"Thanks. I promise to keep her at arm's length." A Helen-induced uneasiness crept into Alex's mind. Distracting herself, she slid a handful of M&Ms from the mason jar turned candy dispenser on her bookshelf.

"Want a hit?"

"No, thanks. Do you have some names for me to look at?"

"I've narrowed it down to a dozen, but that's as far as I can get."

Alex pushed the les in front of Beth. "You've been in Vice/Narcotics for a while now and you've been a eld sergeant. You know how things work."

"Guilty on all charges."

"So tell me what you think."

For the next few hours they discussed the pros and cons of each of cer, reviewed their previous work a.s.signments, evaluations, Internal Affairs jackets, and eld performance. They narrowed the list to four names, two male and two female.

"All right, boss, I'm tired of looking at paper and I'm hungry as h.e.l.l," Beth said. "Can we continue this over lunch? And you're buying."

"Sounds good to me." Alex welcomed the break to erase Keri Morgan from her mind. She kept resurfacing as the number one choice, even if the chief hadn't made his choice clear. But Alex's defenses still warned against it as they walked across the street to the deli.

* 54 *

She and Beth settled into the last church-pew booth. The early lunchers at the Main Street Deli had already claimed most of the wall-hugging booths and were busy swigging sweet tea and eating the barbecue lunch special. The blue-haired waitress smiled when they came in and shouted their usual order to the cook.

Beth studied the pained look that crossed Alex's face. "I'm sorry about Stacey. I know you liked her a lot."

"Yeah, she was a great kid. That's just one more reason I've got to make sure we do this by the book."

When Alex's chef salad and Beth's cheeseburger platter arrived, Beth took a mouthful and returned to business. "In that case, I don't think you should eliminate her just because you like her."

"Who?" Alex tried for her most innocent look, but her clenching jaw and the heat in her cheeks gave her away.

"You know exactly who-Keri Morgan. We've been over these les a dozen times and you have yet to say one thing about her, pro or con. That tells me you like her. And if you like her, you don't want to work with her because, because, because...pick a reason. You've got a lot of them."

"It's not that I like or dislike her. She's already on the team, chief's orders, unless there's a very good reason not to have her."

"Then why are you working my a.s.s off going through all these les?"

"Because I need to know how she stacks up on her own merits, not because of a political favor the chief owes one of his commanders.

You'd do the same thing if you were in my place."

Beth searched her face. "Yeah, I would. But you do like her. I know how you operate. You stay closed off by avoiding anything that resembles feelings."

"Okay, so she's attractive and, do I need to remind you, a subordinate. And if that's not enough, she seems impulsive and emotional. Would you trust her on a case this big?"

"You bet I would. Your other candidate's been on the force a long time. She's got more experience but she's also got a better chance of being known by Davis or one of his a.s.sociates. Keri can be impulsive, but that often works in her favor. She's got keen instincts and she's got a hard-on for dopers that started about a year ago."

"What brought that on?" Last time Alex had an in-depth * 55 *

conversation with Keri, the only thing she seemed serious about was covering her bent partner's a.s.s.

"I'm not sure if something happened or she just developed her skills in drug investigations," Beth said. "Give her a chance. I'll keep you both out of trouble." She gave Alex a plastic grin and batted her eyes.

"That brings me to the last reason I asked you to help. I'd like you to be my team sergeant."

Beth's forkful of French fries hovered in midair. "You really do want to throw me in the re, don't you?"

"You've got experience, and I trust you with my life."

"When you put it like that, how can I refuse? But there's something you need to know."

"Yeah?"

"I've arrested Davis before, and he'll probably remember. I broke his d.a.m.n smart-a.s.sed jaw when he resisted. So I won't be much use to you undercover or even on close surveillance."

"That's ne. I need you for planning, direction, and supervision, but thanks for telling me."

"Absolutely. So, who's the nal pick?"

"Steve Alston from Vice/Narcotics. He's the best, and I think they'll get along."

