Page 6 of Merrick

She grinned at his exasperated expression. “Am I that much of a pain in the ass?”

His brows lifted. “We are thinking of making a sign and hanging it outside your office.” Brad grinned at the dirty look she aimed at him. But he was happy to see that she looked relaxed and rested. “What are you going to do with your time off?”

“Nothing. Try and do a bit of cleaning and visit a gallery or two.”

He gave her a contemplative look. “It always amazes me that you like that kind of stuff.”

“Why?” She demanded. “Because I was brought up in a group home?”

He gave her a pained look as he took a sip of his brew.

“No, it’s because of how bloody tough you are. Jesus! Lighten up. Being brought up in a group home obviously made you who you are. And I happen to admire the package.”

“Package?” Her sultry voice had gone ominously quiet.

“Package, yes.” He grinned. “And we have too many cops present for you to even consider kicking my ass.”

“Don’t be too sure of yourself. What did you want to talk to me about?”

“You heard of the new street drug?”

She nodded, her expression going sober. “Even under, I heard whispers. It is hitting the clubs and causing a hell of a lot of damage. Combination of meth and speed. Mostly college kids and a few high schoolers getting hooked. It’s like a damn epidemic.”

“Enough to have everyone getting concerned. Including the mayor.”

“And we all know he is gunning for the White House. It is more of a political thing for him.” The bitterness seeped through her voice.

“That’s beside the point. Have you also heard the rumors?”

“About it being linked to Medtech? Yeah. The investigation is stalled because – that company is a pharmaceutical giant with top lawyers on retainer. Without solid proof that it comes from their house, we are dead in the water.”

“We are!” He polished off his burger and meticulously wiped his fingers on the napkin. “The commander is pulling you in for the undercover work.”

She nodded. “The reason why he wants me to take some time off.”

“Are you serious about it being your last undercover stint?”

She nodded. “I’m getting too old for the streets.” She grinned as he scoffed. “It is true. The last one was wicked. The two brothers had me tuckered out and I was not on my guard. I was almost killed.” Her smile faded.

“I spent months under, some of that time, sleeping on the streets to get a feel of things and it was pretty rough.” She put down the rest of her burger and picked up her beer.

“I met some people and talked to them and realized they are not insane. They just don’t have anywhere to live. Some are down on their luck and just plain down. I managed to recommend someof them to homes where they can take the chance to recover and make a fresh start. It was damn depressing.

Hell, we take so much for granted – a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs and food to eat, that we forget there are people suffering.” She shrugged. “I have decided to set up a regular soup kitchen for the homeless.”

“Isn’t that already in place?”

“No. For the area I was involved with, it’s only once a week. People need to be fed every damn day of the week. There are restaurants dumping leftovers, every single day. I’ve reached out to a couple of them for assistance.”

“You don’t fool me, Sullivan. You have a heart of gold,” he grinned at the look on her face.

“It’s common decency to care.” She flicked a glance over his immaculate suit. “You should sell some of your expensive stuffand give the proceeds to the cause. Remind me again how a guy who earns a living as a cop can afford to dress like you do?”

“Smart investing and savings. Also having a wealthy aunt who thinks the world of you.”

“The woman is a damn fool.”

“She adores me.” His smile faded. “You need something other than the job.”

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