“I’d forgotten the rush, the challenge. I’m thinking it’s time I moved on, left St. Lumis, maybe moved here to Metro. What do you think, Savich?”
Savich said slowly, “St. Lumis was a good place to heal, Chief. You interested instead in the FBI?”
Wilde reared back in his chair. “Become a Fed? Like Cinelli here?”
Sherlock said, “You have excellent big-city police experience, Chief. Unless you stole coffee money from the homicide division pot in the Philadelphia PD, I think the FBI would be proud to have you, and very lucky. From what Pippa says, you have a good brain. Not as sharp and fast as hers, of course, but still.”
“Something to think about,” Wilde said, and wondered how Savich knew he’d had to leave Philadelphia to heal. He realized now he wanted to be back in the game, the real game. He said, “When does Marsia Gay go to trial, Savich?”
Savich took the last bite of his pesto pasta, chewed, and sighed with pleasure. “Sonja told me the first week of March. That will give Veronica Lake time to get well enough to take the stand and provide the testimony to nail the cell door on Marsia.” He paused as he looked thoughtfully at his green beans. “I visited Veronica yesterday. She seemed different, more centered and self-aware, I guess you could say. Quite a thing to almost be murdered. When I left, she thanked me, told me her time with Marsia seemed like an ugly dream now, that she’d lost herself. She wants to make amends and wants to start in prison. She can teach, she said, she can listen. She’s hoping she can heal herself.”
Sherlock said, “We’re endlessly grateful Veronica didn’t die and is eager to put Marsia in jail for the rest of her life.” She sat back, took a sip of wine, gave them a big smile. “It’s all good.”
“One less psychopath to sow misery and chaos in the world,” Pippa said.
Sherlock turned to her. “The CAU will miss you, Pippa, but your unit chief was clicking her heels knowing you’ll be back on Monday. Jessie told me she wasn’t surprised you did a great job, because she’d trained you herself.”
“I’ve learned a lot from her, of course, but—” Pippa took a sip of her rich cabernet, carefully set down her wineglass, and looked at Savich, who nodded. She said, excitement in her voice, “Yesterday I asked for a transfer to the CAU, with Dillon’s permission and backing. I really did like bringing down white-collar slime in Financial Crimes, then again—” She shrugged. “I think the CAU is the best fit for me. Now I have to wait and see.”
Savich raised his glass. “Let me announce, Agent Cinelli, despite your current boss’s best efforts, you won’t be returning to Financial Crimes. I talked to Mr. Maitland, and he’s pleased to approve your transfer to the CAU. You’re ours now.”
“The fourth woman in the unit,” Sherlock said, and squeezed her hand. “Welcome aboard.”
Savich’s cell phone vibrated. He looked down, then rose. “Excuse me a moment.” He walked to the arch that led to the restrooms. “What’s going on, Griffin?”
“Rebekah has asked me to accompany her and Kit to Amsterdam. They’re on the trail of a forged van Gogh. Several days, maybe a week. Is this all right with you?”
Savich smiled. “I think it’s a great idea. Take a week. Help them track down forgers, make the art world a better place. How is Rebekah doing?”
“Kit told me she’s been on the quiet side, understandable with all that’s happened in the past week and a half. She doesn’t want to talk about it. We’ve both left her alone to sort through things herself.
“Rebekah did tell me she spoke to her half sister, Caitlin, and Rebekah has made plans for the three of us to fly to Spain after she and Kit finish in Amsterdam. On the way home Rebekah also asked Kit and me to stop with her in Birmingham, England, to meet her mother, Constance Riley.” Griffin paused a moment, added, “I assume Caitlin told her all about her birth mother, since Gemma wouldn’t give Rebekah the time of day, and there’s no one else who knows. Rebekah’s spoken on the phone to her mother, quite a thing for both of them. She said she’s looking forward to meeting her daughter.”
“You’ll be a rock for her, Griffin, you and Kit both. And there’s no reason for you all to stay here. Gemma refuses to see anyone again, Duvall