| The next day dawned at hot as the day before. Bryn was up to her elbows in case files, Harvey was doing his best to avoid looking at her, and Evan had been late. Again. The whole day seemed like a horrible case of déjà vu. Six hours later, they seemed to be no closer to finding their fence. The needle in the haystack was looking more like the search for the Holy Grail. Evan was out on a missing persons call, leaving Bryn and Harvey to look for Littlejohn. Hanging up the phone after yet another fruitless call, Bryn stood and stretched. She’d been chained to her desk for three hours and needed to work the kinks out. Her wandering gaze settled on Harvey’s hunched form, and she decided to see if he’d found anything. Staring at his computer screen, Harvey’s mind wasn’t on what he was seeing. He couldn’t seem to stop thinking about Bryn. It was crazy. He had enough to do without dreaming the day away. He struggled to pull his thoughts back to Littlejohn. He thought he smelled Bryn’s perfume, and shook his head. He really needed to concentrate on his job. “Got anything, yet, Harvey?” Bryn couldn’t help laughing when Harvey nearly jumped out of his skin at her question. “You know, Harv, you really need to cut down on the caffeine.” Holding his hand over his heart, as if to keep it in his chest where it belonged, Harvey reached over to grab the phone when it rang. Talk about being saved by the bell. “Inspector Leek.” Bryn watched as Harvey’s face changed from a look of concentration, to one of amazement and finally to triumph. Smiling, he scribbled something down on a scrap of paper and handed it over. “We’ve got him. Well, maybe. That was Tony B. He seems to think Littlejohn’s renting that apartment under the name of Troy Jacobs. If we stake that place out, we should have the guy in a few days.” “Good work, Harv.” Maybe they could finally, finally wrap this case up. “I’ll make a few phone calls to set it up, if you’ll requisition the surveillance equipment.” “Deal.” Harvey picked up the phone to put in the needed requests. Nash and Joe had most of the on-hand equipment for their case. “I’ll let Evan know what’s going on.” Heading back to her own desk, Bryn had a little more bounce in her step. They were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on this case. Now, if only the stupid heat wave would end. ================================================================== When they pulled up to the building, Evan groaned in dismay. It was a dump. Why could they never pull surveillance in a penthouse? Grumbling about their accommodations, he slid from his truck and headed to the back to help Harvey unload their equipment. Grabbing the telescope case and wireless microphone, Harvey shook his head at his partner’s mumbling. Bryn lifted the recorder and shot Evan a look of annoyance. “Look, Cortez, we’re just here for surveillance. It’s not like we have to live here.“ “Yeah? Well, we will be for as long as it takes to catch this guy. When we do, I’m gonna kill him.“ “Not if I kill you first, Evan.“ Glaring at his partner when Harvey dared to laugh at Bryn’s threat, Evan turned his back on both of them and headed inside. The others followed slowly behind, giving him time to get over his indignation. Smiling to herself, Bryn looked around the rundown apartment. It was pretty dingy, but they had a clear view of the apartment across the street. Remembering what had happened the last time she'd been on surveillance with Evan in a place like this, Bryn laughed quietly. At least she'd gotten a date out of it. She could hear Evan whispering something to Harvey as the two set up the equipment, and felt a twinge of annoyance. They'd been doing that a lot the last few days and it was getting on her nerves. It was as if the two knew something she didn’t, and were afraid to tell her. Again, a twinge of paranoia made her wonder about her position on the team. Bryn caught Harvey's eye and she could swear his face suddenly flushed. Guilt, no doubt. They got the rest of the equipment set up and Harvey planted himself by the tape recorder, earphones in place, blocking out his partners. Bryn settled into the chair by the telescope and got a good view of the apartment across the street. Evan decided to make use of the threadbare couch in the corner. They could feel the tension in the room. Bryn looked up as Evan pulled a few magazines from his bag, and laughed. "Playboy? Evan, you're so immature." "What? My Dad reads Playboy." Thumbing through the first few pages, Evan stopped at the tanned centerfold. "Evan, nobody reads Playboy." "What do you mean, nobody reads Playboy? They've got great-" "Articles. Yeah, so I've heard." Rolling her eyes, Bryn went back to the telescope and ignored Evan's half-hearted protests. She could already tell this wasn’t going to be fun. =================================================================== The camera flashed over and over, as she posed. She lifted her arms over her head, sweeping back her hair, and smiled for the camera. His heart fluttered when she turned her head to look at him. In a few months, he'd open that magazine and see her there. She waved