I left Annie at her doorstep. Although a she appears to be a Mrs. Grundy, Annie O'Capella was no canceled stamp. Once she was in the door, I turned on my heel and headed back the way we came.

She dropped that notebook of hers back in the alley. Who knew what was written in it. I wasn't about to let it get into the wrong hands. When I got there, I hopped the fence with ease. I turned and pulled the little piece of fabric from the fence. She hadn't even noticed her skirt had torn, exposing her lacy slip underneath. I smiled and placed the fabric in my pocket, picked up the book, and headed back to my pad.

My meeting with Lou left me all balled up. She could be a real bearcat when she wanted to. It's one of the things that made me fall for her. I was dizzy for the dame and that meant trouble in the McGinty gang. Although, I knew I wasn't the only one who had eyes for McGinty's Moll. Delaney was never but a few steps from her at all times, yet no one would ever question his loyalty to McGinty. It's the only reason I wasn't questioning him now.

Delaney had too many opportunities to take Shamus out and had plenty of reason but never acted upon it. I'm guessing all bets are off now that she's free. She thought I was lying when I said I loved her. She was so wrong but I could understand her hesitation in believing a man couldn't want her without agenda.

Now our deal has ended and so it was time to consider making a new deal.

I poured myself a drink and collapsed into the nearest chair. I crack open the book, take a swig and nearly, choke when I see...

McCarty - Cop or Criminal?

------

I took a dimbox jaunt the next morning to Annie's place. I was in an evil mood. I thought for certain she was press, but reading more I discovered she wasn't lying. She was a writer. She was in the process of some romantic fluff story and played the main character. She seemed to like a certain look about her men, one I realized I happened to share.

I decided to dud up and I ran my fingers through my hair and rang her bell. I planned to use every weapon in my arsenal to strike this new deal. She opened the door and her peeper's popped.

"Officer McCarty!?"

"You seemed surprised to see me..Do..Annie? I did say I'd be back in the morning. I'm not..." I leaned in towards her to look past her shoulder into her place, "interrupting anything am I?"

Her face immediately turned as red as her hair. I grinned. I could tell she was itching to wipe my smirk right off my face and for a second I thought she was going to slam the door on me. She probably would have if I didn't asked, "You gonna invite me in, sweetheart or are you still looking to get pinched?"

Just the mention of being arrested and her face changed from angry to resigned and she stepped aside.

"Come in, Officer McCarty."

"Come now, after what we've been through together?" I said pausing a moment to look her eye to eye now that we were but inches from one another. "I thought we managed to reach a first name basis?" I said stepping inside.

"Well... you thought wrong!" she said defiantly, slamming her door. "I agreed to help you because you threatened to jail me if I didn't."

"You must admit you give me adequate cause."

She walked away from me, and turned with her arms crossed, ready for a fight. "And how do you figure on that?"

"I'm certain, Ms. Annie that despite your little Bluenose act you realize you are in fact air tight and I'm certain there are a number of men who could easily place you in a number of speakeasies across BG."

She looked surprised. I couldn't tell if it was because of my confession that she was in fact attractive, or the fact that I deduced how this owl spent her evenings. 

"What is it that you want me to do?"

"I want you to go back to those places and get me whatever information you can gather on McGinty. Where he's been? Who he may have talked to? What he may have been doing here in BG?"

"And why don't you do it yourself? You didn't seem to have a problem getting into the Velveteen?"

"I was there as a guest."

"A guest to that... sheba?"

Well it was an improvement over what she last called her.  Still it rankled me.

I closed the distance and grabbed Annie, pulling her close and she gasped, "That sheba... is Louise McGinty. Shamus' widow and she's in trouble. Once the Bull gets to town, he'll be looking to pin this murder on her and I won't have it! You understand?"

She looked up at me with interest but not the kind of interest I was hoping for. "You're in love with her?!" She said it with both awe and fascination. Great, more fodder for her book.

"It's not like you think. If not for her I'd be a pile of ash in yesterday's news. I owe her."  Wanting to change the subject I added, "You asked how I knew your brother?"

She looked at me expectantly. "Well, when I went undercover in McGinty's gang that's when I first met him. Neil...he was a friend. He should have never been there. He was a decent fella."

A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. My hand instinctively reached out and I brushed it away with the pad of my thumb. "I wished I could have gotten him out, Annie. He talked a lot about his little sister. He certainly did love you. Hated the fact that you seemed to have a thing for the thugs he hung around with."

Annie blushed. I liked the way it colored her cheeks. "I need your help, Annie. Mrs. McGinty is innocent. I know it. She's suffered enough because of McGinty when he was alive, don't make her suffer for his death too."

She looked away. I hadn't taken my hand away from her face and I tilted her chin up so she had to look at me, "Please, Annie. I'll even help you with that book of yours."

"My book?"

"You've got talent, Doll." When I seen her frown, I laughed. "Sorry, old habits die hard."

"Wait! You've read it! How did you? When did you?" I watched as the lights suddenly came on. "You went back for my book?!"

"And a souvenir," is said, pulling the piece of fabric from my pocket.

She pushed away from me and I seen her hand fly. I caught it with ease and didn't let go.

"Funny, you didn't act this way when I had you pressed against the wall in the alley. Suddenly I've offended your delicate sensibilities? You're not packing any hidden pencils are you?"

"Ooh, I wish I'd punctured you with those pencils when I had the chance!"

"That begs the question Annie... why didn't you?"

"That's a very good question, Officer McCarty but as you can see I don't make the same mistake twice."

"What?" I grinned. "Does this mean you're not going kiss me like the vamp we both know you are?" She looked so angry she could spit. "You don't have to answer that. I know how you really feel ... or do now that I have your book."

It was hard to tell if the crimson that flooded her cheeks was a blush or from anger, but it was endearing all the same. 

Her nose went up in the air. "I don't throw my kisses around!"

"Really? That's not what Neil's friends said. I heard you were quite the cuddler."

"How dare you?!"

"So, if you did kiss me then I know I've earned it, is that it?"

She just stared at me. The tension between us reverberated off the walls. I pulled her in close. I looked into her eyes. Watched the rise and fall of each breath. She exhaled. My eyes drifted to her lips. I leaned in, she knew what was coming, and she did try to stop me. A second before my lips would brush hers I pulled away.

"Put that in your book!"

She looked at me dazed for a second. "What?"

I stepped back and handed her her notebook. "Put that in your book. What you feel right now. Your heroine needs a big timer. Not some guy who stares down at his shoes. You want your book to be great? She needs to find her equal. I'll help you write your book, I'll keep you out of jail, but you have to help me clear McGinty's wife's name."

I held out my hand "Deal?"

Her fingertips touched her lips. I wondered if she felt the tingle too. She hugged her book to her chest and took my hand. "Deal."