"That's a great idea. It sounds like you've got your team. When do we meet the others?"

"I'll call you as soon as I can pull it together. Thanks for your help."

"You bet. And stay away from psycho b.i.t.c.h. You want me to tell Keri about the job?"

"No. I'll do an interview first, just to be on the safe side. I don't want her, or anyone else, thinking she was an automatic choice."

"You got it, boss. This'll be the first time we've worked together.

It could get interesting."

Alex's mind ipped through the things that could go wrong with the case: the team, the supervisors, the politics, and her mixed feelings about Keri Morgan. Right now she felt like she could handle anything, even the latter. Whether the same would prove true for Keri was another matter.

* 56 *

CHAPTER FIVE.

Keri lurched into groggy consciousness. The afternoon silence of her parents' house was shattered by the ringing of her bedside phone. Any possibility of a nap before her shift disappeared.

She grabbed the offending device and held it to her ear.

"Yeah..."

"Of cer Morgan?"

"Yeah?"

"This is Lieutenant Troy. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

Immediately awake, Keri bolted upright in bed coming to seated attention. "No, it's ne, what can I do for you?"

"If you recall in lineup last week I referenced a Narcotics task force. I was wondering if you had any interest in being a part of that a.s.signment."

Keri shook her head to clear away the haziness of sleep, unsure that she'd heard correctly. "I'm not sure I understand."

A slight edge of irritation hardened the voice on the other end of the line. "I asked if you'd consider the task force a.s.signment."

The pulse in Keri's temples throbbed and she felt almost light-headed. A woman she detested was offering her the position of her dreams, and she had never been more confused. "I'm not sure how to answer that, Lieutenant."

"If you have a few minutes before your shift today, I'd like to talk with you about it."

"I'll come in early." Keri's heart pounded with a combination of excitement and trepidation. She wasn't sure what Alex Troy had up * 57 *

her sleeve. Was it possible that she was trying to make up for past wrongs?

"My temporary of ce is beside Vice/Narcotics Division in the annex on First Street," Alex said. "Park in the gravel lot across the street and walk over. And please don't wear your uniform."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll see you shortly."

Keri jumped out of bed in her T-shirt and gym shorts the minute the phone hit the cradle. She dashed into the kitchen, grabbed a Diet c.o.ke from the refrigerator, popped the top, and took a hefty swig. As she guzzled it, she looked at the brown plaid den furniture her parents had purchased on their thirtieth wedding anniversary. A series of mixed memories ensued: her parents sitting on the sofa holding hands watching television, her sick mother lying in the recliner dazed and confused. Herself, knocked to the oor in front of the coffee table. She emptied the soda can and discarded it, along with her sadness, just as her father walked into the kitchen.

Bobby Morgan moved around the table between them and approached the refrigerator from the opposite side. He always gave her a wide berth when they shared s.p.a.ce, her unspoken rule. "Thought you were gonna take a nap before your shift."

"Got called in." Keri took her usual defensive sideways stance, glancing at her father periodically but never really making eye contact.

Bobby opened a c.o.ke and leaned against the sink. His brown work boots were covered with dirt from the garden and his face was ushed from the heat. "You want something to eat? I could make you a sandwich right quick. I'm xing one for your mom."

Keri could see he was trying, but sometimes the memories were just too strong. "No thanks, Dad. I've got to go."

"Will you be back for dinner? Kevin and Jean are coming over.

I'm making your favorite, fried chicken and mashed potatoes." His attempt at a smile vanished and Keri felt guilty.

"I don't think so." She thought of her twin brother and his overbearing wife and was glad duty called. Kevin as a p.u.s.s.y-whipped husband wasn't a pretty sight. They both knew she had all the guts in the family.

v * 58 *

When in doubt, Keri reverted to the top three rules her mother taught her: Listen before you speak, Be honest, and Be yourself. Waiting outside Alex Troy's of ce, she tried to control her breathing. She paced the small, spa.r.s.ely furnished reception area, ngering the police-badge key ring her mother gave her on her last birthday. It already showed signs of the constant rubbing Keri applied for luck. She needed more than luck today with the Ice Princess.

