Free Acquainted With the Night by Erica Abbott Page A

Vivien?”
    “No! Nothing like that. I just want to talk to you. In person, okay?”
    They settled on lunch at the Great Northern Tavern on Saturday, and Alex hung up, still wondering what Vivien wanted to talk about.

Chapter Eight
    Late on Friday afternoon, Alex was doing a quick read through the latest Police Chief magazine when Frank Morelli knocked on her open door.
    “Got a minute?” he asked.
    “Of course. I was just thinking about you, in fact.”
    “You were reading the magazine and thinking about me?” he kidded her.
    Alex smiled a little. “I was, actually. I was thinking about asking Wylie if I could take you to the IACP conference in October.”
    “Really?” Frank looked pleased and surprised. “And why would I be going to the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference?”
    “Because they have a lot of training sessions. For example, you could take a session on first line supervision.”
    “Something you’re trying to tell me, boss?”
    Alex sat back and looked at him. Frank had an open, friendly air about him that made him good with victims and helped calm tense situations. He was only a little younger than Alex, with almost twenty years’ solid experience behind him.
    “Let’s just say I’m thinking about succession planning,” Alex said. “I hope you’ll be making lieutenant someday very soon, and maybe captain after that. Training is always a good thing.”
    Suddenly he looked apprehensive. “Jesus, Alex, are you going somewhere? You’re not going to quit or anything, are you?”
    “No, of course not,” she answered quickly. “Why would you think that?”
    “You…” he stopped and suddenly sat down heavily in her visitor’s chair. “I just thought that maybe you were so unhappy you were gonna quit.” He stopped and looked at her with sad brown eyes.
    “I am unhappy,” she said quietly. “Quitting wouldn’t help that. God, if I couldn’t come to work I’d be completely round the bend by now.”
    “Oh, man. You had me scared there for a minute.”
    “Frank, what did you want?”
    He cleared his throat, clearly a little embarrassed. “I was just checking up on you. You were pretty upset with Fullerton the other day. Not that the jerk-off didn’t deserve it, but you’re not much for screaming. I just wondered how you were doing.”
    He was being nice, and Alex tried not to resent being asked, once again, how she was feeling. How did everyone think she was feeling? What words could she use that would tell the story? Empty? Aching? Angry? All of those emotions, and others she could hardly name.
    “About as well as I can be, I guess,” Alex answered him.
    He continued to look at her steadily. “I wish it hadn’t happened,” he said softly. “Everything that happened last summer, but mostly I’m really sorry she left. I really am.”
    “I know, Frank. Thanks for caring,” she said gently.
    He got up and said on his way out, “Jennifer told me to ask you over to dinner sometime. If you can stand to have dinner with a fourteen-year-old smart-ass at the table, we’d love to have you.”
    Jesus, Alex thought, what was it with the sudden avalanche of invitations to feed her? Chris, Paul, Vivien, and now Frank. Did she look like she’d lost weight or something?
    “Thanks, Frank,” she said, without pursuing it. “And thank Jennifer for me. We’ll set it up sometime.” She glanced at the clock and saw how late it was. “And could you mind the fort for a few minutes? I have to go downstairs and do something. I’ll be back.”
    “Sure thing.”
    * * *
    Sergeant McCarthy looked up from his desk as she went into his tiny office on the first floor.
    “Captain,” he said in greeting, looking uncomfortable. “The chief told me you’d be by.”
    “How are you, Chad?” Alex asked kindly.
    “Okay,” he answered, rubbing the tiny bald spot on his crown. “Busy, you know.”
    “I know,” Alex said. She fought an irrational urge to apologize, as if his