoulder.Ya getting a new partner.They’ll be here within the hour.Unless someone’s dying, you’re not going anywhere.”The grin stretched wider and Muriciano chuckled, flabby gut wobbling like jello.“Understand?”
Jaw clenched, Peter nodded.“Understand, Inspector.”And, before rational thought took over, he punched his superior in the nose and sent the fat fuck to the floor.“But as I said before, I’ve got to go.”
Regan’s house was a shambles.More than a shambles.When Peter crossed the threshold, he felt as though he’d stepped into a scene from a cliché-ridden movie—one of those where a house is ransacked by a crazed criminal looking for something highly important and highly illegal.A crazed criminal who smelt like a filthy animal.Jesus!What was thatstench?
A chill ran up his spine and, nose creasing at the pungent smell, his hand moved toward his gun.
“There was no one here when we arrived, Detective.Just the mess and the smell.”
Peter turned to the uniformed cop stepping up beside him, not missing the trepidation in the young man’s face.“What’s causing the stench?Do you know?”
