"The case notwithstanding, we have other things we are working on together." Brock stretched his arm over the back of the banquette. A casual move, but one his friend would understand.
Sean blinked at him and then swung his attention to Kallie before he leveled Brock with a stare. "Holy fuck, your mom is going to be over the moon."
Brock chuckled. "Yeah, I have dinner at the 'rents tomorrow. What about you? How's things?"
Sean sighed and rubbed his face. "Chasing my tail and trying to keep an insurance investigator from killing me or herself."
"Say what now?" Kallie stopped with a fork full of eggs to her mouth.
"Nothing. Suffice to say I'm happy for the two of you and wish you luck. Call me and we'll set up something." He slid from the booth.
"No time for breakfast?"
"Nah, I needed to get some information and then get back to my office. I ran into Lieutenant Davidson as he was entering the precinct. He told me you were here. Call me, shit-head, I mean it. Kallie, it was nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too, and any advice you can give me dealing with this guy would be appreciated." She laughed at Brock's groan, and Sean clasped her extended hand.
"We'll talk. I have so many stories to tell you. He was crazy as a teenager."
"Don't you start, McBride. I have just as much on you."
"Yeah, but it isn’t my woman asking for intel." He waggled his eyebrows a couple times, and Brock groaned, because, yeah, that was true.
"Whatever. Take care of yourself." Brock would never admit to the heat he felt in his cheeks.
Sean winked at him and headed out. "You, too. Both of you."
He watched Sean leave before he glanced down at Kallie. He decided to leave his arm where it was.
"He's nice. What precinct does he work for?"
"Special Investigations up at Briar Hill. He's an Arson Investigator."
"Arson, huh?"
"Yeah, he was already on scene when I arrived for Treyson's call out."
"Speaking of which—" she put her last forkful of eggs in her mouth before she nodded at the phone “—wazzit say about the chemical?”
Brock removed his arm from the back of the booth and recapped both of their tankards before he picked up his phone, waking it up. “It says the chemical compound is a metal degreaser... and it is used in making other chemicals.” He scrolled up and jolted forward. “Holy fuck. Check this shit out. It is also a common solvent used by dry cleaners.” They stared at each other. His mind ran through the implications. “Dawson killed Samuel for hitting on his woman.”
“Son of a bitch.” Kallie dropped two twenties next to Davidson’s and exited the booth before he could snatch their mugs. They had that motherfucker. He grabbed both mugs by their handles and palmed his phone to call Davidson.
“Sir, we are heading downtown. We have a suspect. Dawson Jenkins. Cynthia White's fiancée."
"Explain the sudden realization." Davidson got right down to business.
"We believe Treyson may have wanted to bring Cynthia into his polyamorous relationship.”
“How did you reach that conclusion?”
“Treyson was picking up his own laundry even though there was a delivery service.”
“I’m not following.”
“She was doing the delivery service for a short time, and we believe that is where Treyson met her. Treyson's lovers confirmed he wanted to bring someone new into the relationship, but the person’s partner was an issue.” They jogged to the Crown Vic and Kallie grabbed the mugs so he could drive. He started the car, Kallie hit the laser strobes, and they tore from the parking lot heading to the dry cleaners.
“So, you’re thinking Treyson hits on laundry girl and wants to bring her into the love fest and fiancé takes issue with the proposition and kills him?”
“Makes sense, and we have trace evidence that points to him. The chemical on Treyson’s face is one used in dry cleaning solution.”
Davidson grunted, “I’m sending a patrol as backup.”
“We make first contact. Have them hold for us if they arrive first.”
“Got it. Get that bastard.” Davidson hung up, and he dropped his phone in his coat pocket.
“Dawson works in the back, around the chemicals.” Kallie held onto the dash as he powered around a corner.
“Yeah.” He slammed on the brakes and switched lanes. “We need to bring them both in and separate them. If she knows anything, she’s not going to talk if he’s around.”
“We’ll have the patrol bring Dawson in, and we’ll take Cynthia,” she agreed.