“I’m checking him out. And I’ll use checking him out to see if it makes his grandfather a little more forthcoming.”
“He pissed you off.”
“That’s affirmative. And I’m going to piss him off right back when I get authority to open the sealeds.”
“I can get that data for you.”
“I’ve already had you do an unauthorized and illegal computer block. Let’s leave our black marks to a minimum.”
“The block may save a life. That’s no black mark. And I can get you some of that sealed data by perfectly legal means. A single ’link call to a source at Allegany who worked on the project. If you want names to run, I’ll get you names.”
“Just a call?”
“Very simple.”
“Then do it.”
“All right, but it’ll cost you.”
Because she recognized the gleam in his eye, she narrowed her own. “Get out. I’m not paying for information with sex.”
“Consider it taking one for the team,” he suggested, and tumbled her into the sleep chair.
By the time she’d paid up, her ears were ringing and every ounce of tension had melted out of her body. It seemed her bones had melted along with it as she discovered when she tried to stand.
She wore only her boots and the diamond pendant he’d once give
n her.
“You know if you hadn’t become a cop, you might have had a future in porn vids. And I mean that in the best possible way. Christ, Eve, you’re a picture.”
“Don’t even think about trying for a second round. I want that data, pal.”
“A deal’s a deal.” He rose, fluidly, wearing nothing but his grin. “Why don’t you order us up a meal of some sort,” he suggested as he started for his office. “I’m starving.”
She watched him go. Talk about pictures, she thought. If she didn’t consider herself on duty, she’d have been tempted to sprint after him, tackle him, and sink her teeth into his really superior ass.
Instead she’d settle for an AutoChef burger.
She leaned down, scooped up her clothes.
“Catch!”
She straightened and, as her arms were full, took the robe he tossed her in the face.
“Might as well be comfortable,” he said. “And oh, darling? I could use a glass of wine.”
Chapter 15
A cheeseburger wouldn’t have been his first choice, particularly with the Savignon Blanc ’55. But it was Eve’s show.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this guy before?”
He watched Eve shake a blizzard of salt over her fries, and winced. “Had your blood pressure checked lately?”
“Just answer the question.”
“You had a lot of irons in the fire, so I took this one. Stiles was bound to be more cooperative with me than with you. As illustrated by the fact that after only minimal grousing, he’s digging through his files and his memory. You’ll have your data by the time we finish this delightfully adolescent meal. More onion rings?”