Blind Retribution

by K. T. Roberts

“Do you have a minute to talk?” he asked, glancing at Riley again, who took the hint and moved on.

  “I’ll see you back at the precinct, Max,” he said and walked away so quickly she didn’t have time to protest.

  “What can I help you with?” she asked.

  “I’m dying for some coffee. Will you join me at Starbucks?”

  “For what reason? So you can tell me again how Hughes is innocent?”

  “No. I’d like to call a truce.” His face cracked into a smile.

  “We did that already, but we are still adversaries in regard to this case.”

  “That’s fine—we don’t have to be on the same side, because I’m confident you’re going to find out Jack is innocent all on your own. That’s not why I wanted you to join me.”

  “Why then?” She noticed he was losing patience when he’d sucked in his bottom lip. Why was she giving him such a hard time? “Thanks for the offer, but I really can’t spare the time.” She walked away wondering why she was having trouble accepting the fact that she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him.

  CHAPTER NINE

  “Hey, Max,” Riley said when he saw her reviewing a file. “C’mon, workday is over. A few of us are going over to The Alibi for drinks and a bite to eat. Want to join us?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve got a lot of work to do, and honestly, I’m not feeling right about celebrating.”

  “We’re not celebrating. My wife is out shopping with the kids, and I don’t feel like making my own dinner, so c’mon, it’ll do you some good. I know you loved Howie, but you can’t let his death keep you from having a little interaction with others. And who knows, you may just be glad you came.”

  “I know.” She blinked her eyes and heaved a sigh. “You’re right. Okay, I’ll go.”

  Max had always enjoyed The Alibi, a local bar that had been anointed the unofficial hangout for law enforcement and officers of the court. It had started years earlier when several cops surrounded a young man who’d had too much to drink and was getting overly handsy with his objecting date. After arresting the guy on the spot and cuffing him in front of everyone, it was understood that such clientele was not welcome at The Alibi. Although the owner was upset in the beginning, he soon relaxed when he saw how busy the place became.

  Having a hangout the cops could call their own kept the guys coming back regularly; they could let their hair down and unwind away from prying eyes. Despite the fact that Max didn’t like hanging out in bars, she had to admit this was one place that made her feel comfortable. And it did fill the void of her lonely existence. Did she wish she had someone in her life to hang out with? Of course she did, but when things didn’t happen in the love department, she’d accepted it as her fait accompli.

  “Good. What were you reading in that file? Your face was so intense.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize until now that Howie had left notes from some research he’d done on Barrett. He was convinced the doc was guilty and said we’d need to take a good look at him. According to the notes he left, he’d found something, and placed a question mark next to Barrett’s name with a note saying ‘Talk to Max,’ but he didn’t elaborate.” Max closed her eyes and shook her head. “You have to know this is going to drive me nuts until I find out what he meant.”

  “Whatever it was, we’ll find it.” Riley grabbed his briefcase and then headed out the door. “See you in a little while.”

  The small bar buzzed with peers from other precincts. Max had forgotten Wednesday night was karaoke night. Although she wouldn’t get up on the stage and sing, she always enjoyed listening to her peers sing their little hearts out. Obviously, not all of them could sing, especially Eddie Perry, who worked in the two-one and was now crooning to a Maroon 5 song. He tried hitting a note higher than he was able to reach, and Max and Riley did all they could to refrain from laughing.

  “You have to give the guy credit,” Max said.

  “Yeah. I guess you do.” Riley saw some friends enter and waved them over to the table.

  They removed their jackets and draped them over the backs of the chairs. Riley introduced Max. “This is my new partner, guys.” They each gave her an appreciative smile. “This is Jake, Steve, and Bob. They’re all NARCs.”

  “Good to meet you,” Max said and was flattered by their attentiveness until she noticed their wedding bands.

