Quinn - Iris Johansen [19]
“Friend to friend?” Eve repeated.
He smiled and nodded slowly. “As long as you realize that it’s always a friend’s privilege to say no.”
“Of course.” She closed her eyes again. “It would be unfair to think anything else.”
But it would be hard to say no to Eve. Even if he thought that to refuse her might be the best thing for her. “I’m glad that you have such a keen appreciation for justice.”
“I do. But I’ll still phone you tomorrow…”
* * *
“YOU’VE HAD THREE CALLS.” Sergeant Castro looked up as Joe came into the squad room the next afternoon. “Two from Washington, one from Eve Duncan. They all want you to call them back.” He made a face as he handed Joe a slip with numbers on it. “I have other things to do than act as your secretary, Quinn. Where have you been?”
“I was at that park where Bonnie Duncan disappeared. Sorry.”
The calls from the Washington office were from Jenny Rudler and Rick Donald. He had no need to return them. It would be Jenny making contact and trying to inveigle her way into the investigation. Rick Donald would have been sly and a little gloating to discuss what he’d told Eve about Joe.
The call from Eve?
He knew what that was about, too.
And he’d been weighing his decision for the greater part of the day.
He stared at the message for a long moment.
Then he turned on his heel and strode out of the squad room.
CHAPTER
4
“CASTRO SAID YOU WANTED to see me.” Slindak gazed curiously at the huge pile of reports on the table beside the copy machine. “What are you photocopying? I could have had someone do it for you.”
“I wanted to do it myself.” Joe turned to face him. “I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to talk to you.”
“Yeah?” Slindak had picked up one of the sheets. “Kenny Lemwick’s missing person’s report.”
Joe nodded. “And I have the other reports on the other children. I’m making copies of all of them.” He paused. “I’m going to give them to Eve Duncan to do a comparison check.”
Slindak stiffened. “What the hell?”
“You heard me. I’m going to have her assist in the investigation.”
“Are you crazy?”
It was no more than Joe expected. “She’s smart, dedicated. I believe she could give valuable input.”
“Her kid could be one of those victims. You’re asking for trouble. I don’t know how your superiors at the FBI feel about family involvement in an investigation, but I could get fired for it if I got caught doing anything that nutty.”
“They wouldn’t like it either. That’s why I’m being up-front with you.” He stared him in the eye. “If you want to report me to protect your ass, do it now.”
“I’d rather talk you out of it.” Slindak scowled. “But I’m not going to be able to do that, am I?”
“No way.”
“Dammit, why ?”
“Eve Duncan has the best reason in the world to find the man who caused those kids to disappear. She’ll do a good job.”
“But that’s not the real reason, is it?” Slindak’s eyes were narrowed on Joe’s face. “You’re not the man I knew in the service. You’ve always been a loner. There’s no way you’d have taken on a partner, not even me. And breaking the rules and involving the mother of a victim? Not in a thousand years.”
“People change.”
“I can see how she’d arouse your sympathy, but there’s a reason for those rules against fraternizing with family members. There are not only the legal ramifications, but their emotional state leads them to act irrationally, and the department might—” He stopped and gave a low whistle. “But you’re not just sorry for her, are you? You’ve got a thing for her. You’re doing this to get her into bed.”
Joe wished it was that simple. “No.” He ran another report through the copier. “I’d be very stupid to think that she’d hop into bed with me because I’m letting her help with the investigation. You’ve met her. You know what kind of person she is.”
“I know she’s desperate. I think she’d do anything to find that kid.”
So did Joe. He was