Solemn Duty (1997) (11 page)

I'm done."

He scooted her plate closer. "You were an athlete, weren't you?" he asked as he picked up a rib. "You still look like one. . . . You must run or play racquetball. You have to do something to stay in as good shape as you're in."

"I played softball in high school, and when I went back to college in eighty-eight I found out I was still good enough to make the women's softball team. And no I'm not a lesbian, and yes I still run a couple of miles every day to stay in shape."

Eli took a bite and shook his rib bone at her. "I didn't ask if you were a lesbian, I'd never do that. I know you're not anyway."

"How do you know that? Maybe I'm lying." know 'cause I know. It's this secret thing I have. It tells me."

It was obvious that he was trying to lighten the conversation.

She canted her head. "Yeah, and what secret thing of yours tells you all this?"

"My gut. It knows good ribs and good beer, knows who's dirty, who's lying, and whether a person is gay or not. I trust my gut with my life."

She opened the first file again. "Well, tell your gut to listen while I bring you up to speed on these cases. I'm counting today as your first day of work. That means in eighty-nine more days I'm gone and leaving you and your gut to handle these. Is your gut listening?"

"He's full," Eli said, straight-faced.

"Tough. As I was saying, the first case is about five missing M-16s and ..."

Eli nodded to himself, knowing it had been hard for her to hear the criticism, but she'd handled it pretty well and didn't take it personally. He thought she might even have a sense of humor hidden somewhere behind that professional mask she wore, if she ever loosened up.

Chapter 6.

Tuesday, June 5, Columbus, Georgia.

Ashley opened the office door and was surprised to find Eli sitting beside her desk, reading one of her case files.

He looked up and studied her face a moment before cautiously smiling. "Is it safe for me to talk, morning person? I told you I would remember."

She looked over to the secretary's empty desk. "I'm perfectly fine despite those ribs you fed me last night, Agent Tanner. I see our office assistant is late as usual."

Eli looked back at the report he'd been reading. "Nope, Regina was here when I got here. We were out of coffee for the machine so she went to get us a couple of cups."

Ashley snapped her eyes at him. "Agent Tanner, if Regina were a man, would you have sent him to fetch your coffee?'

He kept his eyes on the report. "Nope, she volunteered and I gave her the money." His eyes slowly rose to her. "Have you tried a cold shower when you get up? Maybe that would work."

The door swung open and a tall black woman stepped in.

She was holding a cardboard carton holding two huge plastic cups of coffee. "Boss, I hope you like it with cream 'cause I didn't know and put it in anyway. I like cream. Oh, Agent Sutton. Good morning."

Still fuming over Eli's suggestion that she take a cold shower, Ashley spoke in a monotone. "Good morning, Ms.

Washington."

The black woman set the carton down and handed him his cup. "I got Sweet' n Lows and NutraSweets and some sugar. I don't use sugar-watchin' my figure, ya know. Stirrin' stick here somewhere. I got the big ones 'cause they were on special, couldn't beat it. Wake us for sure, won't it?'

Eli had stood to accept the cup and looked around as if searching for something. "Thanks, Regina. Where do we keep the extra cups? I'll pour some of this into one for Agent Sutton.

I think she needs it."

Ashley glared as the secretary pointed to a cabinet. "Second shelf. I best be checkin' the police reports from last night. I'll highlight any of interest, boss." She walked slowly, carefully holding her cup, and disappeared into a back room.

Ashley attacked immediately. "You two certainly seem to be getting along. In all the time I've been here, Ms. Washington has never volunteered to get me coffee."

"Mother instinct, Agent Sutton," Eli said as he walked toward the cabinet. "She's trying to make a good impression, don't take it personal."

"I don't need coffee, Tanner," Ashley growled. "And I most certainly don't need a cold shower."

Eli turned around. Without speaking he took up his old position in the chair and resumed reading the report.

A full two minutes passed before Ashley finally slapped the desk. "Okay, I'll take a half cup. Jesus, I hate the silent treatment."

After getting a cup and pouring her coffee, Eli pulled his chair closer to her desk. "Let me see if I've got this right. We're a three-agent office but Agent Doss is on loan to the Richmond office for a special task force, and Agent Watkins is in Atlanta working with the U. S. assistant attorney preparing for a trial?"