  A waitress came over and took their drink orders just as Eddie was finishing up his song. A few seconds later, “Love Me Tender” boomed through the speakers, and a baritone voice echoed through the microphone. Max glanced toward the stage and was caught by surprise. It was Cory who was singing and staring directly at her. It seemed the guys with the largest egos always felt if they smiled and winked at the ladies, they’d have them all clamoring to go on a date with them. Although she and Cory had come to an agreement about what happened in the stadium, Max felt a lingering anxiety about how quickly their tempers flared during the disagreement. Cory Rossini would have to do a lot more than sing a love song to her to get her attention.

  She leaned over toward Riley. “I wonder what he’s doing here?”

  “Why? He’s an officer of the court . . . or was, but I’m sure he’s still okay being in here.”

  “I’ve never seen him here,” Max commented.

  Riley laughed. “And you come here so often that you’d know how frequently he’s here?” She blew him a raspberry. “I must say, though, judging from this serenade, this guy’s got it bad for you, Max,” Riley quipped.

  “No he doesn’t.” She flicked her hand in the air. “He’s just trying to get on my good side so I’ll be convinced Hughes is innocent.”

  “Boy, are you ever the cynic. Cut the guy some slack, will you?”

  Riley’s friend Bob turned around to watch Cory. “I’d give the guy a chance—before I try and cut in on his territory.”

  “Oh guys, stop. He doesn’t have any claim to me, and Bob, I don’t go out with married men.”

  He removed his wedding ring. “I’m not married now.” Max rolled her eyes with disgust. “Relax, Max, I’m just kidding. I’m a happily married man with five kids, and I think you should talk to this guy.”

  Riley chimed in. “He’s trying awfully hard to get your attention,” he said in a sing-song voice. “If you’ll give the guy half a chance, you never know what you’ll find out. You may just find out you were all wrong about him.”

  When the song was finished, Cory received an enthusiastic round of applause and chants for him to sing another.

  “Thank you very much,” he said into the microphone, “but there’s a beautiful young lady sitting over there”—he pointed—“and I don’t want to miss my window of opportunity.” Everyone turned in Max’s direction and expressed their approval with loud whistles and clapping. Feeling the heat rise up her cheeks, Max lowered her head just before Riley and his friends vacated the table. She immediately covered her eyes with her hands, refusing to look up until she heard the chair scratching across the floor and inhaled the pleasant scent of Cory’s woodsy-scented cologne. There was no way out; he was at her table. He poked her foot with the tip of his shoe.

  “Hey.” He threw his hands up when she uncovered her eyes. “It was the only way you were going to agree to have a drink with me.” Max cleared her throat, ready to say something, but Cory’s hand went up to stop her. “Seriously, you gotta give me extra credit for going through so much trouble to get your attention. You have to know I wouldn’t be doing any of this if I weren’t interested, but if you can look me in the eyes and tell me you aren’t interested, then I’ll get up nice and slow and walk away and never bother you again. So what do you say?”

  There was a pause of silence between them that seemed liked hours rather than seconds. Looking into his eyes, she took a breath and opened her mouth to speak. “Yes, I’m interested, but if you ever embarrass me like that again . . .”

  He interrupted her. “So what are you drinking?” he asked with a toothy grin. Mu
sic blasted from overhead. “Why do you try so hard to discourage me?”

  Max didn’t have an answer for him and simply shrugged. He pointed to her half-finished drink.

  “Thank you,” she said, “but I don’t care for another drink.”

  He listened to the music for a minute. “I love this song. Will you dance with me?” he said, pushing back in his chair, his voice slightly tentative as if testing the idea.

  “I can’t. I’m going to be totally embarrassed having people see that I accepted your offer.”

  “Why? You’re never going to see these people again anyway.”

  “Yes, I will,” she said, giving him a playful tap on the arm. “I work with them.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” he said and winked at her. “C’mon.” His hands moved in closer, removing any chance she could refuse by pulling her upright and onto the dance floor. He wrapped her in a tight embrace as they swayed to the music.

