The Right Woman Part 13

She sat on the sofa and ate the banana and drank bottled water wondering how long she'd have to stay in this room. How long would she have to put her life on hold?

"Do you like to play cards?"

She glanced up. "Yes. My Gran is an obsessed bridge player."

"I don't know much about bridge. How about poker? And not strip poker. Daniel wouldn't like that." Instantly he realized his faux pas and apologized. "I'm sorry. That was cra.s.s of me."

"It's okay." He'd said it so innocently that it didn't bother her.

"d.a.m.n. Daniel's gonna kick my a.s.s."

"Don't worry. I won't tell him."

"But I will. I don't keep anything from Daniel, even the stupid things I say or do."

Sarah was taken aback for a second, but then realized why Daniel had picked Chad. He was honest and straightforward and totally dedicated to his job.

"Where are those cards? I'll see if I can kick your a.s.s." She laughed and Chad seemed to relax.

They played and talked as if they'd known each other for years, but Sarah was acutely aware of his shoulder holster and gun. On the table was another gun and there was a bag on the floor that she knew contained more weapons and ammunition. She s.h.i.+vered and tried to focus on the cards.

Even as they played she could see that Chad's concentration was not on the game, either. He was attuned to every noise, every sound outside the door and she had no problem beating him.

She called Brooke and talked for a while. Brooke was glad to hear her voice and it helped Sarah, too, to talk.

The day dragged on and Sarah waited for Daniel.

DANIEL CALLED SERENA and Ethan to make sure Mrs. Farrell had arrived safely and to tell them Sarah was fine. He then drove to the hospital to check on Brooke, who said she'd had a long talk with Sarah and she felt better. He was impressed with Sarah's unwavering support of Brooke even though she herself was in trouble. But Sarah was so strong that he knew nothing was going to deter her now. She was a survivor in every sense of the word.

After stopping at his apartment to take a shower and change clothes, he went to see Drew because he didn't feel he'd be able to come back for a few days and he wanted to let Claude know that.

Drew and Claude were playing pool in the game room, a gift from their parents. When Drew saw him he ran and threw his arms around his waist.

"D-D-Danny, D-D-Danny," he said, his voice high.

"How are you, buddy?"

Drew looked at him. "I-I-I beat Claude."

"Way to go." Daniel gave a thumbs-up sign.

Claude walked over and Daniel saw that his upper arm was bandaged.

"What happened?"

"C-c-cat got him," Drew answered in an excited voice.

"I was helping a neighbor," Claude explained. "Her cat got stuck up a tree and I offered to get it down, then the d.a.m.n thing scratched me. I won't be offering my help again."

"Maybe you should get it looked at," Daniel said. Beside the risk to Claude's health, Daniel wanted to make sure someone was here for Drew while he was tied up with this case.

"Don't worry. I've already been to the emergency room and got a teta.n.u.s shot-everything is fine. The cat's well taken care of, had all its shots, no worry of rabies so that's not a problem."

"Good."

"I-I-I go, too," Drew put in. "W-w-wanna play pool?"

"No, but thanks, buddy. I gotta go." He glanced at Claude. "Could I talk to you for a second?"

"'B-b-bye, D-D-Danny," Drew called, already back at the table.

"I'll phone you later," Daniel called back.

In the foyer, Daniel turned to Claude. "I just wanted to let you know that I won't be around for the next few days. You can always reach me on my cell phone if there's an emergency. Otherwise I'll be very busy."

"Does this have something to do with the rapes and murders I've been reading about in the papers?"

"Pretty much."

Claude shook his head. "So sad. I don't understand how someone can do that."

"Me, neither. So please take care of my brother and make sure he takes his medication."

"Drew always gets his medication. You don't have to worry about that."

"Thanks, Claude. We were real lucky to find someone like you. Not everyone enjoys the task of caring for a ten-year-old in a thirty-five-year-old body."

"He's just an overgrown kid is the way I look at it."

"Thanks, Claude," Daniel said again as he walked out.

"You just catch that creep," Claude shouted after him.

WHEN DANIEL WALKED INTO the squad room, the chilly atmosphere had nothing to do with the weather outside. The news had gotten around that he was checking them out. The men didn't like it. He sat at his desk and could feel their stares sear through him.

Daniel had worked with all these people for a lot of years, but he'd never been the bad guy, the one they didn't trust.

He glanced around at his team-Tom Hudson, Kevin Cates, Jack Meades, Will n.o.bles, Lee Olson and Hugh Dawson, who'd taken Greg's place.

Daniel stood. "Okay, listen up," he said, his voice ringing through the room. "We have a leak in this department. Right now I'm not feeling too good about that. Rudy Boyd seems to know every move that homicide and narcotics make. If anyone knows the reason for that I'd like to hear it. Otherwise your lives and mine will be thoroughly investigated and scrutinized until we find an answer. If you have nothing to hide, then you don't have a problem. If you do, then you'd better talk to me now."

