Free Necessary Decisions, A Gino Cataldi Mystery by Giacomo Giammatteo Page B

I can help with?”
    “No, it’s personal, Michelle. Anything urgent yet today?”
    “Nothing we can’t handle, Mr. Winthrop. I’ll call you if necessary.”
    Scott hung up and walked around the kitchen. He called Alexa’s cell three more times but got no answer. “Where are you, Alexa? Where the hell are you?”

Chapter 17

    A New Assignment
    M y phone rang as I drove down the freeway. “Gino Cataldi.”
    “Gino, it’s Coop. Where are you?”
    “Almost at the station, why?”
    “See me as soon as you get in.”
    “What’s up?”
    “Just stop by. We need to talk.”
    Ten minutes later, I pulled into the station parking lot and went to see Coop. “Hey, Cindy, she in?”
    “And waiting.”
    I walked in, surprised to see Chief Renkin. I nodded to him. “Chief.” Then to the captain, “Coop, what’s up?”
    Renkin got up from his chair and shook hands with me. “Are you getting anywhere on those home invasions?”
    Is that what this is about?
    “Not yet, sir. But now that Delgado’s with me, we’ll find them.”
    “I hope so. The Marshall boy has taken a turn for the worse.”
    I shook my head. His attack had been an unnecessary part of the invasion. “We’ll get them, sir. You can tell Mr. Marshall that.”
    Renkin looked at the side of my head. “Is that from the poker game robbery?”
    “It is, sir.”
    “What the hell is going on in this town?” He sat back down after that, and Coop took over.
    She held a folder in her hand, which she referred to, then looked at me. “You worked a kidnapping case up north, didn’t you? When you were in Philadelphia?”
    I gave both of them a sharp look. Something was going on, and I wasn’t in on it. I wished I’d gotten a heads-up from Cindy. “I worked two of them. Why? Somebody get snatched?”
    Renkin looked to Coop then to me. “Not just somebody. Scott Winthrop’s daughter.”
    “I don’t know him.”
    “Winthrop is CEO of a new biotech firm in The Woodlands. He has an extremely high-profile IPO getting a lot of media attention. We need it handled properly.”
    “Does he live up there?”
    Renkin nodded. “I know what you’re thinking—out of our jurisdiction—but we’ve been asked in.”
    “Why?”
    “They’d rather us handle it quietly, without calling in the FBI. This IPO could mean a lot for Houston. Their success could lure other start-ups here. And that is just the kind of business we’re looking for—clean, with high-paying jobs.” Renkin shot me his famous hard look. “Can you do it?”
    “I can, Chief, but I’ve already got a case. Remember?”
    Renkin’s eyes narrowed. “Of course I remember. The Marshalls are friends of mine.” He got up and paced. “This takes priority. Give the Marshall case to someone else.”
    “No way.” I couldn’t let them take the Marshall case, not with Number Three involved. He was mine.
    “Detective!” Now Renkin was pissed. “You’ll take whatever case I assign you.”
    I had to play this right. I took a few deep breaths, calmed myself. “I’ll take the kidnapping if you keep me as lead on the Marshall case. Somebody else can run the day-to-day.”
    Coop was shaking her head before I finished. “No.”
    “Then give the snatch to the feds. I don’t want it.”
    Renkin glared at me; he was good at that. “You’ll take what I assign, Detective.”
    “I said I’d take it, but you have to let me keep the Marshall case.”
    “Why?”
    “Because they took his damn watch,” Coop said.
    I ignored Coop and looked at Renkin. “What’s it going to be, Chief?”
    Renkin gave Cooper a sideways glance then reached out his hand to shake mine. “Captain Cooper will give you anything you need. Call me personally if necessary.”
    After Renkin left, Coop gestured to the chair. “Have a seat, Gino.”
    “I should go, Coop. We can’t afford to delay on kidnapping cases.”
    She moved some papers around on her desk and stared at me over the top of her glasses. “This will only take a