Free The Grass Tattoo (#2 - The Craig Modern Thriller Series) by Catriona King Page B

desire to repeat the event. He was dragged rudely from his reverie by the sheer volume of her next words.
    “And then, she had the cheek to tell me to send you right back. As if I’m a bloody delivery service!”
    He slipped easily past her through the gap by the door, and entered the office, lifting a seat from the wall and seating himself calmly at her desk. She turned around quickly, incensed by his cheek, and sat down proprietarily in her chair. Her office.
    She stared at him with a mixture of anger and affection, trying desperately to hide the latter, while he didn’t at all.
    “Mind if I help myself to coffee?” The words were only a courtesy, he was already doing it. He returned to his seat and took a sip of the too-hot drink, knowing immediately that she’d brewed it fresh for his visit, and encouraged by the sign.
    “Don’t worry about Mrs Butler; she’s just letting off steam.”
    She half-smiled, and then stopped herself, determined not to be charmed. She was ex-army and war had been declared between them two months ago. She was in ‘no surrender’ mode today.
    “Why did you ask for this meeting, D.C.I. Craig?”
    He didn’t answer, just smiled at her infuriatingly and she continued, flustered. “I’m very busy, and it seems that you are too.” She sniffed. “Although you obviously take your duties less seriously than I do.”
    She’d scored and he bristled, then he spotted what she was doing. He’d read Sun Tzu’s ‘Art of War’ as well. He controlled his temper and leaned forward, placing his cup on the desk slowly, and as he relaxed, so did she and they fell into a less hostile silence.
    Finally, he spoke. “The conference is a token to appease the press, so that they can write something bland and justify their own oxygen. The D.C.S. is just flexing his muscles.”
    She interrupted him quickly. “So are you, and I’m getting caught in the middle. I...”
    He held both hands up signalling truce and she stopped abruptly, letting him speak. “We caught a tricky case this morning that involves politicians, so Harrison is covering his back. That’s all the press conference was about, appeasing the local hacks.” She could see him getting angry now. “We don’t have anything solid yet, and he shouldn’t be going near the press, so I’m damned if I’m supporting it by standing beside him while he name-drops.”
    “That’s all they wanted you back for?”
    “Yes.”
    She smiled at him, then realised that she had, and turned away abruptly, towards her computer. She stared at the screen as she spoke. “Why did you want to meet me, D.C.I. Craig? I’m in a hurry to get home.”
    She realised immediately that her tone was too abrupt for a senior officer, even one who’d hurt her, and she rushed for a balance, overbalancing on the way.
    “My brother is here. I promised to cook...We don’t get to see each other often...we...”
    Craig could see her getting flustered and rescued her, kindly. “Is he older or younger?”
    “Younger…by seven years. He’s a doctor at Peter’s Hill in Enniskillen.”
    Then she realised that they were being friendly again, and stopped. He wasn’t her friend, he was her senior officer and her...What? Possible past lover. Except he wasn’t. Possible future? No, she couldn’t allow herself to think that, or hope that. Back to business.
    “Why did you want to meet with me, D.C.I. Craig?”
    Craig sighed. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him, and half of him knew that she shouldn’t. So he pulled out the copy of the file that they both knew he could have posted to her, and they had their meeting. Their relationship would have to wait for another day.

Chapter Nine
     
    Joe Watson stared at the clock tiredly. Six am. He still had an hour. He looked at the empty space beside him, relieved. Caitlin had left for Pilates and he had the place to himself, just him and the dogs. He needed the time to think.
    Not about Irene. No. He couldn’t let