Free Accused by Janice Cantore Page B

it’s been a long time.”
    “I know. I bet you’re surprised to hear from me. Working narco means working odd schedules in odd places, so I’m hardly at the station. How have you been? You hanging in there?”
    “I’m fine—just a few minor irritations here and there. You know how it goes.” She thought about her conversation with Andi. The word cheater echoed in her mind.
    “Yeah, I sure do,” Jeff was saying. “I wanted to call you after the shooting—sorry I didn’t—but I’m glad you came out okay. You did a great job.”
    Through the static-filled connection, Carly sensed something odd about Jeff’s small talk. “What’s on your mind? Is there something I can do for you?”
    “To the point as usual. I need a favor, a big one.”
    “What kind of favor?” Why isn’t he calling Nick?
    “I don’t want to talk about it over the phone. I’m working something tonight, but I wondered if you could meet me somewhere tomorrow. What time do you go to dinner?”
    “I usually eat here. You want to come up about six?”
    “No, I don’t want to come to the station. How about somewhere in the Apex? It’s close to you.”
    “Okay, I guess that would be all right. But I’ll only have about forty minutes.”
    “Plenty of time. I won’t make you late. Thanks; I appreciate this.”
    “I haven’t said I’ll do anything other than meet you.”
    “I know, I know.” Jeff laughed stiffly. “Apex Grill and Fish House. I’ll see you about six.”
    “Six. Bye.”
    Carly pondered the brief conversation for a long time after she hung up. She thought about Andrea’s gossip and wondered what she could possibly do to help Jeff. Would she even want to help him if he was the philanderer Andrea accused him of being?

10
    Were Teresa Burke and Jeff having an affair? And if they were, what does it have to do with the murder? Carly fidgeted at her desk, still doodling. She wrote questions and then scratched them out. Sitting still was more difficult than usual after Jeff’s phone call. She stood and paced her small office, chewing on a thumbnail. Something Nick had said came to mind, and she snapped her fingers with a thought.
    “Cinnamon,” she spoke out loud. “Chances are homicide hasn’t gotten around to finding her. What would it hurt if I gave it a try?” She remembered the last time she and Joe arrested the girl. It had been a warrant arrest, but it had gone smoothly. Maybe she’ll open up to me because I’m a female. “Even if they have found her, maybe I can get more information and bring Tucker something new. That might change his mind.”
    The more she thought about it, the more energized Carly became. She almost forgot her letdown in the homicide office.
    Grinning, she sent a text message to Joe. He answered her query, and they made arrangements for a rendezvous. He was working solo for the night, and that suited Carly’s plan perfectly.
    Carly’s end of watch was 2:00 a.m.; Joe still had six hours to go. At EOW Carly drove to meet her partner, on a mission to find a prostitute named Cinnamon. I can’t stay out of it completely. It might mean trouble, but what can they do, send me to juvenile? When she arrived at Annie’s All-Night Diner, Joe’s black-and-white was already in the lot.
    “Hey, partner, how are you doing?” Joe leaned on the trunk of his cruiser sipping coffee. There was a cup waiting for Carly next to him.
    “I’ve been better.” Carly smiled, picked up her coffee, gave a mock toast, and leaned next to Joe. He filled her in on his night so far; the crazy Saturday night had given way to quiet when the temperature dropped. Carly knew the phenomenon; crooks tended to hole up and behave during cold or rain, at least for a little while.
    She told Joe about Tucker and the closed investigation. “That’s why I wanted to meet. Nick gave me the name of a possible witness, someone who could say the minor wasn’t in the car the night before it was stopped. It’s Cinnamon; remember