Detective Partners (11 page)

"How long, Nicole?" he asked quietly. "How long has he been abusing you?"

"He's not abusing-"

"Don't lie to me!" Galen roared. "I know abuse when I see it.
How long?"

Nicole turned on him in anger, not caring if he saw her tears. "I'm not having this conversation with you. I don't owe you any explanations."

In three short strides, he reached her. Despite the anger in his eyes, he took her by the arms gently and gazed down at her. "You're right. You don't owe me any explanations, but damn it, Nicole, I can't turn my back and pretend everything is all right. If something happened to you, I couldn't live with myself. You don't have to tell me everything. Just tell me, is he abusing you?"

"No," she lied, averting her gaze.

"Look me in the eyes and say that again," he said.

Her heart pounding painfully in her chest, Nicole looked into his eyes. She realized too late, what a mistake it was. There was no way she could lie to him now. She opened her mouth. Before she could say anything, her cell phone rang. She started to reach for it.

"Let it ring," Galen ordered her.

"What if it's about the case?" she breathed.

"Answer it," he said after a moment of hesitation, "but this conversation isn't over, Nicole. You will answer my question."

With hands that were shaking badly, she answered her phone.
"H-hello?"

"Goodwin," Parker said, sounding cheery.
"Grab Maxwell.
Meeting in the conference room in ten minutes."

"Yes, sir."
Nicole closed her phone and pocketed it. "That was Strauss. He wants everyone to meet in the conference room in ten minutes."

"Then we have time to talk."

"Not now, please." She pressed a trembling hand to her forehead. Her nerves were raw and she knew it wouldn't take much for her to fall apart. The last thing she wanted was to break down in front of him. "I - I don't have the strength for this right now. Just - just let it go." Feeling as though a heavy weight was pressing on her, she slowly turned around and trudged up the corridor.

Chapter  1
0

Ten minutes later, Nicole walked into the conference room. When she saw that the only available chair was next to Galen, her heart leapt into her throat. Swallowing hard, she moved toward the chair, pulled it out, and sat down. She turned her head and looked at Galen. His gaze met and held hers. Nicole saw in his eyes concern. It made her regret the way she had spoken to him the corridor. She made a vow to apologize to him later.

"Let's get started," Parker said, closing his cell phone. "Goodwin."

Nicole gave him her attention.
"Yes, sir?"

"I think you will be comforted to know that Jeremy Seaton is behind bars. He was arrested less than an hour ago." He sat back, glancing around at the team. "He walked into a bank, pulled a gun on the teller, and demanded all the money in the vault. A woman, who was in the back, heard him shouting and called 911. After a two-hour standoff, the police stormed the bank and overpowered him. Thankfully no was harmed."

"What now?" Marsh inquired.

"Now I need two volunteers to fly to Albuquerque to interview Seaton," Parker told him.

"I can't go, boss," Marsh said. "It's my six year wedding anniversary. My wife made plans."

"What about you, Renfro?" Parker said.

She grimaced. "I'm afraid of flying, sir. The last time I flew I had an anxiety attack. I thought I was dying."

"All right.
Lopez, Brown, Goodwin, Maxwell. Are any of you willing to go?"

"I will, sir," Nicole muttered.

"Maxwell?" Parker stared at Galen. "Can I count on you to accompany Goodwin to New Mexico?"

"Of course, sir."

"Then it's settled. You both leave tonight."

"Mom," Galen called out as he let himself into the house.

"In the kitchen, sweetheart," Olivia answered loudly.

Galen closed the door behind him and made his way to the kitchen, where he found his mother standing at the stove. She was stirring a pot of chicken noodle soup with a wooden spoon. He
inhaled deeply and his mouth began to water. His stomach growling, he crossed the cheery looking kitchen and paused beside Olivia. He bent down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Hello, dear."
She beamed up at him. "The soup will be done shortly. Stay and have dinner with me."

"All right," he said. "Do you want me to set the table?"

"Yes, please."

Galen opened a cabinet door and took out two bowls. "Is Melissa joining us?"

"No," Olivia replied. "It's just us."

