were on when these young guys were in their goddamn diapers. The young cop guided the patrol car smoothly on to the I-10 freeway.
“Never mind,” Mary said, once they’d settled into a lane. “Lieutenant Davies. What do you think of her? Do you know she’s actually made of wax?”
“How do you know her?” he said.
“Hey, just answer the question.”
He looked at her in the rearview mirror. Couldn’t decide whether to be offended at her tone, or to answer. He chose to answer.
“She’s…good,” he said.
“That’s what I call a ringing endorsement.”
“Well, I mean. You know, smart. Efficient.”
“Now you’re gushing.”
“She—”
“Do you think she’s hot?”
“Ma’am, I’d rather not…I’m driving. And you’re involved in a double homicide. I don’t think I should be talking to you about our detectives.”
Mary nodded to him in the rearview mirror.
“Is she still fucking that Cornell guy?”
“Okay,” the young cop said. “That’s it. I’m going to stop talking now.”
“Just tell me the office scuttlebutt. Are they still a couple?”
He looked in the mirror again at her, as he took the exit for downtown proper.
“That’s the rumor,” he said.
Mary laid her head back on the seat and watched L.A. fly past her window.
You never knew with rumors. Jake had said it was a one-night stand. Well, if it was more than that, good for Jake. Might help him get promoted faster. They made a nice couple.
A nice couple.
Kind of like Satan and Judas.
The cop allowed her to go to the bathroom, then brought her a cup of coffee in an actual coffee cup. The cup read “Death Valley National Park.” Nice.
“Thanks,” Mary said. She took a sip. It was awful. “Mmmm, Mountain Grown.”
They left her alone for an hour. Fucking Jake. How could he leave her in here this long, knowing she’d just killed someone? The depths of his treachery were deepening every day. He was probably picking up the Shark’s dry cleaning, trying to improve the scores on his performance review at the end of the year.
Or else they were just killing time to make her more willing to talk. Bastards.
After another fifteen minutes of waiting, the door opened and Jake walked in. He looked tired and frazzled. Mary had no sympathy for him.
“All done debriefing your boss?” Mary said.
Jake stopped. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Mary put a finger to her chin. “Hmm. What could that mean? What could the subtext possibly be?”
He let out a heavy sigh and dropped a file folder on the desk. “This isn’t the time,” Jake said.
“That’s what you said last time,” Mary said. “She’s really got you under control – did she put a dog collar on you and call you dirty names-”
“Mary,” he said through gritted teeth. “You’re not doing yourself any good.” Jake’s eyes snaked over toward the mirror.
“I know she’s listening,” Mary said. “Probably watching your tough guy interrogation tactics and touching herself every time you-”
“Cut the shit and tell me what happened.”
Mary raised an eyebrow at his flaring temper.
“Oooh,” she said. “I think you just made her moan.”
Jake grinded his jaws together. “What. Happened.”
Mary sighed. “Okay. I actually do have a confession to make. Are you sure I shouldn’t have my lawyer here?”
“Come on, Mary,” he said, his voice softer and his body relaxing. “It’s me.”
“Okay,” Mary said, nodding as if she’d reached a decision. “My confession. Here it is.”
She let the pause hang for a moment.
“I’m a chubby chaser. I like fat guys.”
Jake’s eyes went half-mast.
“That fat guy I was with?” she said. “I planned to take his roly poly ass home and screw his brains out. There’s nothing I like more than grabbing a couple handfuls of Dubuque ham-”
The door banged open and the Shark walked in.
“Jake, I’ll take over.”
“Ooh,” Mary said. “I think you’ve just been bitch-slapped Jake. Jump to it, little lady.”
“Shut up,” Davies said.
Mary rolled her eyes. “Potty mouth,” she said.
“Jake,” the Shark said. “Out.”
Jake turned and headed for the door.
“I bet he likes it when you boss him around, doesn’t he?” Mary said. “I can tell you’re the Alpha Male in the relationship, that’s for sure. Does he have food bowls with his name on them?”
The door slammed shut and the sound reverberated in the small room. Davies said nothing. She just looked at Mary, gathering herself. Mary looked back at her. One eyebrow raised.
“What’s the problem?” Mary said. “I really do like fat guys.” The Shark nodded. “How about we help each other out?” she said.
“You mean…cooperate?”
“You give us some information, we’ll give you some information.”
“That sounds very Democratic,” Mary said. “Very