Page 3 of Just for Him
“Thanks, I will. You, too, Vinnie.”
After he left, I checked my phone. He had deleted all the pictures, set up a block, and had programmed in a new contact.
“Officer Hot Pants gave you his digits, huh?” Wanda commented, looking over my shoulder.
“Just a number to call if we see any trouble.”
“Honey, that’s not the number for the precinct.” She smirked.
Officer Vinnie had given me his personal number?
“Must be all those extra sausage links you heap onto his plate,” she said as she laughed. “I wonder howhispackage selfie would compare ...”
“Oh, shut up,” I muttered. However, for the rest of my shift, I couldn’t help wondering that myself.
Chapter Two: Vinnie
Ileft the diner feelingbetter than I had going in, but that wasn’t unusual. Haven had a way of lifting my spirits, even after a lousy night. That was one of the main reasons stopping there had become a nightly thing. She always had a smile for me. The extras she added onto my plate were a nice bonus, too. As both a guy and a full-blooded Italian, I’ve always associated good food with positive feelings.
Haven McAlister. Graveyard shift waitress at Lindelman’s 24-Hour Diner. Light brown hair, pretty blue eyes, and a smile like an angel. I didn’t know much else about her, other than she was a great listener, never said an unkind word about anyone—except the occasional affectionate barb toward Wanda—and made a great cup of coffee.
Those pictures on her phone bothered me, though. I didn’t like the thought of strange men sending her lewd pictures of their junk. Cliché as it might sound, Haven wasn’t that kind of girl. I had a gift for reading people. Even if my well-honed instincts—a tremendous advantage on the job—hadn’t clued me in, her obvious embarrassment would have.
Someone else who was easy to read? Wanda. I’d seen the way she had left the phone right there at the counter where I couldn’t miss it, as well as how she’d discreetly tapped the screen to wake it up before doing so. Wanda hadwantedme to see those pictures.
I suspected she was trying to play matchmaker. Wanda’s eyes had been on Haven and me more often than not, except when she was interacting directly with customers.
I would be lying if I hadn’t thought about asking Haven out myself more than once over the past couple months, but I always managed to talk myself out of it. Haven wasn’t the type of woman a man had a casual, no-strings relationship with, and that wasn’t something I was interested in anyway. The problem was, I didn’t have the time to invest in anything more meaningful.
I was a cop. I worked long hours and spent more time on the job than off. The limited free time I did have was spent withfamiglia. With three brothers, two sisters, and a large extended family, there was always someone who needed help with something or other.
The night was pleasantly warm and the skies clear as I stepped out of Lindelman’s. The diner was located between the precinct and my apartment, a stretch I preferred to walk rather than drive. It was a way to de-stress and reconnect with the town I had not only sworn to serve and protect, but had also grown up in.
I scanned up and down the streets out of habit, alert for anything unusual or suspicious. An unknown group had been targeting small businesses. Since many members of my family had places in the area, they were at risk right along with everyone else. My parents owned a restaurant on the east side, my cousin Val had a beauty shop, and my grandparents owned a bookstore, just to name a few. Any one of them could be targeted next. I had already warned them to take extra precautions, but I still made a mental note to raise the subject again on Sunday when we all gathered together for dinner.
Solid leads on the case were few and far between, but I had my suspicions.
