Part 12 (1/2)

”Shoot!” she cried as she jumped up and rounded the desk to clean up the mess. ”I'm so stupid.”

Noah leaned down to help her. ”No, you're not. Accidents happen to everyone.”

”Especially me,” she said. She grabbed the Kleenex box off the desk and wiped up the spilled drink. ”I'm so embarra.s.sed. I must look like a lobster. I can feel my face turning red.”

Noah straightened a pile of folders and handed them to her. ”I think it's a very pretty face.”

When he took her arm to help her stand up, the rosy blush on Carrie's cheeks turned a deep crimson. ”Thank you,” she said.

”Do you think you could find the list of town council members?” Nick asked her from across the room.

Carrie's attention swung to him. ”I know I could. They're in my Rolodex. There's only three.”

”Let's get them in here,” Nick said to Noah. ”They'll have to officially replace her.”

”You're replacing Chief Haden?” Carrie asked.

The chief had just finished her call, and there was a smug look on her face until she heard a snippet of the conversation.

”No one's replacing me,” she said as she stepped out of her office. Her frown was directed at Jordan. ”I knew I was right about you. I just had an interesting talk with Lloyd. Remember him?” Chief Haden asked Jordan.

How could she forget? ”Of course I remember him. He worked on my car.”

”He says you threatened him.”

Jordan was taken aback. ”He what?”

”You heard me. He says you scared him.”

”I did not threaten him.”

”He says you did. He says you told him you were going to hurt him.”

Uh-oh. Jordan remembered the conversation. ”I might have-”

”No more,” Noah said. ”Jordan, I don't want you to say another word.” Turning to Haden, he said, ”Get Lloyd in here. Now.”

”You're not telling me what to do.” Chief Haden started walking toward Jordan, her hand resting on the gun at her hip.

When Noah blocked her, she raised her arm and jabbed her elbow into his chest.

”That's it,” Noah said. He latched on to her arm and turned her toward the door that led to the cell. ”Chief Haden, you have the right to remain silent...”

Haden's eyes became slits. ”Don't you tell me my rights.”

”I'm required to,” he said. ”This is an arrest.”

Haden tried to pull away. She grabbed the handcuffs sitting on her desk. ”This is outrageous.” Her voice turned into a hiss. ”You have no grounds.” She swung the cuffs and struck Noah on the shoulder.

He grabbed the cuffs out of her hand, took the gun from her holster, and pushed her ahead of him. ”Obstructing a criminal investigation and a.s.saulting a federal agent...I think that's enough.”

”I know people!” Haden yelled as he nudged her inside the cell.

”I'll bet you do,” he agreed.

”Powerful people.”

”Good for you.” He slammed the door shut in her face. ”You'll be staying here until arrangements can be made to transfer you to a federal facility for processing.”

”This is bogus,” she said.

”You'll be needing a lawyer. I'd get a good one if I were you.”

It finally penetrated that he wasn't bluffing. ”Now hold on here. Hold on now. Okay, okay, I'll cooperate.”

Carrie watched wide-eyed. She wanted to stand up and cheer, but she knew the action might come back to bite her. Her parole officer had told her that her poor impulse control had gotten her into jail, and, if she wanted to change her life, she was going to have to learn to think before she acted. Besides, the chief would eventually get out of jail, wouldn't she?

As Noah walked past Nick, he said, ”Nothing I hate worse than a crooked cop.” He glanced out the window. A late-model sedan pulled up to the curb. A man emerged from the driver's seat carrying a briefcase in one hand and holding a cell phone to his ear with the other.

Noah turned to Jordan. ”Your attorney's here.”

LOUIS M MAXWELL G GARCIA WAS THE EPITOME OF REFINEMENT. HE oozed confidence and charm. His smile was warm and somewhat sincere, and his manners were as polished as alabaster. Neither his designer suit nor his starched pinstriped s.h.i.+rt had a wrinkle anywhere. oozed confidence and charm. His smile was warm and somewhat sincere, and his manners were as polished as alabaster. Neither his designer suit nor his starched pinstriped s.h.i.+rt had a wrinkle anywhere.

After the introductions were made, the attorney insisted that they call him Max.

”Doctor Morganstern speaks highly of you,” Nick said. ”Isn't that right, Noah?”

Noah didn't say a word. He simply moved closer to Jordan and folded his arms across his chest. His expression was impa.s.sive. Slow to warm to anyone, Noah always was skeptical, and Max, vouched for or not, had yet to prove his capability.

”We appreciate you taking this on and getting here so quickly,” Nick said.

Max's gaze was locked on Jordan. ”I could never say no to Doctor Morganstern.”

”Why is that?” Noah asked.

”He's done a lot of favors for me over the years,” he said and then turned to Jordan. ”Is there somewhere we could talk in private?”

Jordan thought about suggesting the chief's office but quickly changed her mind. The small room with the door closed would be too claustrophobic.

”There really isn't anyplace private here,” she said. ”We could sit outside on the bench, I suppose, if you don't mind the heat.”

Max had a lovely smile. ”That's not a problem for me. I'm used to the heat. Where's the chief of police?” he asked then. ”I should talk to him first and find out what the charges are. It would be nice if we had his cooperation sharing information.”

”Yeah, well, that's not gonna happen,” Noah said.

”Chief Haden's a woman,” Nick said. ”And Noah's right. She's not going to cooperate.”

”And why won't she?” he asked.