“Some. But it helps me know Ella-Loo Parsens. It helps me think like she thinks. That’s a weapon on our side. But between that and a bunch of else, I needed the break.”
“I could study up on reflexology.”
Now she laughed, began to dress. “I’ll take the sex.”
“I bet the Miras do as well.”
“Crap, you just had to, didn’t you?”
“I did, yes. Now I’m after a glass of wine, and we’ll have some food, as I imagine you’ve had little to nothing since breakfast. Your cops can fend for themselves when they get here.”
He took her hand when she’d dressed. “Sleeting, you said?”
“Yeah.”
“I think it calls for some hearty stew.”
“That stuff with the things.”
“Of course, I was just thinking the same.”
She smirked at him when they stepped on the elevator. “The chicken stuff with the things, the dumpling things.”
“Ah, yes. We’ll see if we can manage that.”
They stopped by the bedroom first. She wanted footwear.
In the office she updated her board while he chose a white wine for the chicken and dumplings, and added a spinach salad.
She was paler than he liked, as happened too often when she pushed her own limits.
She’d started filling him in on the day when she heard the others coming.
Quiet time was over.
When they trooped in, she decided the three of them looked about as wiped as she’d been, reminding her they’d been at it nearly as long that day.
“We’re putting some food together. Take thirty. Go grab a swim.”
Peabody stopped, blinked. “Seriously?”
“Come back fresh.”
“Swim? You’re saying there’s really a swimming pool inside the house?”
“Not just a pool,” Peabody told Banner. “An amazing pool, with a bubble lagoon.”
“That kicks the cow in the ass. I wouldn’t mind a dip, but I didn’t come with swimming gear.”
“Plenty of it down there. We can’t cover a cow’s ass,” McNab considered, “but we can cover yours. Let’s get wet.”
“I’m with you. Just one second. Lieutenant, I wanted you to know I contacted my chief, told him Little Mel had been murdered all along. I sent him the report on him and on Fastbinder. He’s gonna talk to Little Mel’s mama about it. He said… he said he was proud of me.”
Weariness covering him, Banner had to stop to clear his throat. “He’s a good man, a good boss, but that’s not the sort of thing you hear out of him every day. I’m back on the clock, but he says I’m with you here as long as I’m useful on this.”
“I’ll let you know when yo
u stop being useful.”