The Investigators (Badge of Honor 7)

She found a spot to park between two large cars, an Oldsmobile and a Buick, and backed in.

Both were large enough so that the Porsche was hardly visible, which was nice.

With a little luck, too, the drivers of both are the little old ladies of fame and legend, who will open their doors carefully and not put large dings in mine.

Susan found her purse where it had slipped off the seat into the passenger-side footwell, then got out of the car, carefully locking it.

Then she started to walk back between the rows of parked vehicles, the way she had driven in.

Halfway, she heard the sound of a door opening, and her name being softly called: “Susie!”

It was Jennie’s voice.

The vehicle was a four- or five-year-old Ford station wagon, a different car than the last time, but equally nondescript.

As she walked to the station wagon, the passenger door opened, but there was no light from the inside.

“Jennie?”

“Hi, Susie!”

Susan got in.

The car stank, a musty smell, as if it had been left out in the rain with the windows down, but there was an aroma, too, of baby powder.

Jennie was wearing a white blouse and blue jeans. She leaned across the seat to kiss Susan, and then immediately started the engine, turned on the headlights, and started off.

“You’re not running from anybody, are you?” Susan asked.

God, why did I let that get away?

“No. Of course not,” Jennie said.

“You took off like a shot,” Susan said.

Jennie didn’t reply, which made Susan uncomfortable.

“How’s the baby?” Susan asked.

“Take a look for yourself,” Jennie said, and pressed something into Susan’s hand. After a moment, Susan realized it was a flashlight.

“There’s something wrong with the switch,” Jennie said. “Switches. The one that turns on the inside light, and the one in the door.”

And I’ll just bet Bryan’s been fixing them, hasn’t he?

“Try not to shine it in his eyes,” Jennie said. “That wak

es him.”

Susan understood from that that the baby was in the back. She turned and leaned over the seat. She could make out blankets, and the smell of baby powder was stronger.

I’d really like to have a look, but if I shine the light, he’ll wake up for sure.

She turned around.

“I’ll wait ’til we get where we’re going,” she said. “And have a good look at him.”

Jennie grunted.