her hand at him, wanting him to join her. Wait…he couldn't pose for that kind of picture. What would everyone think? Sitting up suddenly, he wiped a hand over his eyes, trying to erase the dream. He looked up to see Bryn staring back in concern. Oh, no! What if he'd said something in his sleep? "You okay?" Swallowing the lump in his throat, feeling his racing heart settling down, he nodded with a wan smile. "Yeah. Yeah, just a dream. I'm okay." "You sure?" "Yeah, it was just a dream." "Okay. Must've been some dream." When she didn't receive an answer, Bryn just shrugged and grabbed her jacket. "I'm going out to get us some coffee and breakfast. You two keep an eye on things." "No problem. See you later." As soon as the door shut, he jumped from the couch and headed for his partner. He had to tell him about this latest dream. Holding up his hand, Harvey shook his head. "No, man. I don't even want to hear it." "But, Harv, this one was weird. You've gotta hear about this one." "No! I don't want to know. Just…keep it to yourself and leave me alone." Harvey slipped on the earphone in an attempt to get Evan to go away. It didn't work. Moving the earpiece so Harvey could hear, Evan tried again. "You don't understand, Harv. I was reading those magazines earlier, see, and-" "Evan, stop! I. Don't. Want. To. Hear. It." Punctuating each word with sharp little hand gestures, Harvey tried to make his point. Evan couldn't understand why Harvey was being so stubborn. He'd listened to all the other dreams. Why not this one? "C'mon, Harv. You've gotta help me with this. Why am I having these dreams about Bryn?" "I don't know, brother, but I don't want to hear about them anymore. Ever since you started telling me about these dreams, I haven't been able to stop thinking about her. It's driving me nuts." "You're kidding?" Although he'd been having the dreams about Bryn for about a week, Evan didn't feel a thing for his co-worker during his waking hours. Other than a working relationship, anyway. "No, man. I'm serious." "Well, why don't you say something to her?" "Like what? Hey, Bryn, my partner's been having erotic dreams about you and now I can't get you off my mind? Get serious." "Well, of course you can't say that. She'll kill me." Evan chuckled at Harvey's dark glare. "Okay, okay. Just ask her out to a movie or something." "Evan, she's not going to want to go out on a date with me." "Why not? You sell yourself too short, Harvey. I bet you and Bryn would be great together." "I don't know, Ev. I think I'll just leave well enough alone. No sense in rocking the boat, you know?" "Whatever you say. I think you're making a mistake, though." "Maybe." Settling the earphones back on his ears, Harvey turned back to the recorder, effectively cutting the conversation short. Taking the hint, Evan just shrugged and took his place by the telescope. He knew he was right, though. Bryn would be good for Harvey. ================================================================ Kicking the door with her foot, her hands full, Bryn waited impatiently for someone to open it. When Harvey answered her knock, she thrust a large paper bag in to his arms. "Here, help me with this. You wouldn't believe how many people were getting coffee at this hour of the morning." The three gathered around the rickety table in the center of the room, and Bryn sorted out their breakfast. She still couldn't figure out what had gotten into Harvey and Evan lately. Every time she looked at either of them as she handed out their food and drinks, they'd blush and look away like a couple of schoolboys. They settled down to eat their breakfast and Bryn tried to get them to loosen up. "You guys will never believe the dream I had last night." Reaching for a napkin to wipe off the coffee Evan had just sprayed on her, Bryn frowned in disgust. She watched Harvey in concern as he choked and coughed from his own poorly swallowed coffee. She caught the guilty look the two shared, and decided she didn't even want to know. She didn't know why the mention of a dream would get that kind reaction, but knew enough not to ask. She had a feeling that some questions were better left unanswered. After they’d eaten, they took turns on the telescope, recorder and running back and forth to take care of other cases coming in from the SIU. Several hours later, Evan was out on another robbery investigation, leaving Bryn and Harvey to take care of the surveillance. Not quite sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing, Bryn sat back and blinked a moment. Leaning forward, she pressed her eye to the telescope lens and shouted in triumph. They’d found him. “Harvey, he just went into his apartment. Littlejohn is ours for the taking.” An evil smile on his face, Harvey pulled the earphones off and headed for the door. “Let’s go welcome him, shall we?” “Oh, lets. And if he resists, let’s make it hurt a little.” After more than three weeks of searching, Bryn was more than ready to make the creep pay for their frustration. The two inspectors hurried across the street and up the stairs, bursting into Littlejohn’s apartment after identifying themselves as police