Keri wondered what kind of woman Alex Troy really was underneath the ever-present smile and cool con dence. The hints of emotion she kept seeing made her uneasy. It was harder to detest and mistrust Alex when she came across as a sensitive human being.

"Morgan, come on in."

As their hands pressed together in greeting, Keri noted an unmistakable current pa.s.s between them. She withdrew and hoped Alex hadn't noticed.

Alex motioned to a plastic, straight-backed chair at a small conference table, then dragged another one up beside Keri. She sat, leaned casually back, and studied Keri in silence. Keri returned her gaze but knew instinctively that she shouldn't speak. The lieutenant had used this ploy during her interrogation three years ago. Keri wasn't about to fall for it. She surveyed the green metal desk, circa 1970, and a short bookcase with a jar of M&Ms on top. With the exception of a single picture on the old desk, the room was unadorned.

When Keri looked up again, Alex was studying her with what appeared to be a mixture of con dence and curiosity.

"I like that," Alex concluded.

"I beg your pardon." The quiet scrutiny and approving statement sent tingles of excitement through Keri's body, which she attributed to nerves and rising irritation. She was pleased that she'd pa.s.sed Alex's unspoken test but annoyed to be subjected to it.

"Most young of cers are so nervous and eager to impress that they can't bear the sound of a silent inspection. They start talking to ll the void. But you just waited until I was ready to begin. That tells me a lot about you."

"How's that?" Keri asked reluctantly. At this point she just wanted Alex to speak her piece and let her go.

"It says that you're con dent, re ective, and don't open * 59 *

your mouth until you actually have something to say. Is that a fair a.s.sessment?"

Keri controlled her surprised satisfaction. "Some would probably disagree, but I like to think so...most of the time."

Alex tapped her pencil eraser on the table and actually looked slightly uncomfortable. Her brown eyes locked with Keri's for an instant before returning to some notes in a le folder.

"Your work record speaks for itself, Morgan. You've done well in your tenure and your evaluations are good. Supervisors and peers speak highly of you, but this is a different kind of operation than you're used to."

There had to be a legitimate reason to exclude her from the task force, Alex rationalized. Her gut instincts said Keri was perfect for the job, but her defenses still argued against it. Keri's work performance was good. What about her motives?

"Morgan, why do you want to catch drug dealers?"

The look that clouded Keri's face told Alex she'd found the weak spot she was looking for.

Keri's lashes uttered several times as her blue eyes rimmed with tears. "Have you ever lost someone you love, Lieutenant?"

The question was so direct and unexpected that Alex struggled to remain unaffected. She swallowed to dislodge the knot that choked speech. Keri's pain was palpable and absent any malicious intent, but still Alex couldn't answer. How could such a matter-of-fact question hurt so deeply?

Keri caught the imperceptible shift in Alex's facial expression. The corners of her laughing eyes drooped, her full lips quivered slightly, and she seemed to have trouble swallowing. The professional demeanor slipped momentarily into personal mode and quickly back to guarded control. Keri regretted being the cause of such con ict. She fought off a strange urge to console Alex.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant. It's obvious that you have. I just don't think anybody should lose someone they love to something as senseless as drugs. We can ght it, and we owe it to ourselves and society."

Keri's pulse quickened as she considered what Alex could be thinking. She'd sounded like a public service announcement. When would she ever learn to keep her mouth shut?

"The fact is," Alex regained her voice, "I do know how it feels and * 60 *

I agree completely." She immediately regretted the admission. Morgan was a subordinate, not a con dante. "I'm a.s.suming you've lost someone as a result of a drug-related incident of some sort. Is that correct?"

"Yes. One of my best friends, Josh, died of an overdose at a party about a year ago. He didn't even do drugs. Somebody slipped something into his drink." Keri's hands were clenched into sts.