Touching Silver

by Jamie Craig

  She had agreed to meet him at The Barn for dinner when he dropped her off at the station the previous day. A phone call would’ve sufficed, but dinner was good. They did need to touch base, after all. That’s what she’d told herself all day too. This wasn’t a date, no matter how much Isaac made it sound like one. She’d pointedly not made the effort to change her clothes or do anything out of the ordinary, because the last thing she needed to complicate this investigation was getting emotionally entangled with the man who was going to help her get the collar. This was like any other regular meeting with a colleague.

  A colleague who got upset over his pet fish. A colleague who hadn’t questioned her need to check on her dog. A colleague who had dutifully introduced himself to Tiberius so the dog wouldn’t be frightened or view him as an enemy if he ever came to her home again.

  The waitress—a cute little blond thing who flashed a bright smile at Isaac—approached and asked if they were ready to order.

  “I’ll have the Meat Lover’s platter, everything medium rare, with garlic potatoes.” Olivia passed the menu over to the woman.

  She thought she caught a smile before he turned to the waitress. “Let’s make it ribs, fries, and double sauce tonight, Heather. Gotta save room for dessert.” He was still smiling when Heather took his menu and walked away, leaning back in his chair as he toyed with his fork. “You ever been here before?”

  “No. It’s a little out of my way.”

  “Best ribs in town. You won’t be disappointed.”

  “You haven’t led me astray yet, I suppose.” She sipped her water, wondering how many times per week he ate at The Barn. He’d called the waitress by name. Because he knew her from previous visits or because he was being friendly? More likely the former if the way the blonde kept looking back at him was anything to go by. Focus. “Did you find any more bugs?”

  He shook his head. “Everything else was clean. From the looks of it, he was only interested in my phone. How’s Tiberius?”

  “Good. I promised to bring home some bones and other leftovers. I’ve been neglecting him the past few days.”

  “You should get him a friend. Makes those times when you’re not around easier.”

  Olivia sighed. “I’ve considered it. But I adopted Tiberius from a rescue organization. They warned he might not get along well with other dogs. He loves humans, but dogs, not so much. Have you had a chance to populate your aquarium yet?”

  A shadow passed over his eyes. “No, not yet.” Isaac reached for his water. “I had Sonny and Cher for almost four years. And they were a gift from Nathan. I’ll probably wait until this missing girls thing is settled.” His implied when I don’t have to worry about them getting killed again went unsaid.

  She almost mentioned she had no idea fish could live that long, but thought better of it. No sense in reminding Isaac he would never know just how long fish could live.

  “Speaking of the girls, I hope you have something for me tonight. I’ve hit a few dead ends. My other contacts couldn’t tell me anything more than Rico. Gabriel definitely had the girls, but now the home where he kept them is sold and they are gone. Stacy hasn’t been willing to talk.” She frowned. “Except to ask for Nathan.”

  “She’ll have to wait a little longer. Nathan and Remy have only just gotten settled. When I talked to him this afternoon, he seemed to think they’d be at least another week unless something dire happened.”

  Olivia chewed on her bottom lip. “Then I guess I’ve got no choice but to keep trying with her.” She looked at Isaac curiously, and though she knew it was none of her business, she couldn’t help but ask, “You don’t sound happy about the fact they’re going to be gone for a week.”

  His smile was crooked, but a shadow still lingered in his dark eyes. “I’m not used to him not being within driving distance if I need him. Nathan and I go way back.”

  Olivia bit back her I know, because she really didn’t. Yes, she knew what his file said. Nathan had been his first and only partner. She saw how close they were, even though Nathan’s life had taken a different path after he’d been betrayed by his ex. But she still didn’t know.

  “So what’s your back-up plan?”

  “Invite the only other person I trust on Gabriel’s case out to dinner at my favorite restaurant. Make sure she trusts me by the time dessert gets served.”

  She leaned back in her chair, certain her surprise was evident on her face. Word at the station was that Isaac had a rocky relationship with most of his colleagues because he wouldn’t trust anybody. “Why?”

