She read each one and muttered under her breath. “House, yard, car. Strong work, Jonesy. Let’s get this guy.”
“You want me to call it in?” Rick picked up the phone and started dialing.
“No.” Rebecca stopped him midway. “We go in alone. I don’t want to scare him off with a bunch of blue and whites showing up in front of his house.”
Rick hesitated. “Boss?”
“What is it, Jonesy?” Rebecca looped her badge around her neck and stuck her firearm in its holster.
“Riley and Gray?” Rick stammered. “It’s their case too. They should be there.”
“Damn it, Jonesy! It’s our case, not the FBI’s.” Rebecca’s eyes blazed and Rick took a step back, somewhat confused at her reaction. She saw him wince and immediately felt bad. “I’m sorry. It’s just that…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Rick raised a dismissive hand. “I know the score.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rebecca was irritated enough, and she wasn’t in the mood for his shit.
“Nothing, boss. Forget I said anything.”
He started to walk out, and Rebecca grabbed his arm and spun him around. “No, tell me what you mean. Enlighten me, ‘cause right now I’m not so sure what is going on.”
Rick met her steely gaze and held it firmly. “I know you got a thing for the Agent. I’m not sure what is going on with you two, but I’ve never seen you put your feelings before our safety in any case. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty fond of living right now, and if having them glued to my hip keeps me alive, I’m all for it. For once, think about someone besides yourself.”
Rebecca’s heart dropped. “You really think that? That I put myself first. I give my life to this place. Never ask for anything in return. My life is about putting others first.”
Rick sighed. “You’re right, you live the job. Nobody can refute that. But sometimes all you think about is yourself. I know you want this bastard, maybe more than anybody else but don’t do it like this. Don’t be a hero.”
“Jonesy, I would never…” Rebecca stopped and let his words sink in. Was he right? Had it always been about her? She did have a temper, and that got the better of her sometimes. She could be rash. But she thought she put that aside when it mattered. She felt him studying her. Rick was the only person she would ever let accuse her of being selfish. Probably, because he had a point and more so because he was her partner and would do anything for her. She frowned.
“I didn’t mean to upset you. I think you get so wrapped up in the job, you forget you’re not the only one around…Jordan included.”
She could have asked him to explain what he meant, but she didn’t need him too. She knew. She didn’t think about Jordan’s feelings when she went off on her, just how she felt. How she hurt. And hadn’t every relationship ended the same way? By her choice. Because it didn’t work for her anymore. It wasn’t convenient. And now with Rick, she was ready to storm into a madman’s house by themselves. Putting both their lives at risk. “I…I didn’t realize…”
Rick squeezed her hand gently. “You’re a great cop, and you’ve always been there for me. I just want you to be there with me. We’re partners, remember?”
“I know.”
“And whether you want to accept it or not, Jordan cares about you. Maybe it’s time to stop being so goddamn self-centered. Take it from me, it gets damn lonely.”
“Oh.” Rick’s words hit her, and she felt her chest clench tightly. She knew he wasn’t married. Hell, he hadn’t dated anyone in months. The job made it hard to have a social life, much less find someone that could love you despite the crazy hours. She just figured that was his choice, and here he was pretty much admitting he hated his single life and telling her to get over herself. “I don’t know what to say.”
Rick smiled. “Hell, Boss, I didn’t mean to ream you out. It’s just that…”
“No, I know.” Rebecca shrugged her shoulders. “I’m an asshole.”
Rick’s laughter filled the bullpen. “Well, that’s one way to say it.”
Rebecca smiled despite herself, and for the first time, she looked at Rick differently. She realized she loved him like a brother and knew she would die to protect him, just as he would for her. More importantly, she realized she was capable of opening herself up, and that thought frightened her. She shook it off and punched Rick in the shoulder. “Well, what the fuck are we waiting for? Let’s get Riley and Gray and take this bastard down.”
They agreed to go in silent. No lights, no sirens. There was something in the element of surprise after all. Matt’s sedan slid to a quiet stop behind Rebecca’s unmarked car, catty corner to Dr. Stein’s house. The dim street lights afforded them more cover than they had expected and within moments, Rebecca and Rick were walking up to the door, eyes peeled, taking in everything. Neither one wanted any surprises. Jordan and Matt were already positioned around the back of the house, in case he decided to run.
Rebecca stepped up on the porch and lifted her hand to knock when a chill ran down her spine. The door was cracked slightly. She tensed and gave Rick a look. He stepped up and put himself between her and the door, neither knowing what they would find.
Rick raised his gun and put it in front of his lips, signaling for Rebecca to remain quiet. He pushed the door open with his foot and leaned his head in the crack. “Phillip Stein. Chicago PD.”
They waited, breaths held for some response. None came. Rick toed the door open all the way and stepped into the entryway. He shouted again. “Hello! Dr. Stein, are you here? Chicago PD.”
Still nothing. Rebecca stepped in behind him. Something wasn’t right. The open door wasn’t right. It felt all wrong.
Rick slid his hand across the wall and flipped a light switch illuminating the dark room. They surveyed the room. A sofa table lay upended, and an empty glass lay on the carpet with a wet stain spreading around it. He shot Rebecca another look, this time letting her know that whatever was going on wasn’t what they expected.
She could feel a chill in the room and couldn’t tell if it was the open door or the evil she knew lived here. They walked around the sofa, careful not to touch anything. “Dr. Stein. Chicago PD.” Rick’s voice was louder this time.
They heard a slight shuffle from the room next to the living room. Pulling a small flashlight out of his pocket, he led them into the kitchen. Both of their guns were ready, not sure if Phillip Stein would try to attack them. He obviously saw them pull up, and he was frantically trying to avoid being caught. He was a man with everything to lose. Rick fumbled for the light switch and flipped it on, ready to shoot if necessary.
“God damn it!” Rebecca pulled her gun back. “What are you doing in here?”
Jordan waived her gun at the door. “It was open.”
“And you couldn’t give us a head’s up?” Rebecca was glaring at her. Her heart was pounding, her nerves a frenzied mess.
“I wasn’t sure if he was waiting to ambush you, and I didn’t want to alert him if he was.”
Matt came out a door to her right. “All clear.”
“Basement?”
“Yeah.” Matt slid his gun into the holster. “I don’t think he’s here.”
“You’re probably right. Let’s check the rest of the house.” Rebecca walked in front of Rick and repeated the same slow thorough sweep of the house. Phillip Stein wasn’t home and from the looks of it, had left in a hurry.
“Fuck.” Rebecca swore softly. “Put out an APB. I don’t want him getting far. Send his plate info out to anyone in a two-hundred mile perimeter. He’s not getting away.”
Rick pulled out his cell and made a call. “It’s done.
“What now?” Jordan said with a loud sigh.
“Get CSI out here. I want every inch of the property searched. We are going to go back and figure out where he’s going. I want his phone records. Find out who he is talking to. Run his credit cards. Let’s pull his bank accounts too. If he’s running, he’s going to need cash.”
She met Jordan’s questioning look. “See if you can get a hold of Ruth Dawson. Find out if they had any friends who would help. Maybe she knows something. It’s obvious someone tipped him off, and my gut is telling me it’s her.”
Jordan nodded, thankful for the distraction. She still had a hard time looking at Rebecca without her heart clenching tightly. She sucked in a breath. “For her sake, I hope she didn’t.”
