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.Liam didn t ask questions as he rummaged in the bags inthe backseat.He handed Nick his badge.Nick slid it onto his belt where it belonged. Okay, Iwant you to walk right up to the front door and stand therewatching me like you re impatient, okay? Liam nodded and popped the handle on his door, lurchingout of the car and slamming the door without even offeringa smart-ass comment.Nick got out and strolled toward thepolice sedan, one hand in his pocket so it pushed his jacketback and displayed his badge.He could only hope the shapeand make of the Boston shield was similar to that of GreatFalls.He had no idea what theirs looked like.When he got closer to the two cops, he took his handout of his pocket and waved, covering the blatant Boston PDwritten on his badge with his jacket.The driver rolled his window down as Nick slowed. Canwe help you, Detective? Detective Sullivan, how you doing? Nick bent so hewas at eye level with both men.The two men looked at eachother, then back at Nick. New in town, Detective? the driver asked. First week here, Nick said with a wide grin. Moveddown from Boston Robbery/Homicide.New everything,still getting lost at every turn. Both cops gave him knowing smiles.The passenger,though, turned his head to watch Liam, who had stomped upthe walkway to the Burns residence and was observing Nickwith his hands on his hips.He had a badge on his belt, though137 Nick had no idea where he d gotten it.Nick looked over athim and sighed. Still.working out the kinks on the partner too. That got more genuine laughs from both men, and Nickbreathed a little easier. We got tossed this one this morning, I saw you sittinghere, wanted to come touch base, make sure we re not steppingon any toes.This your case? The driver groaned and rubbed his eyes. There s nothinghere to investigate, sir.Owner s a widow.Husband wassome big shit in the FBI, got himself killed last year.We rebabysitting, here.Sergeant s orders.Round the clock til thelady feels safe. Understood.We won t be long.I ll see what I can doabout some coffee, huh? You got my vote, Detective, the driver said, grinning.Nick pounded his fist on the roof of their car, giving themboth a wink before he sauntered away. What the hell, mate? Liam said under his breath assoon as Nick came close.Nick shrugged. You said it yourself, we couldn t sneakpast them. Brazen idiot. There was a hint of pride in Liam s voice ashe spoke, though. Are they legit? I think so, yeah.Just the department looking after thewidow of a high-profile politician. Nick eyed Liam up anddown, then pushed his coat aside to get a look at his badge.Itwas plastic. Junior firefighter? No one ever looks at a badge, come on, Liam huffed,then knocked on the door.When a woman answered, peering around the slit inthe door, Nick held up his badge and then slid it back on138 his belt, keeping the words covered with his gloved fingers. Mrs.Burns? Laura Burns? Yes? I m Detective Black, and this is my partner, DetectiveDecker.Do you have a few minutes, ma am? Of course.This is about the robbery? Yes, ma am, may we come in? Liam asked.He hadassumed an accent and was giving Nick a sideways glare.She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and nodded,stepping to the side to usher them through the entry into amassive foyer.Nick stopped just inside, glancing around.There was a massive picture of Richard Burns, his wife, andtwo cocker spaniels above a table near the stairs.Nick staredat it, at the eyes of the man he d killed, trying to find an ounceof regret in him.He couldn t manage it.The click of the door brought his attention back to Laura,and the sound of those cocker spaniels yapping somewherein the house had his hair standing on end.He put on theprofessional, sympathetic smile he d perfected over his yearson the job. Can you tell us what happened? Nick thought he heard her sniff, but she kept a stoicexpression. I was out of town, but the neighbor saw the lightsof a flashlight through the window and called the police. What was stolen? Liam asked. Nothing.The patrolmen came before they could getinto it. Liam raised an eyebrow. Into.what? The safe.I ll show you. She turned and gestured forthem to follow, leading them into the formal dining room,where the hardwood floors had been ripped up and a safe inthe floor had been exposed.139 Nick and Liam circled the safe.The floors had beenpulled up with a tool, but underneath were hinges wherea section was supposed to lift with ease.If the robbers hadknown the safe was under there, why hadn t they knownhow to open the door to it? He realized that if the burglarshad been interrupted and hadn t gotten into the safe, thepatrolmen stationed outside made sense. Standard B rating, polyethylene casing, drill-resistanthardplate, Liam murmured. Combination lock plus digitalkeypad.Wouldn t take long to get past those bolts. Nick staredat him until Liam met his eyes.He blinked a couple times andthen looked at Burns s widow as if he was just realizing whathe d said. Not long for a trained thief, of course. She smiled politely, but her frown returned when sheexamined the safe. Ma am, what was kept in this safe? Nick asked. I don t know.I didn t even know it was there. Pardon? My late husband worked for the FBI.He.must havehad it installed to protect something from work, because henever mentioned it.We have a safe in the master bedroomupstairs for valuables, so I don t know why he needed another. I see.Who, besides your husband, might have known hehad this safe? She shook her head, playing with a tiny gold charmaround her neck. He wasn t very close to many people.Hisoldest friend was a man he was in the Marines with.EarlGrady.And he never spoke about work when he came home.The only name I ever heard him say more than in passing wasa man named Jack Tanner.He went through the academywith Richard.He came to dinner now and then [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]