officers. The fence had been caught by surprise, but put up a short fight, allowing Bryn to get her wish. After handing Littlejohn over to Ronnie for booking, Harvey looked over at Bryn. She was massaging her knuckles and smiling. Knocking Littlejohn onto his ass had apparently given her immense satisfaction. Harvey figured the bloody nose he got from Littlejohn’s well aimed throw had been worth it. Though, he had to admit the glass paperweight had hurt. Catching his look, Bryn pointed to Harvey’s face. “Nose okay?” “Yeah, nothing broken. Just sore.” “You should learn to duck faster.” Bryn smiled, knowing he’d realize she was teasing. “Yeah, but then you wouldn’t have had the pleasure of clocking him.” “True. It sure felt good.” “Then the pain was worth it.” Chuckling, Harvey sat down at his desk and flicked on his computer monitor. “Let’s get this paperwork done so we can all go home. It’s been a long day.” “It’s been a long three weeks.” Sitting down at her own desk, she smiled at Harvey, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Think we should call Evan and let him know the surveillance is over, or let him figure it out on his own when he goes back to the apartment?” Pretending to think it over, Harvey frowned. “I guess the right thing to do would be to tell him.” “Yeah, but it wouldn’t be as much fun.” ================================================================= They were dancing. The room was dim, lit only by the flickering candles. She was resting her head against his shoulder and he pulled her closer. She smelled so good, and her skin was so soft. It felt so perfect for the two to be standing that way. He smiled at her, then closed his eyes. Opening his eyes with a start, Harvey blinked a few times then groaned. He was home. Alone. Their surveillance had ended that afternoon and he'd come home to get some sleep. He'd had a dream. "Evan! I'm going to kill you.” ==================================================================== “C’mon, Harvey. You have to talk to her, man. This is getting serious.” “Well, it wouldn’t be, if you’d just kept your damn dreams to yourself.” Bracing his elbows on his desk, Harvey dropped his head and ran a hand over his face. Evan was right about one thing, this was getting out of hand. Knowing when to push Harvey and when to back off, Evan just gave his partner‘s shoulder a squeeze. “Listen, brother, if you need to talk about it later, I’ll be at my desk.” “Thanks, Ev. I appreciate it.” There were so many reasons why telling Bryn how he felt, about the feelings that were growing every day, was a bad idea. First, there was the whole dating-in-the-workplace thing. Almost always a disaster. Second, was Harvey’s belief that he honestly wasn’t good enough for her. Though, if he were truthful with himself, he’d realize that he was scared. Just plain scared. He had been hurt, and hurt badly, by the last person he’d loved. He’d given it everything he had, bending over backwards to please her, but still she’d left. Bonnie had left without a word. Just a card on Christmas Eve, saying she was going to stay with her mother. Breaking his heart had been that easy for her. Was he willing to risk that kind of pain again? Nope. Uh-uh. No way. The object of his thoughts walked by yet again, as Bryn made her way back to her desk. Harvey mustered a smile when she casually reached out to pat him on the back as she passed by. When she’d gone, it suddenly registered that Bryn had been doing that a lot lately. It seemed whenever they were together, she was always touching his arm, patting his back or leaning against him. Harvey wondered if she’d been doing that with everyone. Great. As if I need another reason to be watching her all the time. Part of him craved those brief physical contacts. The other wished she’d stop, since it made it that much harder to keep his growing feelings to himself. He sighed and tried to get back to his work. From his own desk, Nash chuckled quietly. He didn’t know what was bothering Harvey, but the sighs were getting more frequent. He didn’t know what had gone on the three weeks he was away on a case, but the resulting tension was starting to concern him. Nash had seriously begun to worry about Evan, shortly after closing the Pastorelli deal. The young man had come in late nearly every morning, looked like he wasn’t getting much sleep, and was getting pretty jumpy. Then inexplicably, two weeks later, suddenly showed up for work as if nothing had ever bothered him. There didn’t seem to be any difference in the way Harvey, Evan or Bryn worked together, so Nash was content to let things play out. For now. He just wished he knew what had happened while he was gone. He hated the feeling of being in the dark. Hearing yet another quiet sigh from Harvey, Nash shook his head and decided to give the man something to distract him. Standing, Nash waved his arm for everyone. "Let's discuss this week's cases boys and girls." Leading the others out to the fan tale, he watched silently as they settled themselves for their morning meeting. Joe went to lean against the railing, Bryn sat on the bench nearest Joe, while Evan and