almost like a lifeline. The entire situation left her far more stressed than others would know. "Your cell?"

She shook her head. "A cell phone, yes, but not my regular phone." She skimmed the faces of Peterson and Logan before focusing on Reese. "I'm not an idiot, and I don't take chances."

"I know that." Not dumb by any stretch, but too daring? Too bold?

Absolutely.

"I keep extra cell phones for...emergencies." Rushing beyond that, probably hoping it wouldn't draw notice -ha!-she added, "I've been carrying the phone since then, but Cheryl hasn't called, so I'm assuming she made it home okay."

A cautious move, to give Cheryl a different number. But that didn't excuse things. "Why didn't you tell me before now?"

Looking him in the eye, not really making any excuses, Alice said, "If Cheryl had called, I would have told you." She turned to face the others. "No one else has that particular number, so any call will be from Cheryl, or someone who got the number from her."

Keeping the annoyance from his tone wasn't easy, but Reese didn't want Peterson or Logan to get the wrong idea.

Or maybe the right idea: that he didn't have control of the situation at all.

"Anything else you haven't mentioned?"

She nodded.

Great. "Now would be a good time then, don't you think?"

"I told Cheryl we'd need a code of sorts in case anyone found her, or tried to coerce her in any way. The plan is that if someone is listening to her, she's to tell me that everything is peachy."

"Peachy?"

Alice shrugged. "It's not an everyday phrase, but it's not so obvious that others might understand. I told her if she said that, I'd know something was wrong, and I'd do everything in my power to help her."

So, she had planned to stay involved?

Frustration rushed through Reese. He scraped back his chair and stood.

"Everything being what? " She was one small woman, untrained, too soft- Alice rose to stand before him.

"Everything being...you."

"Me?" Damn it, he hadn't seen that one coming. Chagrined, especially with the others watching, Reese said, "So you think I'm in your power, do you?"

Alice nodded. "It's within my power to tell you. And, of course, if you know those creeps have found her again, you'll help her."

Irrefutable logic. What could he do but concede the point? "Of course."

The beatific smile Alice gave him made him feel like Superman. Not kissing her was difficult, he was so...

Damn, he was proud. Of how she'd held it together under the difficult situation, and her faith in him.

Peterson cleared her throat. Logan frowned and Rowdy smiled.

Time to take charge. Again. Why was it that every time he got around Alice, he had to regroup? If he didn't take care, he'd end up with a boner for all to see.

Taking her wrist, he removed her hand from his chest and sought some needed distance from her influence. "I think that's all we need from you."

Unfazed by the dismissal, she resisted his efforts to guide her to the door.

"You'll let me know your plans?"

Pushy. But so sweet, too. "Probably not." Before Alice could get too worked up over that, Reese got her to the door.

"I need a few more minutes. Why don't you and Rowdy wait with Dash and Pepper?"

Confusion blunted her composure.

"Reese?"

Definitely pushy. "I won't be long."

"But-"

Rowdy gently caught her arm and, with a nod at Reese, took her along with him as he exited the room.

The second the door closed, Peterson said, "Well. That was interesting."

Wasn't it, though? Reese sought words to explain Alice's unique gift of deception and details, but Peterson gave her attention to Logan.

"Why exactly is your brother here?"

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

GLAD FOR THE reprieve, Reese waited for Logan to answer.

"He probably came to catch lunch with me or something. He said he forgot I was off for a few days."

Incredulous, Peterson rose to collect her papers into a folder. "You're saying that he forgot you were shot?"

Logan shifted uneasily. "Dash knows a measly wound wouldn't keep me from working."

Reese snorted. The bullet that had torn through Logan's arm was far from measly. Helping Peterson along in her conclusions, Reese said, "Being Dash is in construction, he probably didn't understand that any officer-involved shooting takes you out of the action whether you like it or not."

"For one more day," Peterson agreed.

Forget that! No way in hell would Reese let her assign Logan as the lead again.

Not in this.

Not with Alice involved.

Of course, it was Alice's involvement that might get him excluded. Anyone could see they had a relationship. It was department policy to keep detectives out of cases that hit too close to home. An impartial detective was better than someone with an emotional vendetta.

Course, that hadn't kept Logan from going after the threat to Pepper.

Maybe he should just take charge before Peterson had too much time to mull it over. Given an opportunity, she might let her personal dislike of Reese make up her mind for her.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Reese leaned on the door-blocking the way. "So, we're dealing with drugs, possibly kidnapping and murder."

"How are we going to handle it?"

Logan asked.

Peterson shook her head. "We're short-staffed, as you both know."

As if feeling guilty, Logan said, "I'm ready for full-go."

Reese nipped that idea real fast.

"Pepper will tie you to the bed if you even try it."

Rounding on him-and then wincing with pain-Logan cursed. "Stop making it sound like she's my mother, will you?"

With the lustful way Pepper looked at Logan, no one would ever make that mistake. "Fine." Reese lifted a brow.

"Tell her and let's see what she does."

A feral growl brought Logan to his feet. "She does not dictate to me."

"From what I've witnessed-"

Peterson laughed.

It so startled Reese that he did a double take. He and Logan shared a look of confusion.

"The power of women,"

she murmured, and then gave them both a quelling stare. "Starting Monday, Reese, you take lead."

Now that he had his way, he moved from the door. "If that's what you want."

One way or another, he'd have worked it out, but it was nice that Peterson just handed it to him.

With her hand on the doorknob, Peterson paused. "Pick a team, then let me know."

"Of course."

Rather than depart, she emphasized, "Let. Me. Know."

"Right." It wasn't that long ago that Reese hadn't trusted her and had kept quite a bit from her. "Even injured, Logan will be useful, I'm sure."

"Gee, thanks," Logan said, completely deadpan. "Glad to hear I'm not totally useless."

"Pepper would deny such a thing with her dying breath."

Interrupting them with a huff, Peterson jerked the door open. And still she lingered, her gaze sizing up Reese once more. "Of course, you also have your little network of other trustworthy cops, now, don't you?"

"Guilty." He'd made it his business to know who was above reproach and who might be on the take. Peterson had ferreted out a lot of the problems, but these days, Reese left nothing to chance.

He'd amassed his own group of loyals.

They had come in handy more than once.

With a furtive look, Peterson ensured no one listened in. "If, until Monday, you choose to do some checking on your own time, keep it to yourself and make sure no one else finds out." And with that, she marched away.

Now that Peterson was out of the room, Logan asked, "What the hell, Reese? Care to tell me what that was all about?"

Ah, of course Logan had known he had a motive for his gibes. "You got lead last time." Unrepentant, he shrugged. "I needed her to give this one to me."

"But you made me sound whipped."

"If the whip fits..."

"Go screw yourself."

Reese couldn't keep a straight face. He grinned as he held the door open for Logan. "Actually, I'm happy for you.

You two make a great couple."

"Jealous, huh? I figured."

Reese knew Logan was kidding, but still he nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'd like what you have."

Logan paused. "With Alice?"

"Now, there's the million dollar question, yes?" Did he want something that powerful, that permanent, with Alice? Despite her eccentric way of keeping secrets?

Her off-limits background? Her lack of trust?

Probably.

"I'm thinking of buying a house."

Logan whistled. "For you and Alice?"

"Cash was the motivation, really. He needs room to run, more room than afforded by an apartment on the second floor."