Page 104 of Sin With Me

“Hope? Hey, what are you doingback?”

“Just checking in. I was hoping to grab a cup of our disgusting office coffee because I think I actually missit.”

“Oh, well, let me be the one to pour you a cup, then.”

He gestured down the hall toward the lunchroom, and I went ahead. Somehow spending time in his office would have felt awkward, and I was happy he opted for a commonarea.

“You look tanned,” he said from behind me, and for the first time while ever in his presence, I felt chills.

“I took a little vacation.”

“Alone?”

“Nope, with mymom.”

“How is she feeling? Last time we spoke she was having heart trouble.”

“She’s doing well, actually. She’s been taking it easy, you know. That’s why the long vacation.” When I entered the empty lunchroom, I stopped, and Mike lightly bumped into me from behind.

“Sorry.”

“It’s all right. Where is everyone?” I asked.

“They’re probably in the new addition. I should have known the team would appreciate a big screen television set and couple of foosball tables.” Mike reached for the pot and a cup, and I heard the coffee pour. The delicious aroma intensified. I hoped he used the larger paper cup because I needed a good dose of caffeine to deal with everything today.

“Wow, when did this happen?” I asked.

“Just after you went on your leave.”

Otherwise known as a nice distraction in order to quickly close a bigcase.

He turned around and handed me the largest cup there was. I took a sip of my coffee and let out an internal sigh of pleasure. It tasted a little more bitter than I remembered. Part of me was grateful that he’d closed the case because I was involved and didn’t want to lose my job. Another part couldn’t help but wonder why he’d closed it so quickly, though. That night, I’d started a ball rolling. Once that truck blew up and I was forced to change my plan, the game was on. Except now I felt like I was about to hit a goal post instead of the goal. Something told me that tonight, I was going tolose.

“So what’s new at the office?” I asked.

“As you can see, we’ve been busy with renovations. Crime is down, morale is up. I call that awin.”

If there was one thing that Chief was proud of, it was his statistics. It made me happy for him. He was a good boss and we saw eye to eye on many issues. I wrapped my fingers around the cup of coffee, thinking how the old hot plate under the pot must have been giving up again because it was cooler than usual.

“Sounds like you’re doing a great job,” Isaid.

“Thanks. It’s not easy when you’re trying to earn fifty million dollars in a shorttime.”

What?

“It should start kicking in right about now,” he added, his gaze lowering to the cup in my hands.

My stomach contracted with a warning, and I dropped the cup. It spilled on the floor at the same time as my knees gave way, but Mike caught me. He sat me on a chair.

“You’ll find it difficult to speak in a moment. I gave you a sedative. It’s a strongone.”

What thefuck?

Why was everyone so keen on sedating me? I made a mental note to carry my own sedative from now on, if I remembered any of it after today, because my mind was becoming fuzzier every minute. Why would Mike sedateme?

“Now, Kate. You’ve had enough time in Pace. Where’s the money?

Money? Fifty million? It all sounded familiar, but my head hurt. The room faded in and out of focus while spinning. Colors turned black and white and everything in between.

“Myh.. khe? Doh… lsohn? What’s gohingooo?”

My words were slurred. I could barely say anything. I tried, but my tongue felt numb and I lost sight right after I heard his next words.

“The name is Mike Cortez.”

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