Michelle took the one opposite. Harvey hovered indecisively for a few seconds then settled for sitting on the back of Bryn's bench, feet propped on the seat. Nash wondered what Freud would make of the arrangement. Joe had detached himself from the others, the youngest members had chosen to share one bench, while the two more experienced cops had chosen the other...Harvey somewhat reluctantly. There was definitely something going on under the surface. Shaking away those thoughts, Nash got down to business. "Okay, here's one for Bryn and Michelle. Someone is preying on the prostitutes over near Filbert. You two ladies will go under and see if you can catch the bastard." Handing Bryn a folder, Nash flipped open the cover. "Here's the profile. I know this is probably your least favorite undercover assignment, but I doubt Evan and Harvey would be what our perp is looking for." Laughing at Evan's faked expression of wounded pride, Michelle gave his shoulder a shove. "Nash is right. You definitely aren't what the guy is looking for." "Hey, and I'm profoundly grateful." "Oh, don't worry. They have a dirty job of their own." Nash smiled at the sudden wariness that crept over both Harvey and Evan. "That's right, boys. Court." Rolling his eyes, Evan groaned. "Oh, man. I hate going to court." "Then you're in the wrong profession, bubba." Nash handed Harvey the file in question. "You two made the bust, you get to testify. It actually shouldn't take too long. By tomorrow afternoon, your testimonies should be complete and you'll be back on the street. Oh, and don't forget...don't eat the-" "Meatloaf. Yeah, we know." Smiling ruefully, Harvey put a hand on his stomach. They'd all learned not to eat the meatloaf at the courthouse cafe. Chuckling, Nash remembered his own discomfort the last time he'd eaten there. Thank goodness for Rolaids. "Joe, you and I have the privilege of going over about twenty old cases today and tomorrow." Dropping his head in hands, Joe gave serious thought to going over the rail into the bay. "Somebody just shoot me now." "And leave me with all this paperwork? I don't think so, bubba. Bryn, why don’t you and Michelle run over to Filbert and check it out. See how you want to set up. Harvey-” “Set up the surveillance van for ‘em. I got it, boss.” Nash just smiled. “I love it when my guys are so good, they can read my mind. Okay, let’s get to it.” They trickled back to their desks and Bryn grabbed her keys. As she and Michelle walked down the ramp to the parking lot, they caught sight of Rick Bettina getting out of his sports car. For a brief moment, Bryn hesitated. Sort of like slowing down at the scene of an accident. You don’t really want to look, but morbid curiosity tugs at you. Shaking her head, Bryn continued resolutely to her car. Puzzled, Michelle looked back toward the ferry. “Wasn’t that-?” “Yep. And I don’t even want to be there for whatever it is he’s here for. We can get the scoop from the guys later.” Why do I suddenly get the feeling something bad is about to happen? Shaking off such thoughts, Bryn slid into the driver’s seat of her sedan and shut the door. They’d find out what Rick was up to, but later. ==================================================================== When Bryn and Michelle returned to the ferry, they couldn’t believe their eyes. Rick had taken up residence in the desk behind Michelle’s, and Nash was nowhere to be found. Shrugging in answer to Michelle’s unasked question, Bryn tried to catch Harvey’s eye. When he finally looked up, she raised an eyebrow. Casting a quick glance at Bettina, Harvey got up from his desk and walked over to join the women. Before he could open his mouth to explain, Bettina cleared his throat and held up his hands. “Don’t you have work to do, Leek?” Stifling the nearly overwhelming urge to say the words running through his mind, Harvey plastered an innocent look on his face. “I need Bryn to give me a hand in the surveillance truck.” “Well, hurry up, then.” Stifling his anger, Harvey simply gave Rick a quick nod and practically dragged Bryn out to the parking lot. When they’d both crawled inside the surveillance truck and shut the door, Harvey pushed back his beret and sighed with frustration. “Bettina forced Nash to go on vacation.” “Vacation?” Well, that didn’t sound so bad. “For how long?” “Ten months.” “Ten months?!” Rubbing a hand over his face, Harvey nodded. “Ten months.” “Oh, wow. What is Nash going to do?” “I think the more immediate question is: What are we going to do?” Ten months with Bettina in charge. A saint couldn’t put up with Rick Bettina that long. “Nash said he’d check into it and get back to us.” “Heaven help us. If Nash can’t get someone to overrule Bettina, we’re doomed.” Bryn knew there was no way they could go that long without Bettina screwing up something and causing the unit to get shut down. “I guess we’ll just have to have faith.” Bryn couldn’t help but smile fondly. “Harvey…the eternal optimist. Let’s hope you’re right.” The smile lit up her face, Harvey suddenly realized how close they were and wondered if it was getting warmer, or if it was his imagination. He needed to