Men In Blue (Badge of Honor 1)

“No.”

“Fink,” she said, and took his arm and led him out of the building through the lobby.

At Stockton Place, he parked the LTD behind the Jaguar and walked with her into the foyer of Number Six.

There was an eight-by-ten-inch white cardboard sign on the door of Apartment A. Red letters spelled out, police DEPARTMENT, CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. CRIME SCENE. DO NOT ENTER.

Louise looked at Peter but didn’t say anything. But when the elevator door opened and he started to follow her in, she put up her hand to stop him.

“You wait down here,” she said. “What I have on my mind now is dinner.”

“That’s all?”

“Dinner first,” she said. “No. Car first, then dinner. Then who knows?”

“I’m easy to please,” Peter said. “I’ll settle for that.”

He walked back out onto the street and to the Jaguar, and examined the hood where Tony Harris had sat on it.

Louise came down much sooner than he expected her to. She had removed all her makeup and changed into a sweater and pleated skirt.

“That was quick,” he said.

“It was also a mistake,” Louise said, and got behind the wheel of the Jaguar.

“What?”

“I’ll tell you later,” she said. Then she said, “Kind of low to the ground, isn’t it?”

“I guess,” Peter said.

“Well, first I need the keys,” she said, and as he fished for them, added, “and then you can explain how that little stick works, and we’ll be off.”

“What little stick?”

“That one,” she said, pointing to the gearshift, “with all the numbers on it.”

“You do know how to drive a car with a clutch and gearshift?”

“Actually, no,” she said. “But I’m willing to learn.”

“Oh, God!”

“Just teasing, Peter,” Louise said. “You really love this car, don’t you?”

“You’re the first person to ever drive it since I rebuilt it,” he said.

“I’m flattered,” she said. “Want to race to your house?”

“No,” he said, smiling and shaking his head.

“Chicken.” She started the engine, put it in gear, and made a U-turn.

He quickly got in the LTD and followed her, which proved difficult. She drove fast and skillfully, and the Jaguar was more nimble in traffic than the LTD.

On Lancaster Avenue, just before it was time to turn off, she put her arm up and vigorously signaled for him to pass her, to lead her. She smiled at him as he did so, and his heart jumped.

At the apartment, as he was taking his uniform from the backseat to carry it upstairs, she came to him, and put her arms around him from the back.