Collision Force (3 page)

“What?”

“I have some leads to follow up on.”

“Wait.
What?
Where are you going?” Andi’s voice rose with each word. He flashed another grin and disappeared from the CID room.

Chapter Two

“Son of a bitch.” Andi was torn between going after him and sitting at her desk, working on her own. What a pompous ass! She refused to go to the chief and complain. He’d told her to work with Cole Lucas, and work with him she would.

Andi hurried out of the room, muttering a few more choice words about Special Agent Cole Lucas. The hallway was empty, but he couldn’t have gone far. She would head him off at the pass.

She scanned the parking lot. The only vehicle that seemed out of place was a Dodge Challenger, the most conspicuous shade of blue in the world. She rolled her eyes. Didn’t it figure the FBI ass would drive something flashy? He wasn’t in the car, but she wasn’t about to let him ditch her.

The blue monstrosity wasn’t locked. She slipped into the passenger seat, pulling the seatbelt on and fastening it with a click. Andi had no problem waiting him out. She would show him who was boss.

A clean, masculine scent tickled her nose. Pleasant, and all him, but she tried to ignore it. Andi didn’t want to have even one positive thought about Special Agent Cole Lucas. No doubt he was convinced he was sexy. Not even a million dollars would get her to admit any reaction to him—even if she did have one, which she most certainly
did not
.

The conceited ape came sauntering out of the PD several minutes later, a steaming cup in hand.

He saw her in his car and gave a hoot of laughter. He said nothing for a moment, just slipped into the driver’s seat, humming. Cole smiled and set his coffee gently in the cup holder. Andi remained silent, but she was seething.

“I’ve got to hand it to you, Andi. You’ve got balls.”

“
Excuse
me?” she demanded. “Obviously, this is some kind of game to you,
Agent Lucas
. But this is not a game to me. My partner got shot. There have been two people gunned down. We have nothing. I realise that we’re not New York City, or wherever the
hell
you come from, but this city means something to me, and I have a job to do, with or without you.”

A low whistle filled the car and Andi almost lost it again. She was about to open her mouth to tell him off, but he spoke.

“This is not a game to me,” Cole said.

She raised an eyebrow. “Then prove to me you can take something seriously.”

“You have absolutely no idea what I can take seriously.” His tone mirrored hers for the first time.

Good
. She didn’t care if he was angry with her. “Then
tell
me, for God’s sake! We’re supposed to be working
together
.”

“Eighteen months. Eighteen months and three states. That’s how long I’ve been working this case.
That
is what I can, and
do,
take seriously.”

Andi pondered his outburst and the passion that flared in his steel gaze. He
did
give a damn about this case. “Then perhaps a new set of eyes may help your outlook on things,” she said softly.

“Perhaps,” Cole allowed, cocking his head to the side. He stared.

Her heart skipped a beat, which she promptly ignored. “Where to first?” Andi asked to take the focus off her.

“I’d like to see the place your partner got shot.”

“Why? Crime Scene has already been through everything. Details were all in my report.”

“
I
haven’t been through it.” His eyes narrowed.

“So my guys don’t know what they’re doing?” Andi snapped. Cole’s silence was answer enough as to his opinion. “Dammit,” she muttered. She hadn’t got anywhere with him after all.

“What was that?”

She didn’t answer him. The SOB really did think he was better than her whole department. “Fine. It’s not far, I’ll show you. Let’s go.”

Cole nodded as he started the car.

* * * *

The rest of the day proved more frustrating than fruitful. Andi and Cole had shouted at each other several more times. Chief Martin had given her orders, but working with Cole had to be a mission from God. The man had to be the most stubborn, pig-headed jerk she’d ever met. He wouldn’t listen to her at all. She was an adult, a professional detective, and she’d covered all bases in her report. Why did Cole have so many
other
questions?

After several phone calls and following an empty lead that took them away from, instead of towards, the warehouse district, Andi was done. No warehouse at all. Running in circles with him was getting them nowhere.
What a waste of a day
.

