Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Paula decided she would avoid the ‘Cagney problem,’ as she considered it, by hiding at the precinct to catch up on her paperwork.
She was sure he wouldn’t think of looking for her there, but she was surprised to see her boss, Captain Walter Morris, there.
She poked her head into his office to say hello and let him know she wasn’t there for overtime then went to her desk and got started with her paperwork.
An hour later, she returned to his office.
She slammed a paper on her captain’s desk and pointed to it. “I want it.”
“It” was a request from the State Police Division of Drug and Crime Control for an undercover officer to investigate possible human trafficking linked to a police department in Southeast Missouri.
The division was chronically understaffed, and these sorts of requests were not uncommon, however few cops wanted to investigate other cops.
Captain Morris raised his gaze from under his bristled eyebrows then looked pointedly to the chair in front of his desk.
Paula crossed her arms in front of her but wordlessly sank onto the chair. He was going to make her wait, if only to annoy her. She couldn’t fault him for that since she’d barged into his office and sprung her demand on him.
The captain finished reading his report, placed his signature with a few practiced strokes, and closed the file he had been busy with. He placed his hands on the folder and made eye contact with her. “Why?”
Paula bristled. “I’m qualified for the job, and I care about human trafficking. I helped with that ring we broke up last year. Those girls had been through hell.”
Her captain sighed and ran a hand through his thinning hair.
It was the only sign he was getting older.
Unlike many other high-ranking officers, he still boasted a lean, muscled body, even though he spent most of his working hours behind the desk that sat between them.
“On paper, yes, and you speak Spanish. You’ve never done a long-term undercover op, though.
Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?
This is going after dirty cops. Most officers would look at this assignment as akin to joining the rat squad. Do you want that rep?”
“I don’t care who’s doing it. Human trafficking is evil, and we need to take every opportunity to stop it, even if cops are involved. Especially if cops are involved.”
He nodded. “Fair enough, but there’s more to it than that. You don’t turn up here on a Sunday afternoon to catch up on paperwork then storm into my office brandishing a flyer that’s been circulating for the last two weeks with no takers. What I want to know is why you’re so anxious to take it?”
“I’d like to get away for a bit. I feel like I’m getting stale. This will be a change of pace for me.” All of this was true, but not the main reason.
The real reason had a name and hands that knew exactly what they were doing, a mouth that had left her breathless more than once, and a body she was definitely not thinking about.
Bracing herself, Paula made eye contact.
Captain Morris had been her mentor since she’d started at the Kansas City Police Department and had believed in her capabilities from day one. People had frowned when he had encouraged her to take the sergeant’s exam.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “If you’re sure.” He didn’t sound convinced.
“Really, Captain.” Perhaps a more personal approach would convince him. “I need to get some distance from some things. This assignment is perfect.”
“You realize you’ll be in deep cover and can’t have any contact with your friends and colleagues?”
“Yes.” Her gaze didn’t waver as she met his stare head on.
“Fuck.” He stood and shoved back his chair. “I don’t like it, but I must admit you’d be great for the job.” He settled back in his chair and again raked his hand through his hair.
At this rate, he wouldn’t have any hair left before he hit sixty.
Paula’s lips twitched as she tried to contain her laughter at the inappropriate thought.
He scowled at her. “You can contain your glee. I’ll make some calls and let you know. I have a friend who might be able to give us an answer today, but it will probably be tomorrow. The Drug and Crime Control people tend not to work on Sunday unless they’re in the middle of an operation.”
Paula nodded. “Thank you, Sir.” She was on her way to the door as his quiet voice halted her in her tracks.
“You know that people care about you here, don’t you?”
She wasn’t sure how to respond to his question—or if he even expected her to. Instead of answering, she acted like she hadn’t heard him at all. Her hand closed around the doorknob, and she pulled it open without hesitation.
Not giving herself a chance to look back, she stepped outside and let the door close behind her.
Okay, so plan A to ‘avoid Jackson Cagney’ was in motion. At least she hoped so, because she had no plan B.
She’d broken her cardinal rule—never sleep with a coworker. Worse, she’d let him take control. She’d submitted. Freely. Willingly. And God help her, she’d liked it. More than liked it.
She didn’t want to examine what that meant. Not now. Maybe not ever.
Sure, taking on the assignment meant leaving the few friends she had, but she could live with that. What she couldn’t live with was seeing Jackson every day and pretending he hadn’t gotten under her skin, hadn’t stirred something she’d spent years keeping buried.
Paula settled behind her desk and started to go through her current cases.
She still had a hit-and-run from almost a year ago to solve. She didn’t think much of her chances after all this time and considered moving it to the inactive files but decided against it. She could always do it when she got back.
Assuming I get the assignment.
She had two other active cases—a missing teenage girl and a middle-aged man who had been killed in what looked like a burglary gone wrong.
Paula went over the available detectives in her mind to decide which ones would be the most suited and had capacity.
She didn’t want to dump both cases on her partner.
Bill Christopher already pulled more than his weight, and handing them off to him felt unfair.
That was always the problem. Every time she got pulled into a special assignment, it left the rest of the team stretched thinner.
Paula felt a twinge of guilt about being gone for weeks or maybe even months. It would make things harder on her colleagues.
Her desk phone started ringing.
“Stone.”
“Paula, you have the assignment. Could you come to my office, and we’ll discuss your absence?” Captain Morris said in his efficient way.
“Yes, Sir!” Paula rose and went to her boss.
Jackson stared down at his phone in frustration.
Paula
16:24 pm Sorry, Jackson. I’m going to be out of town for a few weeks.
He’d received the message an hour ago and had tried to get in contact with her since. Calling didn’t work. Her phone went straight to voicemail.
He rubbed the back of his neck. Why wasn’t she answering his calls? Given the night they’d had, the attraction wasn’t one-sided. So why had she snuck out this morning?
Jackson placed his phone on the table and leaned back in his chair. He needed to think like the detective he was.
What kind of evidence do I have?
She had come home with him, so she was attracted. She’d responded immediately to his dominance, so she was submissive. But she was suspicious about the lifestyle. Okay, wary sub, he could deal with that, he simply had to go slow.
She is eight years older than I am. Would that be a problem for her?
Jackson tried to remember who she’d dated. Fuck, she didn’t date, at least nobody from the police department that he knew of. He let his head fall against the chair’s backrest.
So, she’d run, eh? She had to return to Kansas City sometime, didn’t she? Jackson’s lips turned up in a small smile. His years in the lifestyle had taught him a few things. One was the benefit of delayed gratification and how rewarding it could be.