His gut swirled with nerves thinking of Charlie sitting out there all that time with nothing to do but wonder whether or not he’d been telling her the truth.
“She’s waiting for me out front,” he told his brother. “Go check on her, would ya? Make sure she knows I’m okay.”
Eric’s eyes bounced from his to York’s and back again. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to leave.”
“You can come back in after, I just...” He swallowed against the odd feeling suddenly gnawing at him. “I need you to put eyes on her. Make sure she’s doin’ okay. That’s all.”
“All right.” His brother nodded. “I’ll have her sit at my desk while we finish up in here.”
Derek sighed, feeling a little better. “Thanks.”
Eric left, and when Derek looked back at York, he saw the first signs of wavering conviction there.
“You know I’m right.” His voice was low. “Don’t you?”
York blinked a few times, and then pulled her shoulders back. “What I know is a man is dead, and you were one of the last people to speak to him.”
“Wrong. I already told you. I never saw Porter last night. But nice try.”
York thought for a moment. “So, whatdidyou see?”
“An empty apartment. Signs of a struggle. Some blood.” Derek took a breath before admitting, “I hacked into the nearby hospitals and clinics to see if he was a patient at any of them. He wasn’t.”
“What did you do, then?”
“I left. Caught a cab back to the airport and flew back home.” While she seemed to be considering this, he said, “Look, Detective. One of my many talents is reading people. Even through all the animosity you’ve shown toward me, I can tell you’re a good cop who follows the law to the letter.”
She stared back at him warily. “So?”
He exhaled. “For someone like you, guys like me and my team are no better than a group of vigilantes. Or worse, you liken us to a bunch of mobsters who use who and what we know to get what we want.”
There was a slight twitch in the woman’s right eye. It was barely discernible, but Derek caught it.
Oh, yeah. This woman definitely had a history with someone on the other side of the law.
“You’re wrong,” he continued when she remained silent. “But, my guess is there’s a story there. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to care about that right now. What I do care about is the fact that you’re lettin’ your personal feelings about me and my team cloud your judgment. You and I both know the most you can charge me with is trespassin’. Since that’s a non-extraditable offense that occurred in New York, you have no authority to keep me here.” The look in her eyes told him he’d definitely hit a nerve.
“That’s all well and good, Mr. West, but until I see that M.E.’s report, I’m not letting you go anywhere.”
“Mr. West?” He pretended to pout. “What happened to Derek?”
Her wheels were already beginning to turn when she said, “Sit tight. I’m going to go check on the progress of that report.”
York got up and started for the door but, Eric burst in before she had a chance to open it. The second Derek saw his brother’s face, he knew something was wrong.
“Charlie?”
Eric shook his head. “She’s not here. According to the officer at the front desk, she never was. I called her cell, but she didn’t answer. I’ve got a uniform headed to her place now.”
Derek shot out of his chair so fast it tipped over behind him. “It’s Porter. He’s got her.”
York put a hand up. “Sit down, Mr. West.”
“Get these off me, Eric.” He ignored her. Derek came around the edge of the table and held his bound hands out in front of him. “I have to go. I have to find her.”
Like a dog with a bone, York said, “You need to have a seat and calm down.”
Fuck calm. He was done playing nice.