Ashley nodded. "Right, but as long as I've been here it's been just me. I know what you're thinking, but don't worry.

Watkins should finish up in another two weeks and be back to work. You're not going to be stuck with just me."

Eli motioned to the files he had stacked on the floor. "Sure not much to do around here. We've got thirty active cases and none of them are major, mostly paperwork."

"As I told you last night when I went over them with you, that paperwork takes up most of my time, as it will yours.

We've been lucky, we also handle graft, corruption, and bribery of local elected officials, but for some reason it's been slow. They've been good boys for a change. Are you worried you're going to get bored?"

Eli shrugged. "Not really, it's just I thought there would be more--"

"Action?"

"No, Agent Sutton, I was going to say business. 'Action' means a lot of things, none of them good. I'm not complaining-- in fact, I'm pleasantly surprised. By the way, Millie asked me to ask you to call her."

"She upset you didn't make it to dinner last night and meet her friend?'

"Let's say she wasn't pleased. It's on again for tonight;

Millie never gives up when she's on a mission . . . and I think I'm the mission. I was wondering if . . ."

"Don't even think about it, Tanner. I'm not giving you an excuse tonight. You'll just have to suffer through dinner with the lady Millie wants you to meet."

Eli sighed and pushed his chair back. "One more night of discussing caseloads wouldn't kill ya."

Ashley cocked an eyebrow. "I might have considered it if you had taken me someplace decent to eat. Bubba's Rib House was not exactly a four-star eatery. It might have qualified for a half star if we hadn't had to fight off the flies. And that music, how could you concentrate on what I was telling you with that loud country western crap twanging in your ears?"

Eli stared hard at her, but knew she was enjoying the verbal swordplay and was actually attempting to beat him at his own game. We'll see about that, he said to himself. "Agent Sutton, we have a problem. If you don't like barbecue ribs and country music, we're going to have a hard time getting along. It isn't crap. You're talking about real America when you talk about country music. Please be sensitive and remember that in the future."

"Right, Tanner, and I'll try and burp aloud like the locals next time, too."

He shook his head as if in disgust and picked up another case file.

Ashley smiled to herself. She gave him a side glance and saw that he was looking at her again. "What?" she snapped.

"Have I still got barbecue sauce on my face or something?"

His eyes narrowed. "Why didn't ya tell me ya didn't like the place?'

"Just like a man, you didn't ask. You assumed I'd like what you liked."

"All ya had to do was say something."

"And all you had to do was ask."

He rolled his eyes and resumed reading the report.

Ashley leaned back in her chair, savoring her victory. This is fun, she thought.

"Shortstop, right?"

Ashley looked at him. "Did you speak to me?"

"You played shortstop for your team, right?" Eli asked.

"Yes, how did you know?"

He motioned to his stomach, smiled and went back to his reading.

Ashley took but a marker, walked to the calendar on the wall and placed an X through the fifth of June. She turned and mumbled aloud so he would hear. "Eighty-eight days and counting. It won't come soon enough."

.

7:30 P. M.

Jerome got his brother's attention and flicked his eyes to the door. Understanding the signal, Eli smiled at the woman sitting across from him. "If you'll please excuse me a moment, Miss Cynthia, I have to check in with my office. We're working a very important case."

"Dear me, and you just arrived, too," the attractive woman drawled.

Jerome quickly stood. "Ladies, if you'll excuse me a moment as well, I'm going out to check on the dog. Skunks have been coming around and I want to make sure the fence is locked."

Millie gave both men her best glare as they headed for the door. "I expect you both back soon," she said in a warning tone.

Once out of the dining mom side door and safely out of earshot, Jerome shook his head. "Sony, Elly. There are some things I can control, but Millie isn't one of them."

Eli put his arm over his brother's shoulder. "She means well.

Cynthia isn't that bad. How was your day?"

"The usual. Three wives came in to have their husbands tailed. One said her Charley got a new-style haircut and she'd read in Cosmo it was a sure sign he had himself a girlfriend. Go figure, will ya? How was your day?"

"Okay. Found out I have a real winner in our secretary.

She's smarter than a whip and knows the office work inside and out. She could run the place with no problem."