  Melding into him, the warmth of his body next to hers was overwhelming. She wondered if he could feel her heart pounding against his chest.

  “Look, I know I flubbed it up really badly that night,” he said whispering in her ear over the loud music, “but I’d had a bad day and thought the game might help. The ball did help that, until we started arguing, and I got defensive. I knew I shouldn’t have, but then afterward, I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and that’s when I realized I wouldn’t have met you if I hadn’t gone.” He looked down at her, a serious look on his face. “So finding you a second time . . . it’s kismet, Max, and we’re supposed to give ourselves a chance at a relationship.” She held her hand up behind her ear, pretending she hadn’t heard what he’d said, but she’d heard every word of it and it warmed her heart.

  He continued anyway. “I knew I was being a jerk, but the words were out before I could pull them back. When I saw your reaction, well, I became even more sarcastic. And when you wouldn’t let me make it up to you with the offer of a hot dog, the guilt bothered me for days.” He shrugged. “It’s my Catholic upbringing. I’m sorry.” His face scrunched into a pleading frown. “Do you think you can forget about that meeting and pretend we just met in your office?”

  She smirked. “You mean the meeting when I practically ripped your face off? That meeting?”

  “Yeah, that meeting.” He laughed, indicating she hadn’t fooled anyone with her chutzpah. “Honestly, that’s what attracted me to you even more. You have spunk. I really like that in a woman. What do you think?”

  Her heart turned over at his willingness to express his feelings. How often did a guy actually express his feelings so honestly? Like never.

  “You know, if you’d agree to have dinner with me tonight,” he said, a sparkle in his eyes every time he smiled, “you’d make me the happiest guy on the planet. So what do you say?”

  She could no longer hide the excitement she was feeling. “I’d like that very much.”

  His surprised reaction told her he hadn’t expected her response. “Awesome!” he said, squeezing her tighter. “Do you like Italian food?” he asked like a wide-eyed schoolboy who’d just sunk his first three-pointer.

  “I do.”

  “I have a favorite restaurant in Little Italy.”

  “Oh, really? I’ll bet I know which one. Angelo’s.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Because it’s my favorite.”

  The music stopped, and Cory guided her back to the table to retrieve her belongings. “You know, we have more in common than you think.”

  Max didn’t respond. She was afraid and cautious about telling him he was getting to her, yet she couldn’t hide her interest. He was so different from any of the guys she’d ever dated. Hearing him verbalize his feelings was an added bonus and drew her in like a magnet. She wanted to know more about him.

  “Are you ready to leave?”

  “I am.” Max reached for her jacket. He took it and held it out for her. She slid her arms into the sleeves and couldn’t believe she’d found someone who wasn’t intimidated by her. Someone who wanted to treat her like a lady. When Riley saw them walking toward the door, he gave her a smug wink.

  “My car or yours?” Cory asked when they walked outside.

  “I usually take the subway and leave my car home. We could do the subway if you’d prefer so we don’t have to buck this traffic.”

  “I don’t mind driving, but I’m embarrassed to say my car is a piece of junk.”

  “I don’t care about that. It’s hard to have a nice car in New York with the way these people drive.”

  “You know, you really impress me,” he said. “Judging from the way you carry yourself, it might come off to some guys that you’re a prima donna who’s used to the finer things in life, and then I tell you about my beat-up car and it doesn’t faze you in the least.”

  Max grinned. “Before you consider me for canonization as a saint, let me assure you that I do enjoy the finer things in life. This just means the car you drive doesn’t change my opinion of you.”

  He chuckled as he unlocked the door and held it open for her. “I hope your opinion of me is improving.” Max merely smiled, liking the fact that he was confident but not the egotistical guy she thought he was.

  Cory shoved in behind the steering wheel and reached for her hand, brought it to his mouth, and kissed it. “Where have you been all my life?” he asked, cocking his head to one side, obviously waiting for her to respond. When she didn’t say a word, he became concerned. “Am I coming on too strong?”

