Page 20 of Under Cover
Garcia eventually chased the perp into a two-by-four she wielded like a pro ball player, because she’d made good on her threat and then grabbed whatever was nearby to make the collar. He’d been impressed as fuck.
Everything his old job at the ATF hadn’t had—honesty, quick thinking, the sense that someone having his back really meant having his back—had been present in that six-minute chase behind a Quick-E-Mart in Paramus. It almost made him think that the thing he’d felt with Crosby had been just him overreacting to a bunch of professionals honest-to-God acting like professionals, and that Crosby hadn’t felt the chemistry too.
Then they’d released their perpetrator into custody at the jail, and the two of them had gotten back to base, telling the story on top of each other, their words tumbling like child’s blocks, they’d been so excited.
And Crosby had listened to every word avidly, gray-blue eyes big and bright, mouth slightly open in excitement. When they were done, he’d laughed and said, “So I guess you don’t need me after all, right?”
And Gail had stuck out her tongue. “No, he needs you because I get to boss around the new guy for a while and I’m looking forward to that.”
“You sure?” Crosby had met Garcia’s eyes. “I mean, I got put out of commission for a while, and you got to trade up.”
Garcia felt it again. The connection. An emotion he couldn’t define flickered over Crosby’s face—it might have been hope.
Garcia was willing to trade Gail’s chirpy, sarcastic company in on the hope that this Jethro with the big heart was a completely different kind of partner than Garcia had first signed on for. Silly, maybe, but Garcia figured that even if the interest was purely platonic, he was still better off than he ever had been in the partner department.
So now, driving back to base in Manhattan because their information had helped Carlyle and Chadwick get their perp to a rehab detention in Philly, they could joke a little about their nine-week stint as partners.
“You say that,” Gail told him now, laughing about his crack about missing her. “But you and Crosby make bro-eyes at each other like you’re the thing missing from each other’s chest.”
Garcia snorted and tried not to panic. “Bro-eyes. How do you know we’re not soulmates, and the whole medical leave thing interrupted the true romance of the century?”
“Oh, it totally did,” Gail said, her voice so light he assumed she was still kidding. “I haven’t seen Crosby that interested in someone since he got here.”
Garcia snorted. “Wasn’t he banging your roommate?” He pretended like he wasn’t hanging on her answer.
“Iliana… well, she was using him for sex,” Gail said, letting out a disappointed breath. “At first I hoped it would be more. Crosby’s a great guy. She had her own damage, and I wanted to see her get past it. But nope. I think it hurt him more than gave him a release, you know? I mean, he left everything—family, friends, the job he thought he’d have his entire life—to work here. I wanted to see him have something,you think?”
“Not you?” Garcia asked, taking advantage of her willingness to talk on the subject.
Her laughter reassured him. “He’s the big brother I’ve never had,” she said. Then she sobered. “Seriously, there’s a… a thing in him. He wants to care for someone. I’m sort of care resistant. Or, I should say, I’m the caretaker in all my relationships. I think we’d mother each other to death.”
“Don’t you mean smother?” Garcia quipped, but inside he was trying desperately not to melt. A caretaker? His entire life, he’d wanted to be cared for.God. This sucked. This sucked this sucked this sucked.
Except it might not suck, and it was that hope that sucked more than anything else in the world.
He’d managed to calm down his expectations as he walked into the office, which was good because Crosby was no longer running point now that the team had reported in. Instead, he was in the weight room, working out and talking to their newest, Almanzo Swan—Manny for short.
Garcia had been pleased to see the young officer from that fateful day running down the runners. He’d liked the guy but, being the new man on the team himself, had been in no position to recommend him for shit. Knowing Crosby had landed him on their team had given Garcia warm feelings everywhere he shouldn’t have had warm feelings, but it had also given him some jealousy where nothing green had the right to sprout.
“Garcia!” Crosby called as Garcia stuck his head in the work-out space. “You’ve met Swan before. He’s just passed at FLETC with flying colors and is starting with us now. Come say hi!”
Manny Swan nodded his head and extended his hand for a quick shake, and Garcia accepted. If Swan had done well at the Federal Law Enforcement Agency Training Center, where they had all experienced the rigorous program at some point or another, he would be a solid addition to the team.
“Did everybody report in?” he asked, mostly to make conversation. Crosby wouldn’t have been there if anybody had been out in the field. Gail had confided that she took her laptop to the ladies’ room when everybody was in action because being the hub of their operation could be so critical.
“Yup. Joey and Gid are stopping for food, Natalia’s springing for pastries, and we’re having ourselves a paperwork party in ten minutes. Since Manny’s starting full-time tomorrow, I thought I’d show him around.”
“Do you know who I’m getting partnered with?” Manny asked. “I thought it would be you at first, but I guess you two…?”
“If he wants me,” Crosby said with a shrug. “We’re throwing you on Gail’s tender mercies. Where is she, by the way?”
“Changing,” Garcia told him. “We had to run down the perp’s little brother so he could answer some questions.” He shuddered. “There were… cows.”
Crosby grimaced. “How fragrant’s our state-issued vehicle?”
“She promised to talk to the guys in the vehicle department,” he said, remembering his desperation. “I, uh, didn’t want to give you an excuse not to come back.”
Crosby’s chuckle was music to his ears. “Man, I’m stoked. Someone’s got to run point—I know that. But after nine weeks, I want a chance to be out in the field. Let Harding do his bit now!”