put some space between them. “We better get back before Bettina decides to dock us the time.” Jumping down behind Bryn, Harvey swung the door shut and took a deep breath. As if life hadn’t become complicated enough, lately. Rick Bettina. ================================================================== “You know, I think this is the first time I’ve actually been happy to get an assignment like this.” Giving a tug at her skirt, Bryn sighed. She hated dressing like a prostitute. Through her earpiece, she heard Michelle’s quiet chuckle. No kidding. At least we’re here and not at the ferry with Bettina. I talked to Nash this afternoon to keep him up to date with what we’re doing, and I think he’s about to lose his mind from boredom. “Yeah, well I think the guys are about to chip in to hire someone to kill Bettina. I can’t believe he forced Nash to take that much time off. It’s crazy.” Bryn eyed the sedan slowing as it approached the corner she where she stood, but it sped up and continued on. Which do you think will finally break down and knock Bettina’s head off? Laughing out loud at the image that popped in her head, Bryn glanced across the street where Michelle sat in the surveillance truck. “I don’t know, but I heard that Harvey attacked the new coffee machine the other day.” More laughter filtered through the earpiece. You’re kidding? I would’ve figured Evan to be the first to crack. “Well, according to Evan, the machine took Harvey’s money for the third time and he just lost it. Evan said he was afraid Harv was going to break his foot. I think something else was already bothering Harvey before the Bettina thing.” I think Bettina’s days are numbered. Nash said he had Harvey “working on something”, but wouldn’t tell me what it was. I get the feeling that whatever it is, it’s slightly illegal. He also said that Joe was switching Rick‘s shoes down a couple of sizes. “That explains why he was limping around the SUI this morning. You gotta hand it to Joe…he’s a devious little bugger.” I sure hope Nash can talk them into overruling Bettina. “You and me, both. Evan said Joe and Harvey are thinking about retiring if Nash doesn’t come back soon. Can you imagine what the SIU would be like with just us, Evan…and Rick Bettina in charge?” Bryn shuddered at the mere thought of that horrible scenario. She felt certain that Michelle was having the same reaction. Don’t even go there. I’ll go back to Auto before I work for Rick Bettina on a permanent basis. “I’ll transfer to Homicide. There’s no way I’ll be able to work for Bettina without killing him.” Her aching feet suddenly reminded Bryn to check her watch. “Hey, isn’t it about time for us to switch?” Those heels getting to you? “Yeah, I think I’m going to need back surgery when this is over with.” Well, I was hoping you’d lose track of time. Head around the corner and I’ll meet you there for the switch. I’ll be glad when this job is over with. “I don’t know. I’m not sure which is worse: pretending to be a prostitute and wearing these damn shoes, or working with Rick.” You have a point, Bryn. Maybe we should be counting our blessings. A sudden thought made Michelle smile. Hey, wanna start a pool on when Nash gets rid of Rick? “You’ve got a devious mind, Michelle. Yeah, I’m in. We’ll have to make sure we get the guys in on this, too. That may be the only way I’ll get the twenty bucks back that Evan owes me.” I bet Evan would pay you twenty dollars to keep Nash from hearing that tape I have. “Michelle…I like the way you think.” Oh, yeah. Bryn was really starting to like the new addition to their team. ================================================== Looking at the two men at the end of the bar, Bryn didn’t think she’d ever seen a more depressed-looking pair than those two. Nudging Michelle, she pointed to the bar and led the way through the crowd of customers. Most of the patrons were cops or firefighters, and she nodded to several familiar faces. Sitting on the stool next to Harvey, Bryn almost laughed at the forlorn look on his face. Things must really be getting bad. “C’mon, sailor, I’ll buy you a drink.” “Hey, Bryn.” Harvey tried to dredge up a smile, but failed. “Sorry, it’s just been the day from hell. I don’t know how much longer I can take it.” Looking over at Michelle, who’d taken the seat next to Evan, Bryn frowned. Things were worse than they thought. “What happened today?” Evan snorted in disgust and looked up from his beer. “Rick’s an ass.” Smiling, Michelle got the bartender’s attention and ordered another round. “Tell us something we don’t know, Evan.” “Well, he can’t seem to remember our names and he accused us of stealing his pen.” “I know where I’d like to stick that pen.” Grumbling to himself, Harvey ran a finger through the water ring left by his now-empty beer bottle. Chuckling softly, Evan grinned at Bryn and Michelle. “Rick told Harv he has to wear a suit from now on. Apparently, Rick’s mother complained about Harvey’s…uh…wardrobe.” Bryn was slightly stunned. They were undercover inspectors and were supposed to dress to blend in with the general population. Though she’d be the first to admit Harvey looked good