  “Because Gabriel de los Rios needs to be behind bars. And your cold case is the best shot I’ve seen at making that happen in a very long time. After what happened with my phone…” His gaze fell to his silverware again, and he resumed straightening it for a moment before finishing the rest of his thought. “Well, I wouldn’t blame you for thinking you could do better.”

  He was the king of surprises tonight. She almost didn’t recognize him. It had to kill him to make that kind of admission, but she’d seen how shaken he’d been at learning Gabriel had had the drop on him for God knew how long.

  The one thing she wouldn’t do was rub that in. He was a good cop, unorthodoxy be damned. His record spoke for itself. “Do all of your master plans involve food?”

  “Only the ones that can’t fail.”

  “I’m not a starving orphan. You’re going to need to do a bit more than buy me dinner if you want me to trust you.”

  “Such as?”

  “Tell me about the Silver Maiden. Tell me what’s going on in Argentina. If a witness gave me this much trouble over crucial information, I’d let him spend the night in jail.”

  Isaac’s lips thinned, and she could see the exhaustion around his eyes. “Look…”

  She held up her hand. “I do trust you, Isaac. But I don’t think you trust me very much.”

  “I already told you that you’re the only person I do trust right now.”

  “No, that would be Nathan Pierce.”

  “Fine. You’re the only cop I trust.”

  “You don’t trust me. You need me.”

  “No, I trust the cop I saw take down Gabriel’s guys without breaking a sweat. And the one who didn’t give me grief about my phone. And the one who cuts through all the bullshit to get to what really matters.” He finally smiled again. “Even when I wish she wouldn’t.”

  Her resolve wavered, but she shook her head, trying to clear it. “I’ll believe that when you tell me what’s so special about that damn coin. Because that’s what it’s going to take.”

  The waitress arrived with their house salads, delaying any further discussion, and Isaac dug into the crisp greens with the same gusto he tackled everything else. Isaac didn’t face anything except head-on. If she trusted anybody to help her get those girls back, she knew it would be him.

  “So I’m thinking we should set up some regular times to meet,” he said after inhaling half his salad. “Do what we need to alone, do what we need to as a team, then coordinate times to share what we’ve found out.”

  “Would those times be around meal breaks?”

  His head ducked, almost as if the question embarrassed him. “Meals are just convenient. And before Remy, Nathan always sucked at taking care of himself. Call me an old pro at making sure my partner is fed and happy.”

  You could probably find other ways to make me happy.

  She looked away, mortified by the stray thought. No, he would not be invited to find other ways to make her happy. Not unless one or both of them quit the force.

  “Meals are the most convenient. Though I think you should let me pick where we eat tomorrow night.” Her pants were already beginning to feel tight.

  “Deal.”

  They finished their salads over small talk about her frustration with Stacy and his with the department’s restrictions. She had never met a cop as focused as Isaac McGuire, never known anyone with such a low tolerance for idiocy. He was proud of w
hat he did and he expected the same from his colleagues. It was impossible not to admire that.

  “I don’t have your number,” he said as he tore apart his ribs. His tone was almost too casual, his gaze averted from hers. “Your home one, I mean. To get a hold of you in case you’re off-duty.”

  “Wow. Smooth.”

  “What?”

  “Was this whole thing a ploy to get my number?”

  “No, I already told you the whole thing was a ploy to win you over to my side.”

  “I don’t hand out my private number to random guys.”

  “I’m not a random guy. I might need you in the middle of the night.”

  Olivia arched her eyebrow. “Does that line work on other girls?”

  “The real question is whether or not it works on you.”

  “It doesn’t, but I’ll give you the number anyway.”

  She dug in her purse and pulled out one of her cards. She scribbled her home number, and after a moment of consideration her personal e-mail address, on the back and slid it across the table. “There, now you should always be able to find me.”

  He sucked the sauce from his fingers before picking up the card. Tucking it into his coat pocket, he pulled a different card out and handed it over. “There’s all mine. In case you ever want to find me.”

