Page 70 of Seizing Mack
Something flashed in her eyes — approval, maybe? Hope? Didn’t matter. It was another step in the right direction.
Nick cupped her face and leaned down, pouring the rest of the words he wanted to say into his kiss.
“I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Okay.”
Nick waited until she went into the house, then reluctantly walked back to his car and drove over to the station. Emerson nodded curtly in greeting, then went back to whatever he was working on. The guy was sporting a nice shiner. Nick didn’t feel bad about that at all.
He’d barely sat down when the chief called him into his office. He exhaled, preparing for a lecture on decorum outside the office and how it reflected on the department. Instead, Chief Brown pointed to a seat and closed the door.
“You’re going to want to hear this. I’ve got Special Agent Bartholomew on the line. Let me put him on speaker. Go on, Bartholomew. Benning’s here.”
“Detective Benning, glad you’re there. I was just telling your chief the good news.”
Nick looked questioningly at the chief. “What good news?”
“That information you provided has been instrumental in identifying the key players in the Necromancers. Some of those names weren’t even on our radar, but thanks to you, they are now. Even more importantly, we’ve got a direct line to some possible suppliers on the east coast by connecting a few dots based on your legwork.”
“Glad I could help.”
“We’d like you to come down to our Philadelphia Division for a couple of days if possible. We’re pulling together a task force, and we’d like you to be on it.”
It was a great opportunity; one Nick would be a fool to pass up. He looked at his chief, who was nodding and beaming like a proud papa. “Yeah, sure. When?”
“We convene first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll email you the details.”
“No problem.” Philly was only about two hours away by car. “And thanks.”
“See you tomorrow, Detective.”
Chief Brown disconnected the call, smiling broadly. “I knew hiring you was a good move. But do me a favor, will you? Next time you want to make a point with your fist, do it somewhere a bit more private, eh?”
Nick rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. “Yeah, about that...”
The chief put up his hand to stop Nick from saying anymore. “I heard what happened, and off the record, he had it coming. I had to stop Gail from punching him herself when he came in this morning,” he chuckled, then sobered. “Mack is a damn fine woman, and she sure as hell didn’t deserve that. But I can’t have my men brawling in public, got it?”
“Got it.”
“Good. So... you and Mack, huh?”
Nick grinned. “I’m working on it.”
“You have your work cut out for you.”
“Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”
Sam laughed. “Ain’t that the truth? Gail made me cross hell and high water, but getting a ring on that woman’s finger was the best damn thing I ever did. Now, go bring Galligan up to date on your other cases and prepare for those suits in Philly tomorrow.”
