They held stares. Mitch didn’t know what John was thinking, but he was thinking that they were on familiar ground here, and he missed it. He missed the guy talk you could only swap with a best friend with whom you shared so many memories, good and bad.
But he wouldn’t,couldn’tcrack. All he said was, “See ya,” and went over to the door.
“Mitch.”
Heaving a sigh, he turned back.
“Don’t forget what Tucker said about Malone.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my memory.”
“It’s not your memory I worry about. It’s your judgment. Don’t do anything rash.”
He gave John a mock salute, then yanked the door open and soundly pulled it shut. Ignoring the curious observation of hiscolleagues, he returned to his desk, where he’d left his phone. He picked it up and saw that he’d received a text from Mary.
Tomorrow morning 10 a.m. The teacher will meet you at the school to escort you around. I’ve told Andrew you’re coming. He can’t wait to show you the bunny.
Mitch dropped his phone back onto his desk. Fabulous. She’d scheduled him on the one day and time that he had to be somewhere else.
Chapter 14
Dylan left her office shortly after seven o’clock following her last patient’s session. As she turned onto her street, she saw a black vehicle parked at the curb in front of her townhouse. The darkly tinted windows, oversized tires, brush guard, light bar, and winch made it look more like a monster truck.
Incongruously, it had a child seat.
Mitch Haskell got out of it as she pulled into her driveway.
She slammed her car door and marched across her lawn to where he stood waiting. She wasted no time on niceties. “My office door was unlocked yesterday morning. Did you break in before I got there? Did you pick the lock again?”
“Guilty.”
She was astonished. “You admit it?”
“Why deny it?”
“How dare you? What were you doing inside my office?”
“Looking to see if you were there.”
“Did you try knocking?”
“Twice.”
“When I didn’t answer, didn’t that signify that I wasn’t there?”
“It signified that you could have been in your inner office, or in the waiting room, or using the ladies’. I poked my head in and called your name. About that time, I heard the elevator on its way up.”
His explanation had been so casually and guiltlessly given, it was either the truth or a facile lie. She suspected the latter. “I shouldn’t have let you get away with breaking in on Monday night. But don’t ever do it again. If you do, I’ll report it to John Bowie.”
“I didn’t see the harm, but I won’t do it again.”
She glanced beyond him toward his SUV. “How did you know where I live?”
“I’m a cop.”
“Don’t be cute.”
“Fine. Full transparency. I followed you home Monday night.”