  “Nope. You’re doing just fine,” Max said. “I don’t know where this is going, but I’m willing to admit that I misjudged you. And for the record, I’d had a crappy day when I went to the game too. The only reason I was there was because my brother-in-law, who’d been given the ticket, didn’t have enough for the entire family, and so my sister made me take it.” She didn’t tell him Julie had insisted Max take it because she’d been acting like a celibate nun and needed to get out more.

  “A sister, huh? Do you have other siblings?”

  “No, but I have a cousin who’s a priest.”

  “I’d thought of becoming a priest in my younger days,” he said, straight-faced.

  “Really?”

  “No.” His face scrunched. “I’m just kidding. Do I look like the priestly type?”

  “Well, it probably would take a lot of work on your part,” she teased back. An easy smile played at the corners of his mouth, and she was glad she’d accepted his invitation. She liked his humor. Nevertheless, she was still slightly guarded because she wanted to be sure he didn’t have an ulterior motive for getting to know her. She was thankful he hadn’t mentioned Jack’s name or anything about the case, because if he had, she’d have been out of there in a heartbeat.

  It wasn’t long before they drove down Mulberry Street.

  “I can’t believe we like the same restaurant,” he said, looking over at her. “Now see, there’s even more proof that we’re meant to have a relationship. Pretty soon, you’re going to agree with me that I’m irresistible and you can’t live without me.” He jabbed her with his elbow. “Am I right, or what?”

  “Is that a fact?”

  “You like the way I just mapped out our future?”

  “Yes, I did notice that.”

  “I’m just having fun with you, but you should know I don’t give up easily.”

  “I’m a big fan of stick-to-itiveness.”

  His head rose in the air. “See, now, that’s another thing we have in common.” He cleared his throat. “So when was the last time you were here?”

  “It’s probably been a month or more since my last visit.” She’d decided not to mention that she’d gone there alone, and how happy she was to have someone with her now. Frequenting the same restaurant without a date made her feel others might think she was damaged goods. “How long has it been since your last relationship?” she asked when the thought came to mind.

  “A couple of months. Why? Are you
worried you’re a rebound?”

  “The thought did cross my mind.”

  “Well, don’t give it another thought. My attraction to you has nothing to do with anything other than convincing you I’m worthy of a second date.”

  Max was glad it was dark and Cory couldn’t see the broad smile on her face. She told herself they were off to a good second start. If it was meant to be, it would happen. A snort escaped her mouth at the irony of her sudden acceptance of fate.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Oh, you see all kinds of things walking the streets of New York,” she lied. “I just have to shake my head in dismay and wonder if these people ever look at themselves in the mirror.”

  “That’s for sure.”

  Cory searched for a parking spot but didn’t find one and drove to the nearest parking garage. After exiting the vehicle, he rushed to her side of the car, opened the door, and helped her out.

  “And he’s a gentleman too?” Cory shut the door.

  “He is. I was taught by the best: my grandfather.”

  “Well, my hat is off to your grandfather.”

  He waited for the parking ticket then grabbed Max’s hand for the walk to the restaurant, causing her heart to flip over. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out, trying to hide the sexual tension building inside.

  “What’s your favorite dish there?” he asked while strolling down the street, inching around a clump of people blocking the sidewalk.

  “Wow, that’s a hard question to answer, but I’d have to say the lasagna or eggplant Parmesan. My favorite dessert is cannoli,” she said, salivating at the mention.

  “Mine too.”

  “Did you make it to the San Genaro Festival in September?” she asked.

  “Are you kidding? My family came over on the boat from Naples. That’s our time to celebrate our patron saint with the entire family. I really like tasting the foods from all the restaurants that set up booths outside their storefronts. The array of different platters of every size, shape, and color not only looks festive, but the food tastes good too. It reminds us of Naples.” He looked down at her with a sheepish grin, “Of course, no one cooks like my mama.”