“Then I don’t see how you can be wrong in what we’re trying to find out. Maybe Polly isn’t the end person, but just one of many. Maybe she starts giving out antibiotics and then works up to something else.”
“What if we pull Polly in and spook whoever’s doing the hard drugs?” he mused aloud.
“If somebody’s getting these guys hooked on opioids, they’re going to keep that pipeline going. With me on the inside doing some digging, we’ve got a lot better chance of finding out what the fuck is going on.”
Looking at the clock on the wall, he sighed. “Okay. Monday you’re back in there. For now, I’m heading home.”
Evan stood and offered a chin lift as he walked past Carter and headed out of the workroom. Shutting down for the evening, Carter quickly followed him. Before Tara, he would have been tempted to stay at work longer or go to the Celtic Cock Pub for a drink. But tonight, he had a date—with Pirate Ship Pizza.
An hour later, he walked into chaos. Pure, unadulterated chaos. Children zipped between tables, some with parents dashing after them and others appearing unfettered in their quest to get to the games in the back. The scent of greasy pizza hit him, and for a second he wondered if he was crazy for venturing into this world. His gaze searched the crowd, landing on the dark-haired beauty standing to the side. Tara turned his way, and her smile lit her face. As though pulled by a magnetic beam, he dodged between the tables and the children on his way to her. Oh yeah, I might be crazy, but she makes it worth it.
As soon as he reached her side, he hesitated, uncertain of the proper protocol. For the past week he had greeted her with a kiss, both going and coming. Now, uncomfortably aware of their audience, he stood awkwardly with his hands jammed into his pockets. “Hey.”
She laughed as though understanding his predicament and repeated his greeting. “Hey to you, too.”
They had made a date for the next evening, but he hated not seeing her tonight. Tara had explained that Colleen was attending a birthday party at a children’s pizza restaurant. She’d joked that he could come just to see what that part of her life was like. When he’d accepted, her mouth had hung open in surprise.
He glanced around the room, resisting the urge to scream over the cacophony, but he had no idea what Colleen looked like. “Where is she?”
As though able to keep up with her own child in the middle of the pandemonium, she pointed to a group of little girls. “Colleen is the one with a pink bow in her hair.” She paused for a few seconds, then continued. “And the pink shirt, the pink leggings, and the pink sneakers.” Drawing his attention to the coat in her arms, she laughed. “And yes, this pink coat is hers as well.”
“I take it pink is her favorite color?”
“Yes, but I can say that purple is a very close second.”
He stood next to Tara, and it didn’t take long for him to ignore the noise and focus on her soft voice. He also found it strange, but it did not take him long to hone in on where Colleen was. When she darted from the table to the games toward the back, his eyes followed right along.
“I can’t believe you actually came here.”
His gaze left Colleen and moved back to Tara’s face. Grinning, he shrugged. “What else was I gonna do on a Friday night?”
She tilted her head to the side and asked, “What do you normally do on a Friday night?”
“A lot of times I stop in at the Celtic Cock, a pub not too far from the headquarters—”
“Oh, believe me, I’m acquainted with the Celtic Cock. With two brothers in the police force and another brother working at a fire station, it’s well known to me. I haven’t gone very often, but I have popped in occasionally. Maeve Flanagan, one of the owners, is an old friend of mine.” She suddenly snapped her mouth closed and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Carter. I asked you what you do on a Friday night and then I started talking again.”
He chuckled at her embarrassment before casting his gaze around to find Colleen again. Looking back at Tara, he said, “There wasn’t much else to tell. I might have a few drinks and talk to some friends that I don’t get to see often. That’s about it.”
She lifted an eyebrow but remained quiet.
“I get the feeling you have something else you want to ask.”
“I was going to imply that I doubted you often went home alone, but this is hardly the place to have that conversation.”
“Aaargh, Maties! Having a good time?”
Jerking his head around at the feel of someone’s hand on his arm, his gaze landed on a pirate captain—a person in a very bad pirate captain costume. The headgear completely covered their face, but before Carter had a chance to respond, the mascot moved over to a table full of children.
Tara laughed, lifting her hand to cover her mouth as she doubled over. “Oh, my God, Carter! If you could only see your face!”
“That thing gives me the creeps. I don’t see how he doesn’t give the kids nightmares. If he puts his hand on me again, I’m taking him out.” Tara continued to laugh, but his gaze was pinned on the mascot moving toward the games where Colleen was. “He puts his fuckin’ hand on Colleen, and he’s gonna need a hook at the end of his other arm!”
By now, Tara was wiping tears from her eyes, and all he could do was glower. He refused