in a suit, okay…great in a suit, if she were to be honest, but it just wasn’t him. “You’re kidding?” Heaving a sigh, Harvey shook his head angrily. “No, he’s serious. That momma’s boy has got to go. If I hear Leeks or Cordova again, I’m going to knock him on his-” “We get the idea, Harvey.” Michelle hadn’t realized things were quite so bad. “How’s the new guy doing?” Evan shrugged. “Joe’s the one that’s been working with him, really. He says Birdsong’s a great cop, but not exactly a conversationalist.” “How’s it going with the shoes?” That actually brought a slight smile to Harvey’s lips. “Joe’s got him down to a size 9. Rick’s hobbling around like he has tacks in his shoes.” “Yeah, it’s a beautiful sight.” Evan’s smile was slightly evil. “Keep the faith, guys. Nash’ll think of something.” Hearing the echo of his earlier words to Bryn, Harvey smiled. “Well, hopefully what I gave him today will help.” Intrigued, the others waited for him to elaborate. Seeing the others staring at him, Harvey shrugged apologetically. “Sorry guys, trade secret. I can’t tell anyone or Nash and I might get into hot water.” Determined to find out what they’d been up to, Bryn leaned against Harvey, laying her head on his shoulder. Smiling, she gave him a pleading look. “Please tell us, Harvey. We need a little hope right now. Please?” The look that passed over Harvey’s expressive face had Michelle almost laughing. It was a cross between panic and tenderness. Now she realized what had Harvey behaving so strangely the last couple of weeks. Exchanging a look with Evan, she realized he’d known all along. She couldn’t wait to talk to Bryn. Looking like a deer caught in the headlights, Harvey couldn’t decided whether to put some space between himself and Bryn, or hold her closer. He finally just settled for slipping his hands into his pockets. “Okay, but you have to promise to keep it to yourselves.” Bryn smiled in triumph. “We promise. Spill it.” “I hacked into personnel and got a copy of Rick’s file. Nash is hoping to find something there that he can…uh…use. I also got him a copy of the regs book. I guess turnabout’s fair play.” “Oh, let’s hope so.” Bryn couldn’t wait for things to get back to normal. Standing a little straighter at the news, Evan laughed. “Hey, wanna start a pool on when Nash gets rid of Bettina?” ================================================================== Shivering slightly in her skimpy outfit, Michelle let her eyes scan the street. “It’s cooling off tonight.” Yeah, I wish we’d thought to bring jackets or something. Oh, well, hindsight’s 20/20. Remembering what had happened at the bar the night before, Michelle laughed softly. “Hey, Bryn, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Oh, yeah? Bryn’s voice sounded slightly wary. “What do you think of Harvey?” Harvey? Why? “Just curious. Come on, what do you think of him?” Well, he’s smart, eccentric, sweet. Why? Shaking her head, Michelle marveled at how two highly intelligent people could be so clueless. “Okay, let me rephrase the question. How do you feel about him?” Why do you want to know? Bryn was definitely more than a little curious about the direction this conversation was going. Michelle sighed in frustration. “You’re not going to answer my question, are you? Okay. I think I know what’s been bothering Harvey for the last few weeks.” What? “I think he’s in love with you.” Come on; be serious. “I am being serious. You should’ve seen his face last night. I think Evan knows how Harvey feels about you, too.” Stunned, Bryn had to concede that it did make a certain sense, and explained the two men’s behaviors. Wow. I can’t believe it. “Why is it so hard to believe? You’re both intelligent, attractive people and you at least have your job in common. The question is: how do you feel about Harvey?” When she contemplated the possibility, Bryn realized she liked the thought. Harvey was just the kind of guy she was looking for. He was intelligent, funny, and the sweetest guy you’d ever meet. She’d been attracted to him the first day they started working together at the SIU, but he’d been married then. With a start, she realized she’d never really completely pushed away those feelings. “Bryn?” I wonder why he never said anything to me? “He’s probably afraid you won’t feel the same way. Do you?” Yeah. Yes, I think I do. “So, what do you do now?” I think I’ll wait a little while and see what he does. Maybe he’ll break down and make the first move. Although she hadn’t spent much time with Harvey, Michelle was fairly certain he wouldn’t. “Hey, want to take a bet on when he cracks?” Laughter filtered through her earpiece. You’re just one of the gang, now, aren’t you? Yeah. I say he says something in ten days. “You’re on.” ================================================================= When Bryn and Michelle reported for the beginning of their shift the next afternoon, they couldn’t believe it. As soon as they stepped onto the ferry, it was like walking into a party. Music was playing while everyone danced around, laughing. Once she’d recovered from her initial shock, Bryn finally realized what was missing. Bettina. Rick was