She couldn’t get past Cole’s
interrogation
regarding what had happened that night. Guilt already chewed at her gut. She didn’t need it from the FBI ass, too. Andi was just as angry the bastard had got away. But, like her partner, she hadn’t got a good look at him.

“Just take me back to the station, please,” she demanded as darkness approached, adding ‘please’ as an afterthought. “I have to get home, it’s getting late.”

“Police work doesn’t stop because the sun goes down,” Cole said, his tone amused.

Andi harrumphed. Why the
hell
did he think riling her was funny? Fists clenched, she forced a breath. “It does, today. Not that we actually did any
work.
”

No way she was telling Cole she needed to get going so she could send Bella home while the hour was still decent and get Ethan into bed.

Her stomach growled and she cursed. Had the agent heard it? Would he make the unlikely offer of sharing a meal with her? Andi wouldn’t have gone anyway. The temptation to stab him with a steak knife would have been too great. Had she been with Pete, he would have probably offered to take her and Ethan to dinner, and she would have accepted.

That was often their routine when a case kept them working long hours. Her heart gave a sad pang. Andi missed Pete. She’d meant to go see him today, but it hadn’t happened, either. Because of Agent Lucas.

“Something wrong?”

“No. Please just take me back.”

“Fine.” His word was tense and Andi took a bit of satisfaction that she’d irritated him.

When he pulled up next to her silver SUV, she slipped out of his car as quickly as she could.

“See you in the morning?” Cole asked after he’d lowered the driver’s side window.

Andi quirked an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Was this his idea of an olive branch?

“Do you want me to pick you up somewhere or meet you here?” he asked as if she hadn’t spoken.

Andi sighed, resigned. She shouldn’t be rude to him when he was asking almost nicely. “Meeting here is fine. I usually get in between seven thirty and eight.”

Cole nodded. He drove off a moment later.

Andi stared after him. Was she upset that he hadn’t flashed his dimpled grin? She ignored the voice that whispered
yes.

* * * *

Limbs heavy, Andi set her keys on the end table in the foyer, glaring at the droopy plant. Damn, she’d forgotten to water it—again. She opened the closet in the hallway and put her gun in the safe with surprisingly deft fingertips on the combination pad, considering how tired she was. Her weapon would be quick to grab if she needed it, regardless.

“Mama!”

She smiled as she heard the little exclamation, and turned to sweep him into her arms, hipping the door shut. Ethan kissed her cheek, causing another smile. She tugged his pyjama top down over his belly and tickled him until he giggled.

“Hi, buddy.” He beamed. Andi pushed his dishevelled copper curls—so like Iain’s—out of his blue eyes. He was overdue for a haircut. It was a mess these days.

Bella stood close by, leaning on the doorframe leading into the living room, looking amused.

“Thanks for staying, Bells.”

“Oh, no problem, Andi,” she said, smiling. The girl had lived next door to Andi most of her young life. She was like a younger sister.

Andi reached into her pocket with a free hand, propping her son on her hip. She handed Bella a twenty dollar bill. The teen’s eyes widened.

“But you’ve already paid me for the week.”

“It’s for staying late. Probably tomorrow night, too,” Andi said with a grimace. “Besides, it is a school night.”

Bella made a face. “It’s not even seven-thirty, Andi. It’s not like I have a bedtime… I
am
seventeen. Don’t sound like my mom, please. I hang out over here because you’re so cool.”

Andi chuckled. “Right. Sorry.”

Bella grinned pure mischief. “Well, gotta run.”

“Okay. Thanks again.”

“No prob. I made some cheesy mac Hamburger Helper, left you a plate in the fridge. He’s bathed, too.” Bella ruffled Ethan’s hair. “See you tomorrow, squirt.”

Ethan giggled. “Bye bye, Bell Bell,” the three-year-old told her, using the name he’d called her since he could speak.

Bella made a face then grinned again, tossing her pretty dark hair over a shoulder. Andi watched her head out of the front door, slightly envious of the young and their energy. She wasn’t so old at thirty-one, but she sure felt it tonight. She glanced at Ethan, who just grinned.

