Hello My Angel - Sue Brown Page 0,14

the area better than most. Check each address Max gives you. Get out there and search the locations if you can. Josh, I need you to handle this operation.”

Josh pressed his lips together. He wasn’t happy at being left behind but he knew someone had to coordinate everything. “What are you and Gil going to do?”

“First off, talk to Lucy’s family.”

“It’s too late to visit them now,” Josh said, “and we need food first. Takeout Chinese food?”

Cal looked frustrated but he nodded. “You can all go home. We need sleep. We’ll reconvene in the morning. Say eight?”

“Hell no,” Dave exploded. “I’m not going anywhere until Weatherly is found.”

“Same here,” Rick added.

“Your wife—” Cal began.

“Would have my hide if I turned up before finding my boss,” Dave said firmly. “She’s strange like that. Max, let’s get started. If Rick and I are going to be driving around London all night, we’ll need lots of coffee. Josh, can you order the food?”

Josh nodded. “I’ll get the coffee started. You decide what you want to eat and I’ll order it.” He ignored Cal’s scowl at being overridden by his new staff and stalked off to fill the coffeemaker.

A minute later, Gil leaned against the wall next to him. “How’re you doing?”

“Tired,” Josh admitted.

“Do you need me to slap you around the head?”

Josh closed his eyes. This was too much like old times. He tried to summon his inner princess, but he was too tired to manage more than a “Fuck you.”

Gil let out a bark of laughter. “Fuck you too.” He clapped Josh on the back and shoulder and sent him staggering into the countertop.

“Do you want me to squeeze your shoulder?” Josh glared as he recovered his footing.

Gil had taken a bullet to the shoulder the previous year and Josh knew it still hurt like a bitch. He wasn’t surprised when Gil growled, “Just try it,” as he took a step back. Josh flexed his hands and Gil stalked away.

Josh took a moment to collect his thoughts before he started the coffee machine and came back to the table. “Figured out what you’re going to eat?”

“All here apart from yours and Gil’s.” Rick handed him a list.

Gil contemplated the menu with an increasing look of disgust. “What is this crap you Brits eat?”

“I’ll order for you,” Josh said. “I know what you like.”

Gil made a noise of disgust and threw the menu onto the table. Josh picked up the list and quickly ordered for the team. He was tired and cranky, and as sleep wasn’t in the foreseeable future, coffee and food would have to suffice.

Max, who’d been totally focused on his Mac, looked up for the first time. “We’ve got a list of addresses Chyna’s had known associations with, and the camera footage is on the screen.”

“I’ll check the cameras later, if Rick and Dave are going to the addresses, and I can liaise with DCI Walters. She likes me,” Josh said somewhat smugly.

“At least someone does,” Gil growled.

Cal shot them both an irritated look. “If you two don’t stop bitching at each other I’ll set Dirk Brenner on you.”

Josh stared at him in horror. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Just try me,” Cal growled.

“Who’s Dirk Brenner?” Max asked.

“Asshole,” Rick said. “You’d be just his type.”

Max flushed and Gil scowled at Rick.

“Shut it!” Then he caught Josh’s interested gaze. “And you can shut it too.”

Cal sighed and got to his feet. “Time out before we all kill each other. Let’s get coffee and have a rest until the food arrives. Rick, Dave, do you want to call your wives before we start?”

“Good idea.” Rick glanced at his watch. “She’ll still be up.”

Phones in hand, he and Dave wandered away to separate corners.

Gil stood, yawned, and stretched. He looked down at Max who was still tapping away, a frown between his eyes. “That means you too, kid. You need a break as much as any of us.”

Startled out of his concentration, Max looked up. “What?”

“Break. Now.”

“In a minute.” Gil folded his arms and waited, and Max blanched. “Okay.” He got to his feet and headed for the coffee machine.

Josh watched the byplay with amusement. Then Gil grinned at Josh and winked. Gil was enjoying this. He wondered how long it would take for Max to catch on.

Takeout arrived thirty minutes later, and ten minutes after that Josh was wondering whether they should order again. The six men ate everything in sight, and he swore Rick virtually licked the inside of the cartons to make sure