“I can understand the major’s concerns,” Gage continued. “If he wants to talk to people around the county, I can’t prevent him. There’s nothing illicit in that. But I’ve also made it clear that he’s going to have to stay within the law so he doesn’t destroy any case against a murderer. I’ve also made it clear that we will enforce the law, so he’d better not interfere in any way with our investigation. He won’t be helping if we have to arrest him.”
Cat nodded, glad Gage had made those points. Unfortunately, she sensed there was a big but on the way. Worse, her presence in this room probably pointed to involving her in some capacity.
She couldn’t zip her lips any longer. “Is Major Duke suggesting we can’t do our job?”
She knew that wasn’t it. This was a man who needed to take up his lance for the sake of his brother. He needed to be involved. Still, she wanted to make her disapproval clear.
“I don’t think that’s it,” Gage answered. “He’s just not constitutionally capable of sitting on the sidelines, are you, Major?”
“No.” A single syllable saying more than a page full of words.
“Anyway,” Gage went on, “I can’t prevent him from walking around asking questions or looking for some obvious clue that we need brought to our attention. Within the law, of course. So, we need to coordinate. You have a background in homicide investigations, Cat. You’ll be our liaison, keeping me informed at all times. And, Major, if Deputy Jansen says we need a warrant for something, listen to her. We can get a warrant fast enough from Judge Carter if there’s probable cause.”
Oh man, Cat thought, feeling everything inside her become as taut as a guitar string. A brick wall and a concrete one had just met, and she couldn’t tell which one of them had won. At least it appeared that Gage had gotten a few concessions.
But playing liaison on this? While she’d be glad of the change of pace, being more deeply involved with a murder investigation, she didn’t want to do it this way. What was more, she’d known Larry, and that had been the primary reason she wasn’t on the case. Why had Gage chosen her? Just because she had some experience?
She looked at Major Duke, fearing that trying to keep him in line would be like bull riding. Then she accepted the inevitable. This was her assignment, and even though it might put her on the wrong side of the investigation, in terms of her involvement, it was still important, and Gage thought it necessary. She had one burning question, however.
“How much information from our investigation should I share?”
“Whatever you deem necessary.”
On her shoulders, then. Lovely.
GAGE HAD VELMA call another officer in to take over desk duty. “Seems like you two may need a bit of discussion. Get yourselves over to the diner for coffee, maybe lunch.”
Cat smothered a sigh, figuring she was going to have to reinforce Gage’s limits over coffee, and probably endure a brain picking by Major Duke.
They crossed the street together and walked halfway down the block to the City Diner, known to everyone as Maude’s diner because of its cantankerous owner. Cantankerous or not, Maude was another of those people around here who was both a fixture and well loved. This kind of thing was also a part of the charm of living here.
For the first time, she faced the seated major across a table. She had a clear view in the light from the diner’s front windows. Mavis, Maude’s daughter, appeared in lieu of Maude but slammed down the coffee cups with similar disdain. She’d learned well.
They took their menus, and Cat remarked, “Everything is good, but everyone raves about the steak sandwich.”
Cat ordered the chef salad. A light lunch seemed best when she didn’t know how the conversation would go. Her stomach was already trying to knot. As she expected, Duke ordered the steak sandwich.
While they waited, he looked unflinchingly at her across the table. “You’d much rather volunteer to hike up and down Mount McKinley than be sitting here.”
Actually, she would. She loved the mountains. “That obvious, huh?” Might as well be blunt, although she was bothered by being so readable. She’d tried for years to suppress that tendency in herself.
“I can’t say I blame you.”
Well, well. The admission surprised her. “Then you get it?”
“Yes.” Their lunches arrived, and he sat back to allow the plates to be banged down in front of them. Coffee, dark and aromatic, filled their cups. She reached for one of the small creamers and dumped it in hers. Ordinarily she preferred her coffee black, but the way her stomach was feeling...
He glanced at his sandwich, then lifted half of it as though reluctant. He raised it partway to his mouth and looked at her over it. “I didn’t ever not get it,” he said before biting off a mouthful.
She paused with a container of blue cheese dressing hovering over her salad. “Then what was this all about?”
“Informing your office. Making a few things clear. Setting the boundaries I need to stay inside. Regardless, if you don’t get the murderer, I will.”
She believed him. She also feared what he might do if driven by rage. This man was trained to kill. “Then why do you want to know the boundaries? Isn’t this a pointless exercise if you just want to shoot someone?”
“I might like to prevent this bastard from ever breathing again, but I’d prefer to see him locked up for life.” He looked down a moment. “In my opinion, life in prison is a far worse sentence than a quick death.”
She nodded, stabbing her fork into a swirl of chef’s roll and salad. “I’d agree with that.”
“But I’m not leaving here without finding him. I have three weeks.”
“Now we’ve got a time limit?” She arched a brow.
“It’s good to know the boundaries,” he said, echoing himself and Gage’s