  A phone number and private e-mail address were already scrawled across the back. There was no way a guy like Isaac passed out that information willy-nilly. He’d anticipated giving it to her tonight. She tried to imagine herself sending Isaac an e-mail or calling him at his surprisingly comfortable apartment. Maybe he’d be sprawled on that huge, plush couch, long legs stretched out in front of him, shirt untucked and open after a long day on the job—

  And there was no way she was finishing that thought if she wanted to sit through the rest of this meal with an ounce of self-respect.

  Smiling, she slipped it into the side of her purse. “You’ll probably regret this when I call you to take care of the killer cockroach in my bathtub.”

  “You know, considering some of the shit Nathan has called me about, killing a cockroach for you sounds like—”

  His ringing phone cut him off. Isaac rolled his eyes in frustration as he pulled it out of his pocket. When he saw the display, a frown immediately marred his brow. “Sorry,” he said, pressing talk. “I’ve got to take this.”

  Olivia didn’t catch all the details, but she didn’t need to. She heard enough. Arson. Storage facility. Gabriel. She gestured for the check and carryout boxes while he listened to the report, idly wondering if they were ever going to have a chance to finish a meal together. By the time he had all the details, Olivia had packaged the food and handed over her debit card.

  “I’m going with you,” she informed him.

  He nodded. “A fresh set of eyes will be good. I just wish I knew what the hell he thinks he’s doing.”

  Another car trip, another tense half hour wondering how she’d been thrust into such a surreal situation. At least this time she followed behind in her SUV instead of sitting next to him, watching his strong profile, listening to the silence fill the space between them.

  Isaac waited for her to get out of her car before leading her toward the tape that cordoned off the scene. Without pausing, he flashed his badge at the uniform on guard and ducked below the yellow strip, holding it out of the way for her to follow. He walked straight for a tiny, buxom blonde who was directing a small group of cops around the property.

  “Kahl.”

  She turned at the sound of Isaac’s voice, and even through the smoke that still thickened the air, Olivia caught the bright appreciation in the other woman’s eyes. “Detective McGuire,” the woman said, “I’m glad you could make it.” Some of her good humor faded when her gaze flickered to Olivia, however. “I’m sorry. Did I interrupt something?”

  “This is Detective Olivia Wright.” Isaac introduced her before she could offer her name. “My new partner on the Gabriel de los Rios case.”

  Olivia nodded at the young officer. “What have we got here?”

  Kahl sent a questioning look to Isaac, who inclined his head. “We got the call about forty-five minutes ago. This fire matches the MO of the previous three arsons exactly. Except this time there isn’t a dead body.”

  “Any other witnesses?”

  “No. It was called in by a passing motorist who saw the smoke. But we’ve got the clerk from the gas station across the street ready to interview.” She smiled up at Isaac, and this time Olivia definitely heard a touch of flirtation in the other woman’s voice. “Did you want to sit in on that? You’re welcome to.”

  Isaac’s shrewd gaze glanced behind Kahl, assessing the vista. “Is the fire out?”

  “Yeah. We’re just waiting on forensics to arrive and go over the scene.”

  Isaac surprised Olivia by turning to her. “If I take this interview, can you take a look around and see if you find anything? That fresh set of eyes might come in handy about now.”

  “I’m on it.” Olivia nodded at the flashlight attached to Kahl’s belt. “Can I borrow that?”

  She grudgingly passed it over, but seemed happy to have Isaac to herself. Olivia didn’t mind leaving the younger woman with Isaac, though. He was entirely oblivious to whatever interest Kahl had in him. Snagging a pair of gloves before venturing deeper into the still-smoldering ruins, Olivia only paused once to look over her shoulder.

  Isaac glanced up at the same time. For a moment their gazes locked. He lifted the corner of his mouth in a lopsided grin. Her heart skipped, he looked away, and then everything went back to normal.

