Either way, he seemed like an excellent man to avoid.
At dusk St. Judes had emptied of the usual tourist tours. In New Orleans cemeteries were notoriously unsafe at night. Row after row of white monuments provided endless hiding places for thieves and muggers waiting to pounce on the unwary. Only foolish or dangerous souls would take a chance and be caught there alone. The woman standing before the narrow gleaming tomb didnt fit either description.
Cade reached her, placed his hands on her shoulders. Carla. She didnt turn; she must have heard his approach. She covered one of his hands with both of hers.
We just got the marker up.
I saw that. It looks good. Silently they both stared at the shiny gold plaque.
Brian Hollister, beloved husband of Carla, father of Benjamin and Richard. Died too young in the line of duty.
He was a good cop, wasnt he, Cade?
The best. There was no doubt in his voice, none in his mind. Hed partnered with Brian since hed made detective four years ago, was godfather to both his children. Hed spent as much time at the Hollister home as he did at his own apartment. And not a day had passed in the past two months that he didnt feel guilty for being alive while his friend lay lifeless in the family vault.
I cant tell you what it means to hear you say that. Carla turned to face him, and he saw the toll the recent weeks had taken on her. Always delicate, the Creole beauty looked as though a good wind would tumble her over. There was no sign of her familiar teasing smile, but the haunted look in her dark eyes struck a chord. He saw the same in his own each time he looked in the mirror.
Have they gotten to you yet, Cade?
He frowned, not understanding her meaning. Has who gotten to me?
Internal Affairs. The venomous tone sounded foreign to her usually soft voice. Theyve been to the house at least three times, most recently yesterday. At first they danced around things, saying how sorry they were about Brian. Then they started asking questions. Had he said where he was going that night, what he was going to be doing? Yesterday they asked if they could go through his things.
Her words seemed to come from a distance. Internal Affairs? Cade tried, and failed, to imagine a positive reason for them to be looking into the shooting. The whole event, as much as he remembered of it, had been laid out in the report hed dictated to the investigating officers. Then her last sentence registered, and her revelation started to take on an even more ominous light. What did they want to look through?
Brians case files. They asked whether he kept notes on any ongoing investigations and I said no. You know Brian left work at work.
What are they looking for?
She gave a harsh laugh. Irregularities is the word they used. Like he was a damn accountant or something. When I press for more information, they clam up. But every time they come around, they get pushier, and one of them threatened to get a search warrant.
Although trepidation was circling in his gut, he made an automatic effort to soothe. Dont worry about it, Carla. Its just I.A. on another wild-goose chase.
She clutched his arm, her fingers biting. I was a policemans wife for eight years. I know what I.A.s all about. Cops hunting other cops. They think Brian was dirty. Theyre investigating him.
Looking into her liquid dark eyes, he couldnt find it in himself to lie to her. What are their names?
Torley and Morrison. Do you know either of them?
He shook his head. But then, he wasnt especially well-acquainted with anyone from I.A. Because of their occupation, the cops he knew had a healthy disdain for that department. Ferreting out corruption in the ranks was a noble enough calling, he supposed, but good cops had a way of getting dragged into their investigations, too. And the taint of an I.A. investigation had stalled more than one police officers career.
Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew his wallet. It took a moment searching the contents before he found what he was looking for. He took out a card and handed it to her. I want you to get in touch with someone at this number. She took the card and looked at it. Its the policemens-rights committee. Tell them whats been going on and then follow whatever advice they give you.
Her jaw set in an expression that was all too familiar. I cant call them, Cade. Itd be like admitting there was substance behind I.A.s interest.
Its an admission that you need help, he retorted, and with I.A. sniffing around, for whatever reason, you do. Call them. Im going to check in tomorrow to make sure you did. Got it? He waited until she gave him a reluctant nod. Good. Gathering her close, he patted her back reassuringly. Dont worry. Itll all turn out to be nothing.
You wont let them smear his memory, will you? For the first time her control seemed to waver. He could feel the tremors working through her body. He was a decent cop. You said so yourself. I dont want my babies growing up thinking otherwise.
The thought of his two dark-eyed godsons had his chest going tight. At three and two, neither of them would recall their father. There would be no memories of ball games and barbecues, or fishing in the bayou. All theyd have, all there was, were pictures and newspaper clippings. And the stories their mother would tell them about their fathers bravery. Living up to a heros legacy could keep the boys on the right track all their lives. And living with a shadow over their name could send them hurtling down the wrong path.
No. The word was torn from him without his conscious permission as he hugged his dead partners widow closer. I wont let them smear Brian.
Chapter 2
Shae, youre needed in I.C.U.
Shae looked up as Tim Pearson, the E.R. supervisor, strode into the examining room. Whats going on?
He shrugged. All I can tell you is that Martin Reeves called down and said to send you up to room six. Were not too busy right now. Ill take over for you here.
He reached for her clipboard, but Shae was slow to relinquish it. What would Martin Reeves, one of the hospital administrators, want with her? Shed rarely had occasion to even speak to the man, but when she did, it was in his office on the sixth floor, not on the intensive-care ward.
Is it about one of my patients?
He tugged lightly at the clipboard, and she released it. He didnt say. Just asked if I could spare you for a few minutes, but youre using that time up pretty rapidly.
Given the number of times shed rejected Pearsons invitations to go out together, she wasnt overly concerned with his brusqueness. He wasnt a man to accept rejection gracefully, but he was professional enough not to let it affect their working together. He was right about one thingthe only way to get her questions answered was to head to I.C.U.
What do we have here? Pearson asked.
A small smile tugged at her lips as she made to leave. A much bigger person wouldnt take a modicum of enjoyment from handing this particular case over to the man who had made such a pest of himself for several months before hed finally given up on her.
But sometimes being small and petty could be so satisfying.
Patient presented with severe pain due to an obstruction, she said blandly.