Meadows tossed his pen on the desk and knuckled his eyes, leaning back in his chair and straining the design to the limit. I sipped a fresh cup of hot coffee made from the tires of police chase cars it seemed.

"How is it you get mixed up with all these motorcycle gangs that wind up killing off witnesses and dealing in illegal contraband."

"C'mon Meadows, you can't seriously call the Street Riders a motorcycle gang, motorized walkers move faster."

"The question stands and this time you managed to tick off the Federal Government as well as our Crown Attorney's office by meddling in an official investigation."

"Whoa there! I was working a legitimate case when I found Roe, it isn't my fault they couldn't keep a leash on their CI. And by the way, they told me they lost him hence the surveillance yet look who found him again."

"And how."

"Yeah well, I told you what happened there, at least as far as I could tell."

Meadows creaked forward and leaned his forearms on the desk.

"The time line coincides with the medical officer's report so I guess I have to accept your version . . . for now."

"Oh, thanks. How did he die anyway?"

"A whack on the noggin with a small bat that was left at the scene."

"No clues?"

"Gloves, which by the way you didn't mention in your valiant encounter on the stairway."

"He wasn't wearing gloves."

"Forensics says he was."

"He must have taken them off before leaving the room then . . . that doesn't make sense . . . hey! Did your guys dust the ladder on the roof? He climbed down that and I'm telling you he wasn't wearing gloves when we fought."

The look was a mix of anger and embarrassment as Meadows grabbed his phone and called down to the lab. I preened inside, sipped the coffee, now cold, and gagged.

"They've gone back. It'll be about an hour, you can wait here."

"That's okay I've got lots to do, you can tell me--"

"I meant, you can wait here."

"Aah . . ."

"You want another one of those?" He pointed at my cup.

My laugh approached hysteria.

********

"So they found prints where you told them?"

"Yep. And they also matched them to a guy on file."

"So I guess your case is over now that Harland is dead."

"Pretty much, yeah. I'll have to speak to Alice and give her the news then some details with the cops . . . witness statements and stuff. Are you going to eat both of those right now?"

"Isn't that why you bought them?"

"No, Verna it isn't. I bought them so you'd let me in and now that my story is finished I thought we might . . . maybe . . ."

"But you only bought two."

"Verna! Geez--"

Her laughter filled the loft and she gave me a look like one might when a kid does something cute.

"Hart you are so easy sometimes." The turkey wrap found a place on the side table and Verna found a place beside me and I did something cute.

********

We had dinner on the roof and counted stars while wasting a bottle of cabernet between us. I helped her pack up the dishes and the comforter we always used for our picnic meals then carted everything back down to her place. She suggested I see Alice soon before the police and told me she was coming along.

I gnawed my cheek but smiled and told her I was just about to ask.

The ambulance in the driveway of the King's Arms made my heart skip and I parked quickly, jumping out and rushing into the lobby. Meadows was at the desk along with Jones the Crown Attorney.

"What are you doin' here, Hart?" Meadows waved away the officer about to stop me.

"What happened? Is Alice okay?"

"She's being looked after in her suite. Answer my question."

"She's my client, I came to tell her about Harland. Why are you here, Jones?" I gave him a dirty look and gritted my teeth as he ignored me and threw a smile at Verna approaching.

"He was here to do what you were going to do." Meadows put an arm on my shoulder and steered me away from the desk. My eyes stayed behind to glower at Jones as he greeted a far too agreeable Verna.

The arm stayed until we had crossed the lobby and then Meadows turned to me and with a quick glance at Jones, gave me a shock.

"He found her and called it in . . . the man they had posted was told he would be relieved and he left."

"That was Reagan's man! He just left before his relief arrived?"

"Keep it down, Hart. Yes, that's what happened and a call to Reagan revealed there was no relief due."

"You think Jones--"

"I don't know what to think yet. I find it hard to think of him as a suspect, being an--"

"An asshole!"

"I said keep it down. All this will be investigated- by the police so just stay out of it, okay? And before you come to a boil the people on the Diner and your lady friend have been replaced by my officers."

I gave Meadows Alice's mother's address and told him he'd better get a car to make sure she was okay, if I had been followed the bad guys would know about her too. I started for the elevators and the arm returned only this time as a clamp.

"No way. The medical people are with her and word is she will be fine. Some bumps and bruises. I think whoever attacked her got a bit of a surprise."

"So he got away."

"Yes, and Jones didn't arrive until he was gone."

"I'll bet he didn't. What are you going to about him?"

"Told you, Hart I have nothing but a bad smell to go on right now and that's not enough to brace a member of the Crown."

"When can I see her then?"

"I promise I will personally call you when the hospital says it's okay."

"Hospital?"

"Routine. And I will be speaking to her first - got it?"

I gave in and thanked him then walked back to where Verna and Jones were chatting . . . still.

********

"What's your problem, did you get your wrist slapped?"

"No I didn't get my wrist slapped, Detective Meadows and I are both professionals and we work well together."

"Sure . . . so what's bothering you then?"

I breathed hard through my nose and turned to look out the driver's side window. I wasn't going to say and get ridiculed but I was steamed.

"Aha- I know what it is. It's Tom isn't it?"

"Tom?" I spoke his name like a bite and crushed the steering wheel. "Are you talking about Creepy Crown Attorney, Tom?"

"Hart sometimes you are such an--"

"Never mind, I already called him that."

We sparred for a few blocks and then I spelled out what happened at the King's Arms and what Meadows suspected. Verna stayed quiet, looking through the windshield at the road ahead. I felt bad suddenly over exposing cracks in her interest for the guy. I knew it was idle flirtation on Verna's part, hell with what I'd invested in turkey wraps what did I have to worry about?

I stole a glance and saw wetness in those amazing eyes.

Maybe a call to my broker . . .