Page 20 of Mine To Break
“We’ll have to set up some kind of code word for when you’re going to be in danger. That way I won’t worry about you—until it’s time to worry.”
He heard footsteps coming behind him, so he smiled and put some cockiness back into his voice. “Don’t you worry about me none, ma’am.”
“Call me when you’re done. I don’t care what time it is. I want to know when you’re home. That’s an order, detective.”
“Yes, ma’am, I will.” He hung up and turned to face his partner. In the fading light, he didn’t need to see Elias’s face to know curiosity would be eating him alive. “You want to split up and hit this faster?”
“Sure,” Elias replied slowly. “You take the north side, I’ll take the south. Thirty minutes. Then meet back here.”
“You and I both know that we won’t find any witnesses.”
“But we’ve got to check that box on the report anyway.” Elias hesitated, not walking away to start their work yet. “You called Mal?”
Colby shrugged, playing it off. “Didn’t want her to think I was blowing her off.”
Elias patted his pockets until he found a pack of gum. A few months ago, he’d have pulled out a pack of cigarettes, but Vicki had put a stop to that. “What did you tell her you’d do?”
Colby flashed that cocky grin again and headed for his side of the street of rundown buildings. “None of your business.”
Elias grunted with disgust. “Thank God.”
It was after four in the morning before Colby was able to climb into his truck, watching while Elias took off in the opposite direction. His eyes were gritty and hot, but he felt wide awake. Just the promise of calling Mal had kept him going through what seemed like an endless losing battle. Junkies too high to know what year it was, terrified immigrants afraid of getting hauled off for deportation, or people too poor to live anywhere else than across the street from a known drug house. None of them had seen a thing. Naturally.
He held the phone to his ear, counting the rings. She picked up on the third, her voice thick with sleep. “Colby?”
“Yeah, it’s me. I’m done.”
Sheets rustled, and he could picture her lying there on her pillows. “You okay?”
“Sure. Just tired.” In more ways than one.
“Come over. If you want.”
“Ah, I’d love to, but I don’t want you to have to get up or anything.”
“I’ll give you my door code and you can let yourself in. I won’t even get out of bed.”
“Do you have to work tomorrow?”
“It’ll be Saturday.”
“Oh, yeah, right.” Dropping his head back against the seat, he let out a weary laugh. “I forgot what day it is.”
“Will you have to work?”
“Maybe, but not right away.”
“So come over, get some sleep, and I’ll make you breakfast.”
It sounded nice. Heavenly. But he didn’t know what she’d want from him. Some sexy, light banter had been great, but he felt like an exhausted, strung out junkie. He wasn’t sure what kind of sex he’d be able to give her, whether it’d be worth her time or not.
“No scene or sex, at least not tonight. Just rest. You need it.”
“You won’t mind company?”
She hesitated a minute, and he heard the quaver in her voice. “I’d love it.”
She needed the companionship as much as he did. Just to have someone beside him, someone to wake up and smile at. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes or so.”
