The Investigators (Badge of Honor 7)
Page 170
“I’m not,” she said. “I told him I wasn’t going to do it, and when he started to argue, I hung up on him.”
“But you told him about me?”
“I just told you I did,” she said. “That was before you pointed out to me the many benefits of changing sides.”
“Don’t start playing the bitch again. We don’t have time for that.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, sounding genuinely contrite. “Forgive me. Matt, so much has happened—”
“Whatever happened to ‘honey’?”
“I’m sorry, honey.”
“You think he took ‘no’ for an answer? Or will he call again?”
“He’ll probably call again.”
“If he does, stall him again. I don’t know how yet, I’ll have to think about it, but maybe we can put his wanting to hide the bank money to our advantage.”
“Matt, I don’t want to betray them!”
“For the last fucking time, Susan, get it through your head that you don’t have any options. They’re going down, and all we can hope for is that I can figure out some way to keep you from going down with them!”
She met his eyes but didn’t reply.
He angrily tossed his towel on the floor and walked out of the bathroom.
After a moment, she went after him.
He was on his hands and knees, reaching under the bed, and he pulled his and her clothing out from where he had kicked it. And something else. A snub-nosed revolver in a holster.
“Did you really think you would have to use that on me?” Susan asked.
“I’m a cop. Cops carry guns,” he said somewhat abruptly. He tossed the clothing and then the pistol onto the bed, and reached for his shorts.
“Honey, I’m sorry,” Susan said. “I really don’t want you to be angry with me.”
“I’m not angry.?
??
“Yes, you are.”
He looked at her.
“You’re too goddamned smart to be stupid,” he said. “And we can’t afford it.”
“I like the way you said ‘we,’ ” she said softly.
That made him smile.
He made the sign of the cross. “I grant you absolution. Go, and be stupid no more.”
“I’ll try,” she said.
She started to dress.
“Did you see what you did to my bra?” she asked a moment later, and showed it to him.