Part 17 (2/2)
Davis gave Jakes a look, appeared ready to say something and then shook his head and left.
Jakes turned to look. ”Okay, now you.”
”Wait a minute,” I said. ”I heard what went on in your boss's office. How can you say you're not in trouble because of me?”
”Because I'm not,” he said. ”Look, Alex, I never blame my problems on other people. If I did I'd be pointing the finger at Len a lot more.”
”Come on, Jakes,” I said. ”If you're just going to lie to me-”
”Okay, wait,” he said, holding up his hands. ”If I tell you what's going on with my boss, you have to promise not to laugh.”
”I won't.”
”And you might not believe me.”
”I will,” I said. ”I promise. Just don't lie.”
”Okay,” he said, looking uncomfortable. ”My boss is Captain Laura Carpenter. A woman.”
”I got that much.”
”Well . . . she has the hots for me.”
I didn't laugh. I wanted to, because he looked so miserable, but I held it in.
”What makes you think she has the hots for you?”
”She kind of told me.”
”Kind of told you? Or you think she told you? Because I've known men who can't tell the difference.”
”Believe me,” he said, ”when a woman makes a move and asks me to go home with her, I notice.”
”She did that?”
”Yes,” he said. ”She did it once. I turned her down. Since then she hasn't tried again, but she's been . . .” He groped for a good phrase.
”Making your life miserable?”
”Yes.”
”Has she tried it with anyone else?”
”Not that I know of,” he said.
”Did you tell anyone? Your partner?”
”No,” he said. ”I told you. Len and I aren't that close.”
”So he has no idea why she's riding you.”
”No.”
”You know,” I said, ”I got a glimpse of her. She seems . . . attractive.”
”She's okay,” he said. ”A few years older than me, but not bad.”
”Then what's the problem? You're single, right?”
He rolled his eyes. ”She's not my type. And . . . I guess Len told her I had asked you out after that whole Marcy Blanchard case. Ever since she's been kind of . . . snarky.”
”So, wait . . . Is she p.i.s.sed off at me?”
”I'd say yes,” he said, ”which is probably why she doesn't want you around.”
”And what happens if she tried to make my life miserable?”
”Don't worry,” he said. ”I won't let that happen.”
”But you still want me in on this investigation?”
”Definitely.”
”Why?” I asked. ”As far as I can see, I didn't add much to it yesterday.”
”Well,” he said, ”that's what I wanted to discuss with you.” He grabbed an onion ring from my plate. ”Let's talk.”
Chapter 32.
”Okay,” I said, ”but I need a dessert.” When we both had a piece of cake in front of us, I asked, ”What about one of the murders being solved?”
”Kyle Hansen was murdered in Canada, and apparently they've made an arrest and closed the case.”
”What if he's the wrong man?”
”They have a confession.”
”What if they-you know-coerced it out of him? I mean, it happens all the time.”
”Sometimes, sure,” he said. ”I can check into it a little further, but I think we should concentrate on the other four.”
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