  Sifting through ashes on a dark winter night was not Olivia’s idea of a good time. The flashlight helped and they had floodlights lining the perimeter of the scene, but it was still a dark winter night. She bent low at the waist, her gloved fingers gently moving through the warm ashes.

  She only found remnants of other people’s lives. Family heirlooms. Family trash. What items had been lost forever in this fire? It pained her to think about it. Pictures, books, computers, chairs, dishes…things kept in storage because people couldn’t bear to part with them. Now they didn’t have a choice.

  She shook her head. She was being silly. They probably had insurance and she could help by finding a clue linking the crime back to Gabriel. With that in mind, she doubled her efforts, straining her eyes to find anything out of the ordinary.

  She might have gone right past the coin. It could have been a silver dollar, all that remained of somebody’s prized collection. Except it was bright. In fact, it seemed to be radiating light. She looked around, certain somebody else noticed it, but none of the other officers were paying attention. Nobody looked at her.

  Or the oddly glowing coin.

  Olivia reached for it without thinking.

  “Please no. Please no. Don’t do this. Please no.”

  The coin slipped from her startled fingers. She looked around for the girl. Somebody was screaming. Somebody needed help. She spun in a tight circle, straining her eyes to scour the night. Surely someone else must have heard her? But everybody continued to mill around the burnt facility, gathering evidence, ignoring Olivia and her fruitless search.

  “Must have imagined it.” But she wasn’t convinced.

  She bent to scoop up the coin once again.

  “Gabriel, no. Don’t do it. Don’t…please…”

  Headlights slice into darkness, bouncing off white reflectors and green eyes. There’s a green smell in the air. Two heartbeats. Mine. Hers. The dull roar of hundreds of cars behind me, fading fast with each sudden jerk of the wheel. Orange light on the windows. Reflections of a face.

  Dark brown eyes. Long black hair. High angular cheekbones damp with tears. Blood drips from cracked lips. Fear. So much fear. Sickening fear that makes my stomach clench. The terror is pain. Reaching for the girl, longing to comfort her, but she slips away. Slips from my grasp. Disappears like a ghost.

  White numbers flash across the
ground, getting larger before falling. Four. Six. Eight. Zero. Two. A girl walks forward into the house. Four. Nine. Eight. Windows are silent eyes, the door gapes open, a toothless mouth. Silence. So much silence it crushes my ears.

  Dark brown eyes. Short brown hair. Plump chipmunk cheeks, cupid bow mouth. No tears. No blood. No pleading for this girl. She stares up mutely, her eyes reflecting all the light in the room. Reaching for this girl. But she slips into thin air. She is negative space.

  Dark brown eyes. Long black hair. Sly infectious smile. She’s laughing, her hand splayed across her stomach. Remy. Remy. Somebody shouts her name. I reach for her. I won’t let this one go. I won’t let this one be lost. This one needs to stay because they all need her. Grabbing her, wrapping my arms around emptiness.

  Olivia watched herself fall to the ground, vaguely aware the warm ash was rushing to her face and unable to do anything about it.

  Kahl was a novice at interrogation and the teenaged clerk was a waste of his time.

  Isaac’s gaze strayed to the storage facility across the street, watching the smoke drift over the stars to block them out in vague splotches that would be gone in the next hour. The air hummed with voices, too many to differentiate. He couldn’t even see where Olivia had gone to, even though he scanned the entire lot. Twice.

  The only reason he didn’t do it a third time was because even he could see how obsessive that was. Olivia was just doing her job. And she’d probably be pissed if she found out he was thinking of her as anything but his partner on the case.

  Some of the thoughts he could justify. They were working together to get Gabriel, after all. But there were others—the surge of relief when she ordered his favorite item off the menu of his favorite restaurant; the overwhelming desire to make sure she had his phone numbers, his address, his work e-mail, and his private e-mail; the question of how her athleticism translated outside of the workplace and outside of her efficient pantsuits—that were much harder to explain away. Not even the constant reminder of she’s your partner was enough to curb them.

  If anything, knowing she was off-limits only made his stray thoughts worse.