"I'm not sure I can continue to work with someone who doesn't trust me," Kevin spoke up.

Daniel sat on the edge of his desk. "Glad you brought that up, Kevin, because I don't like to work with anyone I can't trust, either. But the truth is staring me in the face and I can't ignore it. I visited with Boyd this morning and he knows what's happening in our department. He's well aware of the rapes and murders and our inability to solve the case. He even knows about the needle left in the arm." He paused, glancing at each of the men, men who'd covered his back many a time. "Have any of you ever considered how Boyd found out about Greg? The snitch gave him that piece of information and as a result Greg was shot and Sarah Welch brutalized."

Will jumped to his feet. "I'm with you one hundred percent, Daniel. Greg was my partner and I want to get the b.a.s.t.a.r.d who did this. My life's an open book and you can read about it all you want."

"Thanks, Will."

Lee got to his feet. "I'm with Will. My credit cards are maxed out but it's no secret around here how my wife spends."

Someone chuckled.

One by one they got to their feet and Daniel felt a moment of pride that they were behind him instead of against him.

"Okay, then, let's get back to work. Will and Hugh, give Tom and Jack a hand with finding Freddie. It's crucial we find out who supplied drugs to that party."

"You got it," Will said and slipped into his jacket.

Daniel saw Russ motioning to him from the doorway and he walked over. "What's up?"

"Got the lab work back," Russ said. "Nothing. No one's prints in Ms. Welch's house or on the letter that shouldn't be there."

"d.a.m.n."

"Got a tail on Bishop and by morning I'll have more info and then I'll pay him a visit."

"Good. Things are rolling. How'd it go with your guys?"

"Like c.r.a.p. Everyone's acting all hurt and mistreated, but I told them to stuff their att.i.tude. We got a snitch in narcotics or homicide and until the b.a.s.t.a.r.d is caught, no one's getting special treatment or coddling, not even Daniel Garrett."

Before Daniel could respond, Faith, from the records department came up to them.

"Detective Garrett, I've put the files in the small conference room as Lieutenant Tolin requested. If you need anything else, just let me know."

"Thank you, Faith."

She walked away and Russ stared after her. Faith was in her late twenties, blond and pretty.

"Pull your eyes back in your head," Daniel quipped.

"I might ask her out."

Daniel shook his head. "Now you're going to date every woman that catches your eye?"

"Well, I've been told my social skills are lacking and dating would improve that, not to mention the grouchiness."

"In your case, Russ, I don't think so." Daniel strolled away to the conference room with a smile on his face.

He stopped short when he entered the room. Boxes were stacked almost to the ceiling. "Oh, G.o.d," he moaned, wondering how he was going to get through this in four days. Four days to find a traitor.

Where in the h.e.l.l did he start?

CHAPTER NINE.

SARAH JUMPED when she heard the knock on the door. Chad leaped to his feet, gun held tight with both hands.

"Who is it?" Chad asked, his head against the door.

"Daniel."

Sarah's heart pounded faster. He was back. Chad opened the door and Daniel came in with a large plastic bag.

"Hi," he said, looking directly at her. "You okay?"

"Yes," she replied, wanting to run and throw her arms around him. The impulse shocked her. She told herself she was just so glad to see him, but she knew it was much more. Daniel was working his way into her heart, a heart she'd thought would never feel this way again.

He was talking to Chad but she didn't hear their words. For the past five years she'd wanted to get far away from Daniel Garrett. Now she wanted to get as close to him as she could and she felt embarra.s.sed and excited at her own thoughts.

Chad grabbed his coat. "See you tomorrow, Ms. Welch."

She held up her hand in goodbye, not trusting her voice.

Daniel slipped out of his jacket and threw it into a chair. He had on jeans and a black T-s.h.i.+rt, the dark brown shoulder holster in plain sight, but she was staring at the muscles in his arms, the strength and power that was such a part of him. His brown hair was getting long and it curled into the back of his T-s.h.i.+rt, giving him a roguish, tempting quality. Daniel was handsome, as Brooke had mentioned, and she was never so aware of that fact as she was now.

"Sarah?"

She realized he was calling her name and she glanced at his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied.

"Don't lie to me. We can't get through this if we lie to each other."

She was sitting on the sofa and she pulled up her knees. "It's nothing really."

"Is it what Chad said about strip poker?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course not. He didn't mean anything by it and I'm not that touchy."

"So why are you pale and nervous?"

"Daniel, just..."

"What is it?" he persisted with a doggedness she was beginning to a.s.sociate with him.

She threw up her hands. "Okay. Okay. I'll tell you." She took a slow breath. "When you came in, I wanted to run and hug you and that's not my normal reaction...especially to you. I was a little shaken by it. That's all."

He hesitated, then took a seat on the sofa. "Good shaken or bad shaken?"