helpful,” he said, rising. He stuck the pen in his notebook, flipped over the cover, and stuffed the notebook in his coat pocket. “Dr. Hennon—”
“Annie,” she quickly said.
“Annie, thank you for your time.”
He held out his hand and their eyes met.
“I’ve got an hour or so to kill before I meet a friend for dinner,” she said. “Want to grab a drink or two?”
Jesus, Decker thought, two in one hour. He must be coming across lean and hungry. She was a fine looking woman with a very likeable disposition. If he’d met her six months ago, he would have jumped at the opportunity, but now there was Rina. Still he ruminated, there was no harm in one drink; sit and shoot the breeze. But what would be the point? Suppose he liked her and wanted to see her again as a friend. And suppose it led to something more, like casual sex. And suppose he began to enjoy the casual sex. Then he’d have to deal with two women. He knew he was a poor juggler, which meant they’d both inevitably find out and he’d lose everything—Rina and the sex. He’d pledged from the outset to give himself a year with Rina to figure out what was going on. And it had only been four months. Most important, he loved her and she loved him even if they couldn’t show it physically. It was absurd to think of other women when his heart belonged to Rina, but sexual deprivation was beginning to muddle his sensibilities.
He realized he had been silent for an awfully long time.
“Uh, thanks for the offer, but I’ve got to run.”
“What the hell were you thinking about?” Hennon asked. “I’ve had pauses to size me up in bed before, but yours lasted so long you must have been up to the house and kids by now.”
Decker broke into laughter.
“There’s someone else … sort of.”
“Sort of?”
“Well, we’ve got a few differences to work out, but so do all relationships.”
“Then what are your plans for the evening?” she asked.
“Nothing really. I think I’ll go home and pray.”
“Pray? I didn’t figure you for a religious man.”
And Babs hadn’t figured him for a cop. It was a good time for an undercover assignment.
“Well, I don’t really know if you’d call me religious.”
“What religion are you?” she asked.
“I’m not quite sure. I’m Jewish … sort of.”
“Sort of?” She licked her lips and pursed them slightly. He felt a stirring below. Suddenly the months of celibacy seemed like years. Man, he was horny.
“Thanks again,” he said as he moved toward the door.
“Have you always had trouble with commitments, Pete?” she asked.
“Sort of.”
Back home, after working out and grooming the horse, he grabbed a bottle of Dos Equis and picked up the phone. He stood with his hip against the kitchen wall, receiver tucked under his chin, and gulped beer while listening to the ringing on the other end. His ex-wife answered.
Damn!
“Hi, Jan,” Decker said. “Is Cindy around?”
“She’s doing her homework.”
“During Christmas vacation?”
“Well, she’s working on something important.”
“Can I talk to her, please?”
“You know how she doesn’t like to be interrupted when she’s concentrating—”
“I won’t keep her long.”
“It’s late, Pete. It’s after ten.”
“It’s only a quarter to.”
“Well, you still should have called earlier.”
“I did, Jan. No one was home.”
“I was home. When did you call?”
Shit!
“I guess it was around four. Can you put Cindy on, please?”
“Four?” There was a silence. “What was I doing at four? Allen was home at four.”
“Maybe it was a little earlier.”
“Allen’s been home since three.”
“Well, no one answered the fucking phone, Jan.”
There was a pause.
“You just can’t help yourself, can you, Pete?” she said.
He took a deep breath.
“Can I talk to my daughter, please?”
“Hold on. I’ll see how involved she is.”
He heard her shriek Cindy’s name. It was one of her most annoying habits. She’d never enter a room to tell you something. She’d scream the message from wherever she was. Decker heard the extension being picked up.
“Hi, Dad,” Cindy said.
“Did your mother hang up?” Decker asked.
The question was immediately followed by the sound of a slamming receiver. Cindy laughed.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“I just called to say hi.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“You sound upset. Did you have a fight with Rina?”
“No.”
“What is it, Dad? Did you haul in another sixteen-year-old runaway who reminded you of me?”
“For your information, Cynthia, I happen to be working on a very clean case.”
“What kind of case would that be?”
“Some bones that were found in the mountains. We’re trying to identify them.”
“Don’t tell me. They’re the bones of a sixteen-year-old girl.”
He paused.
“You know me too well,” he conceded.
“I’m alive, Dad. I’m alive and healthy. Here, listen