gone, the time clock was smashed and hanging by a few wires and the coffee maker was back. Seeing the guys huddled around it, Bryn hurried over, Michelle right behind her. “Nash, is he really gone?” Flashing a 100 watt smile, Nash laughed. “Oh, yeah. Bettina is back at the Hall of Justice, where he belongs. I’m here to stay.” “Oh, thank goodness.” Bryn wondered what favors Nash had to cash. “How’d you do it?” “Well, thanks to a hacker…who shall remain nameless…and a book of regulations, I discovered that Rick owed the department quite a few years worth of holidays. I guess you could call it blackmail, but I call it justified.” Knowing exactly who the hacker was, Bryn and Michelle both reached over to slap Harvey on the back. Nash raised an eyebrow then chuckled at Harvey’s expression of guilt. “Don’t worry, bubba, they would’ve figured it out.” Waving his arm, Nash gestured for the team to follow him outside, where it was quieter. “Okay, I’ve been through Bettina’s desk and all I can say is we got rid of him in the nick of time. There were several cases buried under paperwork that need immediate attention.” Nobody was surprised that this discovery, evidenced by the rolling of eyes from all of them. Smiling, Nash just nodded his silent agreement. “A couple called two days ago about being approached over internet by a man offering them a baby. They have been trying to adopt for three years, and the man said he had a child they could adopt right away…for a fee. The meeting is supposed to take place tonight, and we need to substitute our own couple.” Seeing the glance exchanged between Harvey and Bryn, Nash raised his hand. “Sorry, guys, but I need Evan and Michelle for this one. The Parkers are…younger. Harvey, you’ll cover Bryn on the Filbert stakeout. Sorry, Bryn. It’s just for this one night.” Neither protested, but Nash could tell Harvey and Bryn were less than thrilled by the news. It would be a long night for them both, but it couldn’t be helped. “Joe, you and I will be with Evan and Michelle. I can’t believe Bettina dead-lettered this case.” “I can.” Joe had ceased to be surprised by anything Rick Bettina did. “Well, he shouldn’t be a problem for us, anymore. I hope. Let’s get rolling, guys.” Watching the others head back inside, Harvey and Bryn hesitated. That was twice Michelle had been given the better assignment, and Bryn couldn’t help but feel another twinge of paranoia. She shot Harvey an annoyed frown and he simply shrugged. Obviously, she wasn’t the only one bothered by the situation. =================================================================== “Harvey, you think I’m being replaced?” What? Why would you think that? Bryn was slightly reassured by the incredulity she heard in Harvey’s voice. She shifted her weight to her other foot, once again cursing the spiked heels she was forced to wear while walking up and down the street. “I don’t know. I guess it’s just because Michelle’s been getting the plum assignments, and I’m stuck walking the street.” Bryn, no way could Michelle ever take your place. Trust me. “That’s sweet, Harv, but-” But me no buts. Michelle’s good, but she’s not half the cop you are. “Yeah, but she’s a lot more techno-savvy than I am, and she’s younger.” Being younger just means she has less experience, and being techno-savvy didn’t do me any good tonight, did it? “You got me there, Harvey. Hey, this one looks like he fits our profile.” A dark blue van pulled up to the curb and the driver leaned across to roll down the passenger side window. Bryn sashayed over and leaned against the door. “You looking for a date?” Before she could react, the side door slid open and a pair of hands reached out and pulled her inside. The door slammed shut and the van took off. Bryn only prayed Harvey was right behind them. Having heard the whole thing, Harvey scrambled into the driver’s seat, pulled out and followed when the van took off around the corner. He could still hear everything being said. Just be still or I’ll cut your throat. It’ll all be over soon. For you, anyway. Harvey’s knuckles turned white from squeezing the steering wheel so hard. His heart pounded with the fear that he’d lose the van and something would happen to Bryn. He vowed that he would talk to Bryn about how he’d been feeling, if he could just get her out of that mess alive and unharmed. Thankfully, the only sounds he heard over Bryn’s wire were the occasional lewd comments from her abductors. Apparently they planned to wait until they got to wherever they were going before assaulting her. Harvey had called in for backup, and kept a running commentary on their route. When they ended up in a narrow alley behind a condemned hotel building and he heard Bryn comment about the van stopping, Harvey passed the alley and pulled the surveillance truck to a crooked stop. Pausing only long enough to give dispatch his location, Harvey jumped from the truck and ran to the corner of he building, drawing his gun. Peeking around the corner, he could just see the shadowy outlines of the three people going inside. As soon as they disappeared into the hotel, Harvey bolted for the door. He pushed the door open enough to peer inside, then stepped through. He could hear the echoing footsteps and followed the sound. He stepped into a large room stacked here and there with old, broken furniture. Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, Harvey darted behind a pile of desks and headboards. Everything happened at once. Due to Bryn’s wire, he heard everything from the earpiece and as it actually happened. There was a thud of flesh hitting flesh then a yelp of pain and surprise. A bellowed shout and a gunshot followed. Harvey stood up, yelled for them to freeze and took a step. Immediately after hitting the guy holding her with her elbow, Bryn dodged behind a large pillar and tried to find cover. A bullet ricocheted too close to her for comfort. She heard Harvey’s shout and peered around the pillar to see where he was. She’d known Harvey would be there to back her up. The man she’d hit was on the ground, holding his hands to his bleeding and broken nose, but the second assailant was quick. As soon as he heard Harvey’s shout, he whipped around, spotted the cop and fired off a shot. Bryn watched as Harvey lurched and fell behind a stack of furniture. “Harvey!” Numb, Bryn grabbed the small backup gun from its holster on her thigh. “S.F.P.D! You take one more step and I drop you right here. I just might do that anyway, so do yourself a favor. Drop the gun, get down on your knees and put your hands behind your head.” For a moment, it looked like the guy wasn’t going to listen to her, but he finally dropped the gun and did as she said. Carefully, weapon still ready, Bryn came up behind him. She reached into a pocket for a couple of plastic ties and quickly bound the two men. Taking a steadying breath, Bryn hurried over to where she’d seen Harvey fall. As she came around the pile of broken wood, Bryn was afraid of what she’d find. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Harvey’s still form. She dropped down beside him and searched frantically for the bullet wound. Moaning softly, Harvey raised a hand to his head and blinked open his eyes. Seeing the worried face of Bryn hovering over him, he managed a shaky smile. “You okay?” “Am I okay? It’s you I’m worried about. Where’d he hit you?” The smile dropped from his face, replaced by an angry frown. Sitting up slowly, Harvey reached behind him and picked up a broken chair leg. Giving it a disgusted look, he hurled it a few feet away. “That moron missed me by a mile. I stepped on that damn chair leg and fell. Must’ve hit my head on something; it sure hurts. I can’t believe I did something that stupid.” When he glanced back up at Bryn, he couldn’t quite read her expression. “Bryn? Bryn, are you okay? Those guys didn’t hurt you, did they? Man, I’m so sorry. It was a stupid thing to do.” He was completely unprepared when Bryn suddenly leaned forward to hug him like her life depended on it. This time, sensing she was upset, he wrapped his arms around her and returned the embrace. Twenty minutes later, Harvey slipped his notebook back in his pocket and watched as the patrol car carrying the two suspects pulled out of the alley. Slipping off his jacket, he walked over and draped it over Bryn’s bare shoulders. It was getting cooler, and the tank top she wore wasn’t going to do much to keep out he chill. The jacket was warm from Harvey’s body heat, and Bryn smiled her thanks. Looking up into his concerned face, she gave in to a sudden impulse and reached out to touch the white streak at Harvey’s forehead. Remembering his vow, encouraged by Bryn’s touch, Harvey gathered up his nerve. “Bryn, would you…maybe…I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want, but…sometime…maybe like to have dinner or something?” The words stumbled and stuttered before coming out in a rush and Harvey waited nervously for her response. He hoped he hadn’t just ruined a perfectly good friendship. Wrapping the white curl around her finger, Bryn smiled into his worried blue eyes. “I’d love to, Harvey.” Letting out a relieved sigh, Harvey returned her smile. “We have a lot to talk about.” “Yes, we do. It sure took you long enough to say something.” Suddenly remembering her bet with Michelle, Bryn laughed. “Actually, you didn’t wait long enough. I lost the bet.” Narrowing his eyes, Harvey looked at her with suspicion. “What bet?” “It’s a long story, Harvey. How ‘bout I explain it to you over coffee?” As they walked back to the surveillance truck, eagerly anticipating the hot coffee waiting for them back at the SIU, Harvey was struck by a sudden thought. “Hey, Bryn? Uh, what do you think of the Grateful Dead?” Her laughter echoed down the empty street, joined shortly by Harvey’s rueful chuckle. END ========================================================== Author’s note: That thing with Bettina’s car…those things actually happened to our family minivan when I was in high school. Except it wasn’t done on purpose.<G> You’d lock the doors, take a couple of steps and hear them unlock. The windows were funky, too. You never knew when they were going to roll up or down. That van was so full of gremlins, we finally got rid of it.(LOL) |
 |
 |
 |