“No, not so much. How did you know that?”
I put my purse down on one of the tables. “I just had a chat with your boss.”
“Funny, I thought that was your title,” he said with a grin.
“No matter how hard I wish it, it still hasn’t come true,” I replied with a smile of my own.
“If it’s not you, then I assume you were chatting with Davis. What did he have to say?”
“It’s funny, but if I didn’t know better, I would think he was grilling me for information about your investigation.”
Zach shook his head, and his smile was replaced with a scowl. “He shouldn’t have done that. When I wouldn’t tell him, he came to you.”
“Well, it’s a cinch he didn’t go to Steve.”
Zach looked intently at me. “What do you mean by that?”
“There’s more bad blood between them than I realized. I’ve got the feeling that neither man likes the other, regardless of what they might say.”
“Not all personalities get along.”
“It goes deeper than that,” I said.
“Woman’s intuition?”
“No, keen observation skills honed over the years.”
“Isn’t it the same thing?” Zach asked.
“Maybe,” I admitted. “Are you at a place you can get away for lunch?”
“Honestly, I can be gone longer than that. I’ve squeezed about all I can out of this information. It’s time to do some fieldwork.”
“All right. Now you’re talking. Before you decide the order we interrogate suspects in, there’s new information you need to know.”
“Slow down, Savannah. I never said you’d be a part of the active investigation.”
“Zach, I know a lot of the players, and some of these people won’t talk to you if it’s a part of your investigation. Trust me, we’ll get more out of them if I’m there with you.”
“And why do you say that?”
“Look at me. Am I the least bit intimidating?”
“Are you kidding me? I’d rather face an angry mob than take you on sometimes.”
I touched his arm lightly. “Thanks, I appreciate that, but these people don’t know me. You’re this big and dark bruiser of a man, and sometimes when you ask questions, it’s like you’ve got a hammer behind your back. Me, I overwhelm them with softness, and then I move in for the kill.”
“Maybe. But even if it’s true, I’m not about to put your life in danger.”
“I was the one the killer took a photograph of, remember? Don’t you think it’s safe to say that I’m already in a little bit of trouble here? Why not take advantage of my offer?”
He paused for a second, and then said, “Okay. You’re right.”
I nearly questioned what I was hearing, but I knew if I got cute at that moment, I’d lose the tiny foothold I’d worked so hard to attain. “I appreciate that.”
“No gloating? No celebratory dance?”
“No, sir. Just my thanks.”
He whistled softly under his breath.
“What?” I asked.
“Just when I think I have the game figured out, you change the playing field on me.”
I shrugged. “What can I say? I like to keep things interesting. Now come on; let’s go eat.”
“I know better than to try to argue with you.” He smiled, and then added, “Besides, I’m hungry, too.”
“Then what are we waiting for?”
Chapter 16
“I’VE MISSED THIS,” I SAID AS I TOOK ANOTHER BITE OF heavenly pizza.
“There are things to be said for civilization,” Zach agreed as he tackled another slice. There was no way we were going to be able to eat the whole thing, but we were going to give it our best shot.
We were eating at our all-time favorite pizza haunt in Charlotte, Luigi’s on South Tryon near Whitehall on the Southside of town. Try as we had, we had found nothing in our new hometown that even came close to their particular take on New York-style pizza.
After we were finished eating, we grabbed refills of our drinks and decided to discuss the case out in our car. The pizzeria was jammed, as it should be, given the great food they served, and Zach didn’t want anyone to overhear our conversation.
