There are no guarantees in this business. A.J. slipped his hand inside his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper. Heres a number where you can reach me at any hour. The lines secure. After he pushed the note across the tabletop, A.J. leaned back and rolled his shoulder. His mouth tightened with a wince of pain.
Still stiff? Josh knew A.J.s wound from the Pittmon bust two months ago had done some muscle damage that would be slow to heal. The fact one of the precincts best undercover men was out of commission was probably one reason Josh had gotten this assignment. That, and his youthful, wrinkle-free smile.
A little. When the weathers about to change, it gets worse. He shrugged his good shoulder. Im not used to sitting on the sidelines.
Dont worry. Ill call you if I need some backup.
You better. I dont want to have to explain you getting hurt to anyone in your family. A.J. pulled a stocking cap over his head and stood. Got any personal messages you want to send out?
Josh considered the request. Tell Ma hi and that Im okay. She worries.
A.J. nodded. Where does she think youve been these past few weeks? Lying on the beach with some sweet young thing?
An unexpected image of Rachel Livesay popped into his head. With those kissable lips and expressive green eyes, his psych professor was sweeter than any young thing hed seen waltz by this table or anyplace on campus. Hed dated a lot of women in his time. But never anyone more than a couple of years older than him, and never anyone who was pregnant.
He wasnt quite sure how to explain his fascination with the older woman. Maybe it was the fact that shed been distressed over her run-in with David Brownand for an instant afterward, theyd connected. Hed waited in that hallway to scope out David. But hed stayed because Rachel had needed him. Shed needed somebody. At least, hed thought she needed a friend. And hed been more than ready to volunteer his services.
Josh? A.J. snapped him out of his illicit imaginings and back to the present. Nah. I told Ma I was at a training seminar in Jefferson City.
With some sweet young thing.
Right.
The two men shared the hearty laughter of acquaintances becoming friends.
But A. J. Rodriguez wasnt the best in the business for nothing. For a moment, the seasoned undercover operative with all those years of experience crept into his expression. Be careful, Josh. This isnt the kind of work where you can afford to lose your focus. Wherever your head was a few moments ago, dont go there again. Thats the kind of distraction that can blow your cover and get you killed.
An instant later, the street-savvy college kid was back in place. A.J. grinned. Take care, man. They touched fists in what passed for a handshake. Call me at that number to set up a meeting tomorrow. Let me know what you find out tonight.
Will do.
After A.J. left, Josh stirred his coffee again, trying not to compare its color to the rich sheen of Rachel Livesays hair. Avoid the distraction of the good doctor? Right. That should be easy enough to do.
All he had to do was imagine the unknown father of her child. The man who had the right to take her in his arms and comfort her.
RACHEL PULLED her bright red, rolled-brim hat down over her ears and stepped out into the cold. Though her body temperature had increased in the past few weeks of her pregnancy, she and her wool coat were still no match for the cold, whipping wind that stirred up the snow from the ground and pitched the tiny, icy flakes into her face.
After her water-aerobics workout and a dinner of salad and breadsticks from a local Italian restaurant, she headed for her brownstone condo just off the Plaza in southwest Kansas City.
But instead of turning in for a night of reading in front of the TV, shed backed out of her doorway and retraced her steps to her car. She just couldnt shake the feeling of being watched. The sensation of unseen eyes learning which condo belonged to her. The unsettling quiet that, instead of offering respite and reassurance, taunted her with the realization that shed be alone for the night. Completely and utterly alone.
Despite the protests of her weary body, shed locked the door and drove back to campus. At least there shed find plenty of people aroundstudying at the library, attending night classes and departmental meetings, going to play rehearsals and music practices.
But when the night janitor had checked her office to see why the light was still on, shed joked about losing track of the time. Shed spent the evening grading makeup papers and editing her mid-term exam. But eventually, her babys needs spoke louder than her own misgivings. She needed to get home. Maybe splurge on cookies with her nightly glass of milk. She needed to sleep.
As busy as the campus had been at seven oclock, by midnight the place was nearly deserted. The bitter weather had chased all but the heartiest of souls inside.
Rachels teeth chattered and she hugged her arms across the top of her belly, trying to retain her body heat. Snow and cold and damp air were nothing new to a Kansas City winter. They were nothing new to her. But by the time she reached the stand of streetlights bordering the faculty parking lot, she was puffing out quick, tiny clouds of air that warned her that the babys round head was pushing against her diaphragm and impeding her ability to breathe deeply.
The baby was also sitting on her bladder. Shed used the facilities before leaving her office, but now she felt like she had to go again! Feeling cold, feeling damp, feeling miserable, Rachel hurried her pace and cut straight across the empty parking lot toward her car.
But she pulled up short and stuttered to a stop when she saw her left rear tire. The blowing snow had drifted around the wheels, but there was no mistaking the distinct lean from the hood to the trunk.
She had a flat tire.
Rachel cradled her belly and jogged the last twenty feet. The tire was flat. Definitely flat.
At midnight. In winter. When she was bone-tired and had to pee.
Damn. She tipped her head to the curtain of snow swirling in the circle of light from the streetlamp overhead. Double damn.
Then she looked down and rubbed her tummy, apologizing for the frustrated outburst. You didnt hear that.
She looked around for options, pushed back her glove and checked the time, breathed in and checked the temperature. She could phone a tow truck and pay the extra charges for a nighttime call. Shed have to walk back to the building and wait or else shed freeze. She could call campus security to wait with her until she could leave.
Or she could handle the situation herself.
Strengthening herself with a mental resolve, she unlocked the car and tossed her bag inside. Were going to be on our own for a long time, sweetie, she explained to her unborn daughter. We might as well practice fending for ourselves now.
But by the time shed dug out the jack and the spare, she was breathing hard. Quick, shallow breaths in and out through her mouth. The baby kicked to protest the strenuous exercise, catching Rachel beneath a rib, forcing her to stop and clutch her side until the pain subsided.
But then she resumed her work, jacking up the car as quickly and efficiently as the numbing tips of her fingers through her gloves would allow.
Shed unloaded the jack and had the hubcap off and a couple of lug nuts loosened, before she realized she had company. Three figures, watching her from the shadows like snow wraiths. And then she understood what was really going on. An icy chill shimmied down her spine.