Page 93 of Reveal

What the fuck do you want?

Instead of asking the question I really want to, I smile. “Your badge, please?” He looks surprised when I hold out my hand to see it. “You’ve been sitting down in my lobby for the past day or so. You know my name—it only seems fair that I know yours.”

He fights the twitch of a smile at being made and reaches in his pocket for his badge. I look at it for a beat: Dan Brower, detective with the NYPD.

Detective.

I hand it back to him, but not before I try to memorize his badge number.

“I can write down the number so you don’t forget it,” he says, that twitch turning into an I-know-your-type smile.

“No need,” I bluff. “And your recorder?” I motion to his pocket. “Is that on too?”

“No.” He pulls his phone from his pocket and levels me with a stare that’s less than amicable. “Thanks for reminding me, though.”

“Just want to make sure you get this all down the first time, seeing as I’m certain both you and I are busy and have better things to do than talk about whatever it is you’re here to talk about.”

“How generous of you.” Sarcasm of a seasoned detective edges his tone.

“You set?” I ask like an overeager schoolboy.

“Yes.”

“What can I do for you, Detective Brower?”

“We had a complaint filed by—”

“Oh, you forgot to say who I was. You know, for your records. You might want to say who it is you’re speaking to.”

He clenches his jaw. “Yes. This is Detective Brower speaking with one Mr. Ryker Lockhart in regards to case number”—he looks at something on his notepad—“4657894.”

“Great. Thanks. You can ask your question now.” I motion to the list of things on his pad.

He eyes me again, frustration in his expression and defensiveness in his posture. “Can you let me run this now? You good with that?”

“Sure. Shall we?”

“As I was saying. We had a complaint filed by one Brian Vaden.”

I nod. “And you’re following up on it why? Run out of beat cops today?”

“As I said, Mr. Vaden filed a complaint.”

“Through your office? Through social services? Where did he go exactly to file the complaint?”

“You’re being difficult, Mr. Lockhart, and I haven’t even asked my question yet.”

“Not difficult. Just trying to get the lay of the land to figure out why a detective is wasting his time coming to my office to ask about a man he probably never even spoke to personally.”

I can play cat and mouse all day, fucker. Bring it on. I need this. Someone to play this game with.

“Brian Vaden,” he says. “Do you know him?”

“Briefly.”

“Care to expand?”

“Was this a high Brian or a sober Brian?” I ask, laying the groundwork.