By the time Galen had the table set dinner was ready. After Olivia ladled soup into bowls and filled glasses with water she sat down across from her son and bowed her head to pray. Out of respect for her, he waited until she was finished before he picked up his spoon. "I'm going out of town, Mom. Nicole and I have to fly to Albuquerque to question a suspect. We're leaving later and coming back tomorrow night."

"Then I'm glad you dropped by." She blew on a spoon full of soup to cool it down. "How is Nicole?"

"Not well." Galen dipped his spoon into the bowl. "I overheard two officers talking about Nicole's father. He was arrested for refusing to leave a bar. I went to pay him a visit at the jail. I walked in on him threatening to hurt Nicole if she didn't let him out. He had his hands around her wrists and was squeezing them. She's a small person. I'm surprised he didn't break her wrists."

"So he is abusing her."

"Yes." He frowned. "I confronted Nicole about the abuse. She denied it and then refused to speak of it again."

Olivia swallowed her food and then muttered, "You have to talk to her again. She needs someone to help her. Where is the rest of her family?"

"I don't know," Galen sighed. "She's a very private person, Mom. She doesn't like to open up and talk about herself."

"Poor child," she mumbled, her eyes filled with sadness. "She's probably lonely and feeling lost. You must bring her by soon."

He shook his head. "She's not a lost dog or cat, Mom. You can't take care of her and expect everything to be all right."

"I know that, dear, but I can try to be her friend." Olivia reached out and placed her hand over Galen's. "Everyone needs a friend. Now promise me you will bring her by for a visit soon."

"I will try, but she might not want to come."

She winked at him. "You have a way of persuading people. I'm sure you can convince her to drop by. Now eat your dinner before it gets cold."

"Yes, Mom."

"Good boy."

The plane taxied down the runway, picking up speed as it went. His heart pounding in his chest, Galen gripped the armrests and closed his eyes. Taking off was the part of flying that he hated the most. In an effort to comfort him, Nicole caressed the back of his hand with the tips of her fingers. A tingling sensation shot up Galen's arm. Opening his eyes, he slowly turned his hand over and grasped hers gently. He looked at her and smiled weakly. "I hate takeoff."

"I don't care for it either," she confessed. "I think-" She broke off as the plane began to leave the ground.

Galen reached over and quickly lowered the window shade. "I'll open it back up once we're airborne."

"You can leave it down if you want," Nicole said. "Either way is fine by me." She cleared her throat. "Talk to me. Tell me about your family."

"Last time you wanted to talk about family it didn't go over so well," he pointed out. "You ended up angry and-"

"I won't get angry this time," she interrupted. "I promise."

Galen took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Like I told you before I'm an only child. My Dad died eight years ago from cancer. His death hit my Mom the hardest. He was her world for more than fifty years. I don't think she's ever gotten over losing him."

"We never really get over losing a loved one," Nicole said softly, her eyes taking on a
far away
look. "We just learn to move on without them."

He breathed a sigh of relief as the plane started to level out. "You sound as though you're speaking from experience."

"My Mom died a little over ten years ago." She reached up and brushed her bangs out of her eyes, "and my sister five years ago."

"I'm sorry." Galen squeezed her hand lightly. "How did they die?"

Suddenly uncomfortable, Nicole began to fidget. "Mom died in a car accident. My sister, Joanna, was - she was - she-"

"She was murdered." He gazed into her eyes. "Wasn't she?"

"I - I don't want to talk about it." She jerked her hand free of his grasp.

"Don't shut down on me, Goodwin," Galen growled. "Keep talking to me. If it makes you feel more comfortable we'll change the subject. You pick the topic."

"Okay." Nicole uncrossed and re-crossed her legs. "Have you ever been married?"

"No."

"Why not?"

He loosened his tie and undid the first button on his blue dress shirt. "I haven't found the right woman. It's hard to find a woman that doesn't want children. Besides, my job keeps me busy. I don't have time for a relationship."

"You don't want children?" she said.

"I don't have the patience for them." Galen grimaced. "The sound of a baby crying is like someone scraping their nails on a chalkboard." He wanted to ask her if she had ever been married and if she wanted children, but he knew if he asked she would refuse to answer. Would she ever open up and share with him? Why did he even care? Just the other day he was angry because he had to work with her and now he was upset because she wouldn't share with him. How did she get under his skin so quickly?