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Chapter Nine
Posted by
jlk
,
15 September 2012
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512 views
McNab finished his sandwich, wondered to the autochef in Eve’s home kitchen to scan it for pie choices. He’d just settled back down at Eve’s desk with coffee and lemon meringue when Roarke appeared in the doorway. His appetite withered.
“Ian, what a pleasant surprise. I’m working with Jamie on a little problem. Want some side work?” Roarke got himself some coffee, then sat down on a couch and stretched out his legs. After a long hit of the coffee, he sighed. “What’s she got you working on?”
McNab delayed, toying with his fork.
Roarke lowered his mug. “Problems with Delia?”
“No.”
Roarke waited. McNab liked Roarke. He thought of him as a friend. The man had helped him out with Dee several times. In fact, because of Roarke McNab had his happy home life. On the other hand, he knew about Roarke’s temper. He’d seen it, a lot. And he knew it could be deadly. Seriously deadly.
“Dallas can be a little slow some time, ”McNab began cautiously. He moved to sit on the couch with Roarke. “About guys. Not suspect guys. Just guys. You know?” He watched Roarke carefully.
Roarke took out a cigarette, offered one to McNab, and lit them both with silver lighter. He reached one long arm for the ashtray on the side table, placed it between them. “I’ll need a little more to go on, Ian.”
“Lots of guys want her. Cause she’s like beautiful and sexy and kick ass smart. You know?” McNab waited, watched. He wasn’t the same kind of Detective Dee and Dallas were. He read electronics better than suspects. And Roarke could be hard to read on a normal day.
“It’s crossed my attention occasionally,” Roarke told him dryly.
“And she flirts,” McNab added. “Not that she means to,” he added hastily when Roarke’s gaze turned deadly, jaw clenching. “You know. When she’s nice. Guys think they got an opening or something.”
Roarke blew out smoke. “What does Peabody want you to tell me, Ian?”
McNab gave up. He cued up the scene he’d watched on Delia’s link this afternoon, handed his link to Roarke. It made him feel better when Roarke casually stubbed out his cigarette while watching the tutoring session. The other man wasn’t going to blow. He took his link back. “We just thought you should know.”
Roarke stood up, offered his hand. “Thanks, Ian. Tell Peabody I’ll take care of it.” After they’d shaken hands, Roarke continued. “Now let me tell you who or more specifically what else the LT has seduced.”
“Ian, what a pleasant surprise. I’m working with Jamie on a little problem. Want some side work?” Roarke got himself some coffee, then sat down on a couch and stretched out his legs. After a long hit of the coffee, he sighed. “What’s she got you working on?”
McNab delayed, toying with his fork.
Roarke lowered his mug. “Problems with Delia?”
“No.”
Roarke waited. McNab liked Roarke. He thought of him as a friend. The man had helped him out with Dee several times. In fact, because of Roarke McNab had his happy home life. On the other hand, he knew about Roarke’s temper. He’d seen it, a lot. And he knew it could be deadly. Seriously deadly.
“Dallas can be a little slow some time, ”McNab began cautiously. He moved to sit on the couch with Roarke. “About guys. Not suspect guys. Just guys. You know?” He watched Roarke carefully.
Roarke took out a cigarette, offered one to McNab, and lit them both with silver lighter. He reached one long arm for the ashtray on the side table, placed it between them. “I’ll need a little more to go on, Ian.”
“Lots of guys want her. Cause she’s like beautiful and sexy and kick ass smart. You know?” McNab waited, watched. He wasn’t the same kind of Detective Dee and Dallas were. He read electronics better than suspects. And Roarke could be hard to read on a normal day.
“It’s crossed my attention occasionally,” Roarke told him dryly.
“And she flirts,” McNab added. “Not that she means to,” he added hastily when Roarke’s gaze turned deadly, jaw clenching. “You know. When she’s nice. Guys think they got an opening or something.”
Roarke blew out smoke. “What does Peabody want you to tell me, Ian?”
McNab gave up. He cued up the scene he’d watched on Delia’s link this afternoon, handed his link to Roarke. It made him feel better when Roarke casually stubbed out his cigarette while watching the tutoring session. The other man wasn’t going to blow. He took his link back. “We just thought you should know.”
Roarke stood up, offered his hand. “Thanks, Ian. Tell Peabody I’ll take care of it.” After they’d shaken hands, Roarke continued. “Now let me tell you who or more specifically what else the LT has seduced.”
