Page 30 of Hold a Candle

“Nay. I thought I might like to adopt one, so thought I’d see what they have.”

Jamie’s quick brain did some calculating and it only took a second for him to realize Pauley was up to no good. “I think ye better tell me what’s going on, lass. Are ye getting into the case against Quinn’s orders?”

“Not exactly,” she hedged, pulling into the drive-through. “Do ye want a coffee or a latte?”

“Just a large coffee,” he replied, taking out his wallet and handing her some bills.

She placed her order and then pulled around to pay for it. After she pulled back into traffic, he asked again, “Now, what is going on, lass?”

Pauley explained what had happened in Quinn’s office while Jamie listened. On one hand, he was happy that she apparently trusted him enough to confide in him, but he wasn’t happy that she was going against orders.

“Look, Pauley, I realize ye are motivated more than usual because Luca is involved in this, but ye are going against direct orders to stay out of it. What exactly are ye hoping to find here?” he asked as they pulled into the parking lot of Hope Barks and around to the back. She backed up against a fence running along the perimeter between some employee cars and turned off the engine.

“I just want to observe for now,” she explained, taking a sip of her latte. “Mica should be here any time. His dog needs a jab,” she snickered.

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Did ye talk him into this?”

“Actually, it was his idea,” she replied, her brown eyes sparkling at him.

Jamie grunted and shook his head. “Ye two are a bad combination, I can tell.”

Pauley huffed. “Actually, we are a great combination. We always solve the cases we work on together. Not that Quinn puts us together much. He always saddles us with someone we don’t like very much. Like Brodie.” She shuddered. “That man is a real creep.”

“Since I don’t know much about jurisdictions, I don’t know why Interpol would want in on this case either, but if this Brodie’s as bad as ye say he is, then he bears watching.”

When the tap came on Pauley’s window, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Jamie did too, until he saw her partner’s face through the glass. Mica wasn’t in uniform.

Pauley rolled the window down and hissed, “Where did ye come from, Mica? Ye almost gave me a heart attack!”

“I was just walking my dog,” he replied innocently, but his grin nearly split his face. “Ye are usually more observant, Pauley.” He shot a considering side eye at Jamie. Then his face disappeared as he bent down and came back up with a small poodle in his arms. “Meet Curdle.”

“Where’s yer squad car, Mica?” Jamie asked. “I didn’t see it when we pulled in.”

“That’s because I’m driving Miley’s car,” Mica replied. “I left the squad in my garage.”

“Miley is Mica’s wife,” Pauley explained.

For some reason, it made Jamie feel better to know Mica was married. Working relationships could turn into other things, and he could admit to a little jealousy of the big, rangy detective.

“I see Pauley managed to drag ye into this with her,” Mica added. “She was under strict orders to go home. And I told her to go home too. I can take care of this.”

“Aren’t ye under orders to stay away as well?” Jamie asked, looking skeptical. “Sounds like a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Ye are both disobeying direct orders.”

Mica scowled. “Pauley is the one who could be in danger, which is why the chief wants her out of this and somewhere safe. I don’t believe I have anything to worry about, and I don’t trust the man who has taken over the case. With Luca having to hide out too, I’ll no sit by while an incompetent fool throws his weight around.”

“I told him about Macalister, Mica. Ye can talk freely,” Pauley said with a sigh. “Ye might as well get in the back seat as long as ye are here.”

Mica opened the back door and slid in with Curdle, who immediately jumped between the bucket seats and into Pauley’s lap.

“Hiya, Curdle,” Pauley cooed, scratching the dog under its chin.

When the black motorcycle came around the corner of the whitewashed, low-slung, building and parked near the back door, they all watched intently.

“A Ducati Streetfighter V4,” breathed Mica reverently. “Whoever that is, he’s one lucky lad. I always wanted a Ducati, but had to settle for a Kawasaki.”

Jamie nodded, his eyes glued to the sleek, shining bike. “Aye, she’s a beauty. I’ve thought of buying a bike and hitting the touring trails of Scotland since I retired, but I’ve no gotten around to it yet.”

Pauley snorted. “Ye two might as well have yer tongues hanging out like kids in a candy shop.”

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