“I still can’t believe the way he talked to that detective,” Allison bitched. “It was like he was railroading him. Doesn’t he know this man has cases to handle? Real cases. Homicides. I’m sure he’s got more than two, but to hear Brantley talk to him, the guy sits on his thumbs all day.”
Baz didn’t see it that way, but he’d also had the pleasure of working with Brantley for nearly a year now. The man was blunt, straightforward, and he got the job done. It was that simple.
“And did you hear Reese? He’s going on the assumption this guy’s got a girlfriend.”
“He doesn’t?” Baz asked, cutting his gaze to her briefly.
“I have no idea.”
“But you’re going on the assumption he doesn’t.”
“I am not.”
He cocked an eyebrow, looked back to the road.
“Fine. I might’ve jumped the gun on that one, but he did, too. He reminds me of a drill sergeant.”
“You were in the military?”
Allison exhaled heavily. “No. But I’ve—”
“Brantley’s a Navy SEAL,” he told her, interrupting. “He’s been a leader long enough to know there’s no time to waste when it comes to this. And Reese was in the Air Force. They’re used to a certain structure, and they lean on that to get things done.”
“I understand that.”
“Do you?”
Allison frowned. “What does that mean?”
Baz shrugged. “I’m just askin’. From what I’ve read about you, you’re used to playing the waiting game.”
“It’s not necessarily waiting,” she countered. “More like strategic planning. Because that’s how you draw out predators.”
“Understood. But we’re not waiting for a predator to make a move here. We’re hoping to find a man while he’s still breathing.”
“How do you know he’s not dead already?”
“We don’t. But if you were relying on someone to find you, would you want us to think along those lines?”
She didn’t respond, but Baz had meant it in the rhetorical sense, anyway. He wasn’t sure why this woman had a chip on her shoulder, nor was he even sure what had put it there, but based on what he’d seen thus far, Allison Bogart moved through life on the defense.
“So what should I have said?” she asked after a few moments of silence.
“Well, I’ve learned thatyes, bossworks wonders.”
Her eyebrows darted down. “That’s not how I operate. When I have something to say, I say it.”
“Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Allison. No one’s saying it is. But think back on what you said. More importantly, think back onwhyyou said it. Where did it get the case? If it’s not constructive, is it worth speaking aloud? We’re not here to prove whether Cedric Hawkins is having an affair or not. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. What does is that we figure out who saw him last and where he might be now.”
“He’s gonna fire me, isn’t he?”
“One thing I know about Brantley, he doesn’t make rash decisions. And he doesn’t mind opposition, so no, I don’t think he’ll fire you.”
Not yet, at least.
She exhaled heavily, and Baz wondered if that was relief he heard.
Allison peered over at him. “What did you do before you came to work for the task force?”