Andi set her son to his feet. He dashed into the living room to his pile of toys. She watched him a moment before heading into the kitchen to warm up the food Bella had left for her. Thank God for the teen, or she would never eat.

She flipped on the TV and sank into the couch, her plate on her lap desk, smiling at Ethan playing as he whispered to his toys. He’d greeted her happily as she’d entered the room, but seemed loath to leave his play, so Andi didn’t push. She’d put him to bed in half an hour and jump in the shower.

Normality was a welcome distraction. She’d almost forgotten about Special Agent Cole Lucas and his…
everything.
She shook her head, groaning to herself. How was she supposed to work with someone who had no desire to maintain professionalism and get the job done?

A city of about fifty thousand, it wasn’t every day—thank God—that Antioch, Texas, had one murder, let alone two and she was determined to find the guy who’d shot Pete and killed the two men.

What she’d discovered wasn’t encouraging. The men were from New York, and both had criminal histories longer than she was tall, with ties to drugs and suspected human trafficking. They’d never been in for murder, but Rodney Gains, one of the dead men, had done ten years for drugs. What did Cole know that he was refusing to share?

Andi had news for him. In the morning, it was disclosure time. How she would convince him was a mystery, especially given how today had gone, but she’d take him to the warehouse since he’d insisted on it and force him to open up. The case—his
and
hers—depended on it. He’d proved he cared about his case, so she’d have to get to him that way. There was no other choice.

She must have fallen asleep, because she awoke to Ethan calling her, and patting her knees with his small hands.

“Oh, I’m sorry, buddy.” Andi glanced at the clock on the cable box. After nine.
Damn
. Ethan was supposed to have been in bed an hour ago and his wide yawn indicated her little one was indeed tired. She stifled a yawn of her own.

In the short time it took to make it down the hall to his room, her son was already asleep in her arms, his head nestled on her shoulder, his little face buried in her neck. Andi smiled and rubbed his back for a moment before gently lowering him to his toddler bed and tucking him in.

“Sleep well, baby,” she whispered, dropping a kiss on his cheek. Ethan didn’t even stir. She watched him for a moment.
God, he looks like Iain
. Every day, he was looking more and more like his father.

Cole Lucas’ dimpled grin popped into her mind. Andi frowned and pushed the image away. She didn’t want to think about, see him—anything. Her heart fluttered and she berated herself. What the hell was that about?

She hit the shower. It wasn’t very late, but she needed some sleep. Six in the morning was going to suck.

Right as she was rubbing her hair dry, her cell phone rang.
No, no, no…
she was off the clock, and she wasn’t on call this week. She needed sleep.

She shuddered as Cole danced across her mind.
Oh, hell no.
But Andi relaxed when she glanced at the caller ID. It was Pete.

“Howdy, partner,” he said by way of greeting. He sounded much too cheerful.

“Are you getting discharged or something?” Andi asked, a smile playing at her lips. She plopped on her bed, tossing the towel in a nearby laundry basket.

“Don’t tease me, please. No.” Pete sounded disappointed and she laughed.

“Then when?”

“Maybe a few days. Damn docs anyways. My arm is fine. I want to get back to work and get these bastards.” He growled and Andi nodded to herself. He was minimising, as always, but that was just Pete.

“I would appreciate that as well, but you had a collapsed lung, never mind your arm, buddy. Heal.”

“You doin’ all right?”

No, she wasn’t. And Pete didn’t know about Cole… “Listen…a Fed came by today.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah—” she paused, taking a breath. She’d rather not talk about him.

“Andi? You there?”

She ploughed on. “Chief’s making me work with him. Evidently my—our—case has something to do with what he’s working on. Something bigger.”

She heard shifting, as if he’d sat up in bed.

“Like what?”

Andi groaned. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Pete’s tone was a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

“He… Well, he’s an asshole.”

Pete laughed and Andi was torn between a smile and a whine.

“Well, you’re a real charmer, partner. I know you’ll get him to open up. You know those Fed types, they can be territorial.”

“If I didn’t know you better, I would think you’re okay with this,” she said.

“Well, what can it hurt? Maybe he’s got something we don’t.”