Page 55 of Callan

“As I said before… I think someone was in her apartment looking for something. I don’t know how they got into the building. It seems like everybody gets into this building these days. She’s probably passing the passcode around like it’s candy. And frankly, I don’t know what her deal is. She might be involved in something nefarious. There’s so much sex…”

He narrows his eyes at me, and I go quiet.

“Go on,” he says.

“There are so many men. The husband’s behavior is strange, too. He’s gone for days, and then he comes home like nothing happened. Everything seems normal, aside from their fights when she throws him out. I think he likes that too.”

The corners of his lips move slightly.

“You find that amusing?” I murmur, giving him a smile.

“No. Not really. But I like how perceptive you are.”

“I’m not into true crime documentaries or anything like that. And I was even thinking that it might be possible to deal with some criminals…”

The shift in his expression makes me stop.

“I hope I’m not getting tangled up in some nasty story because I’m spying on them for you.”

“You’re not,” he says reassuringly.

Like I believe him.

He sets his elbows on the table and runs a calm hand through his raven hair, his eyes tilted down, avoiding mine.

“Did you see that person leave?” he asks.

“No. But I haven’t surveilled the street since I got inside. That’s why I thought it must’ve been someone from inside the building. And I thought it might’ve been you. You were inside the building, too.”

“What makes you say that?”

“The Christmas gift.”

“Someone else could’ve dropped it off.”

“Have they?”

He studies my eyes, and I’m suddenly aware of his genuine curiosity about me.

“No.”

“That’s what I thought. So, were you in the building?”

“Yes, I was.”

“Did you see her?”

“No.”

“You came here for me?”

“Yes.”

My lips tremble, my jaw locked.

“What is your deal with this woman?”

“There’s no deal,” he says, pushing his chair back, signaling that our conversation is over. “You’re doing a great job,” he adds, rising out of his seat and lifting his coat from the couch.

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