Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
“There she is,” Clay Ackerman said as Diana walked into the office later that morning.
She tossed her purse on her desk and grinned at him. “Did you miss me?”
Ackerman grinned back. “You know I did. What did you get up to? Trouble?”
“You know it,” she said with a straight face. Not that she’d tell him the real trouble she’d been up to, but it was the answer he expected because he laughed.
“Been quiet without you around here, kid.”
“Peaceful, you mean.” She nodded toward the door that led to the director’s office. “Anything going on I should know about?”
“Not much. The usual stuff. Reports of a plot to bomb city hall that we need to consult with local law enforcement about.”
“Oh great. The usual suspects involved?”
“You mean that group that thinks the mayor and the city council are actually aliens in people suits?”
“Bingo.”
“They’d be the ones. Then we’ve got some espionage to dig into over in Research Park.”
“Exciting.”
He spread his hands. “I know it’s not what you wanted, but this stuff is important.”
“I know it is,” she said, feeling slightly guilty at her sarcastic retort.
Ackerman always knew how to put things in perspective.
All crime was important, and all victims deserved justice.
Didn’t change the fact she wanted Viktor to answer for all the wrong he’d done.
More importantly, she wanted him stopped.
“If there’s enough to get him, they’ll get him. Think we gave them a damn good start.”
“I know.” She plopped in her chair and booted up her computer. “It’s fine, really. I’m just focused, and I don’t like giving up on a case until it’s finished. You know that.”
“I know. It’s what makes you a good officer.”
A warm glow kindled in her chest. “Thanks, Clay. So tell me, how’s the dating scene going?”
He waggled his eyebrows. “It’s going. Got a hot date tonight with a cute gal I met at country line dancing this weekend. What about you?”
She knew what he was asking. It was no secret she and Joel had broken up. And no secret she hadn’t seemed heartbroken either.
“Actually, I’m seeing someone.”
“Really?”
“I think I should be offended at how surprised you look.”
“I’m only surprised because you don’t get out much. If you aren’t here, you’re at home. Never saw such a pretty young woman keep to herself the way you do.”
“And I never saw a middle-aged man go clubbing as often as you do,” she said with a smile.
“Touché.” He shrugged. “No reason to keep myself at home, moping that Amy left me. She’s got a new man, so why shouldn’t I have fun too?”
“You like going out, and you should. I don’t. I’m an indoor cat, Ackerman. You know that.”
“Who’s the lucky guy? Anybody I know?”
“Do you know everyone in this town?”
“Hardly. But since you don’t get out much, figured it has to be someone who works here or somebody we’ve talked to during our investigations.”
“You got me there. It’s Viktor Dashevsky.
Didn’t you see he’s in town today?” Her stomach twisted to say it, but she was going for smart-alecky.
Of course Ackerman could predict she wouldn’t have gone out on her own, but it sort of rankled that he knew that about her.
He’d be shocked as hell if he knew about Big Mike’s.
Or the militia gathering. She itched to tell him, to get his advice, but she wouldn’t.
He would disapprove, and that would bother her.
“Saw that. The big man himself, in and out like Huntsville’s a cheap whore not worthy of a cuddle and a kiss.”
“He didn’t have to come at all.” It’s what she’d been thinking about all morning. “He could have sent a minion, but he came himself. Sure would be nice to know who he meets with while he’s here, don’t you think?”
“Diana.” Ackerman was frowning. “Not everything the man does has an ulterior motive.”
Wrong, she wanted to say. “You’re probably right. I can’t help myself though. I don’t trust him.”
“Not up to us anymore. We did what we could. They know what they’re doing in Washington.” He unwrapped a Hershey’s kiss and popped it in his mouth. “How’s the small-town living thing going? You get engaged to the police chief yet?”
“What? Chief Vance is seventy if he’s a day, and he’s married.”
Ackerman snickered. “Your face, Di. Didn’t you tell me you like those Hallmark movies where the big city girl goes to the small town and marries the police chief?”
Her skin was hot. They talked about a lot of stuff while driving around to interview people. Some of it stuff she wouldn’t say to anyone else, probably.
“It’s not always the police chief. Sometimes he’s a Christmas tree farmer. Or he owns a hotel, or maybe he’s a broody guy raising his small child after the tragic death of his wife.”
“Fine, fine. So no small town romance yet, I take it? Except, wait a second—are your cheeks red?”
Dammit. “It’s not precisely a small-town romance. He’s not from Sutton’s Creek any more than I am. But he lives there.”
“You gonna keep me in suspense?”
“Is it any of your business?”
“No, but we’re friends, aren’t we?”
She sighed. He was her friend. He’d had her back so many times before, and he’d smoothed over her rough edges whenever they talked to people. She was abrupt and cool, and he was the friendly guy people wanted to talk to.
“Of course we are.” She pushed her chair back and lifted an eyebrow. “It’s Alex Bishop.”
Ackerman’s eyebrows climbed his forehead. “One Shot Tactical? That guy?”
“That guy.”
“Daaaamn, I thought you couldn’t stand him. Didn’t much look as if he liked you either.”
“Apparently, we were both wrong.”
She kept telling Alex she didn’t like him, but it was a lie meant to protect herself. If she didn’t like him, he couldn’t hurt her when it was over. They’d thank each other for the good time and walk away.
Her heart clenched. Ridiculous. They’d had sex a few times. It was nothing more than that.
But it felt so damned good that she didn’t want it to end anytime soon.
“What happened to change your mind?”
What happened was he kissed her to fool Gannon into thinking they were together at the militia gathering, and her body hadn’t stopped wanting him since. Not telling Ackerman that.
“Got to talking in the Salty Dawg one night and realized we have more in common than we thought. And then he kissed me.” She shrugged, unwilling to say more.
Ackerman took the hint. He laughed and shook his head as he slid his chair up to his desk and tapped the keys. “Gotcha. Good for you, girl. Nice to see you having fun for a change. You’re too young to always be so damn serious.”
She liked that he didn’t say she was too pretty. That was a man thing to say, but Ackerman never did that to her.
“And you’re too old to party like a rock star, but here we are.”
“The perfect couple,” he said with a grin.
“Butch and Sundance, together again.”
“Amen, sister.” He banged the keys a few more times, then shoved the keyboard tray beneath the desk and stood, grabbing a piece of paper that emerged from the printer. “You ’bout ready to go kick some ass and take some names in connection to this bomb threat?”
“Nothing I’d love more.”