"We heard from the Canadian police that they arrested someone, Frank! He confessed."

"That may be so," Jakes said. "But the other four are still open."

"You've got four cases here that I'm not convinced are connected. Look, Frank, work your four cases, but I don't want to hear the phrase 'serial killer.' And I sure as h.e.l.l don't want to see it in the papers."

"Laura-"

"Captain to you, Detective."

"Okay, Captain-"

"And I don't want you talking to that soap diva," the captain said.

"She's not a diva!" Jakes said sharply, defending me. That really made me smile. "Look, Captain, she's got inside knowledge-"

"I'm not convinced all these men were killed because they were on soap operas, Frank. That means I'm not convinced she can be helpful. But I do know she can be a distraction. And she'll attract the paparazzi."

"They were either on a soap or auditioned for one," he corrected. "And she's my . . . my link to that world."

"Listen to yourself," the captain scoffed. "You sound like a narc talkin' about his connection. Or worse, a junkie. Get out of my office, Detective," the captain said. "You're wastin' my time."

Suddenly the door swung opened. I caught a glimpse of an attractive, middle-aged woman in a suit behind a desk before Jakes came out and slammed the door behind him. He saw me and stopped.

"Alex."

"I, uh, your partner told me to sit here and wait," I said lamely.

"Did you hea-" he started, pointing at the door. "What am I saying? Of course you heard everything."

"Not everything."

"But enough," he said. "Okay, come on. Let's get out of here before the boss sees you."

I stood and hurried after him. "You never told me your boss was a woman."

"It never came up," he said. As we pa.s.sed his partner's desk, he said, "We're going out for a drink. You want to come with us, Len?"

"Sure." He grabbed his sports coat from the back of his chair.

We all went out the door, into the hall and down to the elevator.

"So that's what you call not causing you any trouble?" I asked in the elevator.

Chapter 31.

The three of us stopped at a nearby coffee shop. Davis had a latte, Jakes an iced tea and I had a turkey and Swiss on a baguette with onion rings as a chaser. I was starving.

"We need to clear the air," Jakes said.

Davis and I stared at each other.

Jakes continued. "Len, any trouble I'm in-or I get into-is not going to impact you."

"I'm your partner, Frank."

"Neither one of us picked this partnership, Len. You want to walk away, that's fine with me."

"That what you want?"

"Actually, no," Jakes said. "I prefer the devil I know, if you catch my drift."

"I do."

I did, too. Maybe they weren't a perfect match, but at least they knew each other, and Jakes had no way of knowing who he might end up with if they broke their partnership off now.

"So we stay partners?" Jakes asked.

"Yes."

"And I want to keep using Alex as a resource. Is that okay?"

"Is it okay with the captain?"

"No."

"Then why do it?"

"Because these are my cases and I call the shots," Jakes said.

"And what will the captain say when she finds out you kept working with Alex?"

"When we solve these murders," Jakes replied, "she won't care."

"Maybe not."

"Len," Jakes said, "I think it would be better for you if you weren't around Alex."

"Actually," Davis said, pushing back his chair, "that's fine with me." He gave me a dirty look and stood up.

"Oh, and Len?"

"Yes?"

"She didn't leave The Yearning Tide to hurt you," Jakes said, "so get over yourself."

Davis gave Jakes a look, appeared ready to say something and then shook his head and left.

Jakes turned to look. "Okay, now you."

"Wait a minute," I said. "I heard what went on in your boss's office. How can you say you're not in trouble because of me?"

"Because I'm not," he said. "Look, Alex, I never blame my problems on other people. If I did I'd be pointing the finger at Len a lot more."

"Come on, Jakes," I said. "If you're just going to lie to me-"

"Okay, wait," he said, holding up his hands. "If I tell you what's going on with my boss, you have to promise not to laugh."

"I won't."

"And you might not believe me."

"I will," I said. "I promise. Just don't lie."

"Okay," he said, looking uncomfortable. "My boss is Captain Laura Carpenter. A woman."

"I got that much."

"Well . . . she has the hots for me."

I didn't laugh. I wanted to, because he looked so miserable, but I held it in.

"What makes you think she has the hots for you?"

"She kind of told me."

"Kind of told you? Or you think she told you? Because I've known men who can't tell the difference."

"Believe me," he said, "when a woman makes a move and asks me to go home with her, I notice."

"She did that?"

"Yes," he said. "She did it once. I turned her down. Since then she hasn't tried again, but she's been . . ." He groped for a good phrase.

"Making your life miserable?"

"Yes."

"Has she tried it with anyone else?"

"Not that I know of," he said.

"Did you tell anyone? Your partner?"

"No," he said. "I told you. Len and I aren't that close."

"So he has no idea why she's riding you."

"No."

"You know," I said, "I got a glimpse of her. She seems . . . attractive."

"She's okay," he said. "A few years older than me, but not bad."

"Then what's the problem? You're single, right?"

He rolled his eyes. "She's not my type. And . . . I guess Len told her I had asked you out after that whole Marcy Blanchard case. Ever since she's been kind of . . . snarky."

"So, wait . . . Is she p.i.s.sed off at me?"

"I'd say yes," he said, "which is probably why she doesn't want you around."

"And what happens if she tried to make my life miserable?"

"Don't worry," he said. "I won't let that happen."

"But you still want me in on this investigation?"

"Definitely."

"Why?" I asked. "As far as I can see, I didn't add much to it yesterday."

"Well," he said, "that's what I wanted to discuss with you." He grabbed an onion ring from my plate. "Let's talk."

Chapter 32.

"Okay," I said, "but I need a dessert." When we both had a piece of cake in front of us, I asked, "What about one of the murders being solved?"

"Kyle Hansen was murdered in Canada, and apparently they've made an arrest and closed the case."

"What if he's the wrong man?"

"They have a confession."

"What if they-you know-coerced it out of him? I mean, it happens all the time."

"Sometimes, sure," he said. "I can check into it a little further, but I think we should concentrate on the other four."