lose her cool when he'd asked for her promise. She didn't have to promise him anything, and the fact that she even thought about his suggestion was a step in the right direction.
As her footsteps echoed down the hall, he kicked his door shut, grabbed the phone and began dialing.
* * * *
Halfway up the back stairs, Jess realized she'd unconsciously changed her regular pattern. Normally she'd take the front staircase to go to the third floor. She was still reacting to her irrational feelings of being watched. She stopped mid-staircase and assessed those feelings. Yes. They were still there. She looked over the railing and perused the stairs below. If there was anyone on the stairs, she'd either be able to hear them, or at the very least smell them. Her senses were top notch again. She took a long breath to quell the feeling of disaster that seemed to be always looming these days, and continued on her way to her meeting with her boss.
She knocked on the door.
"Come.” The baritone voice suited Chief Vance Brown. The huge man barely fit his ultra-wide leather chair. His neatly clipped goatee flowed like waves over three chins.
"You wanted to see me, sir?"
He waved pudgy fingers at a chair. “Have a seat, Vandermire."
She'd rather stand, but Vance liked his people to do what he told them to. She sat.
"The mayor called to ask how things went at the Dragon's Lair Club."
She stared at him. “Fine."
His girth expanded and he hoisted himself forward. “I think the Mayor will want a little bit more than that, Vandermire."
"Why didn't the Mayor go and find out for himself?"
"Apparently, he's a regular. But it seems Drago Vaslov is interested in you, Jess. Besides the fact that we want to keep up good relations, I'm rather curious about Vaslov's interest myself.” He held up his hands. “Not that I don't think you warrant the attention of a philanthropic millionaire, you realize, it's just that your specialization makes me a little nervous. If Vaslov knows about you, it's a concern."
"I didn't get the impression he knew about my “specialization” as you put it."
Vance sucked in heavily through his nostrils. “Nevertheless, Drago is still putting pressure on the Mayor. Apparently, you don't stick around as long as he would like. He wants to see you, again."
She frowned. “Tough."
He cleared his throat. “I know I can't ask you to do this, Jess. In fact it goes against my own ethics, but I want you to become a bit of a regular on your off-time."
She started to protest, but he held up a hand the size of a ham and she closed her mouth.
"There's more. I don't want you to hang around to give Mr. Vaslov his jollies. Quite the reverse. This is our chance to find out just what he's up to.” He looked around the room. “Just don't tell the Mayor I said that. I'm taking the initiative on this one. Something's not quite right, and I want you to find out what the hell it is."
She gave him her coldest, undead look and watched the sweat break out on his forehead. “Fine! But remember, I don't do regular police work, nor do I allow myself to be pimped out."
He actually had the gall to laugh at that. “I'm very well aware of your standards, Vandermire. That's why you're perfect for this. And who said you can't do regular police work too? You're a full-fledged cop. A fine one at that.” He moved again, and settled back into his chair. “I'm assuming you have no problems with this assignment."
She took her time and thought it out. The Chief never gave compliments. He must be desperate. Since he put it that way she had little choice. “I have no problem with it."
"I'd like you to have backup on this, though. You're not going to poke around there without someone to watch your back."
Jess listened to him. His suggestion was valid, but she had no intention of bringing someone else along. Drago Vaslov gave her the impression his interest was personal. She didn't believe it for a minute. She'd never get the whole truth
As her footsteps echoed down the hall, he kicked his door shut, grabbed the phone and began dialing.
* * * *
Halfway up the back stairs, Jess realized she'd unconsciously changed her regular pattern. Normally she'd take the front staircase to go to the third floor. She was still reacting to her irrational feelings of being watched. She stopped mid-staircase and assessed those feelings. Yes. They were still there. She looked over the railing and perused the stairs below. If there was anyone on the stairs, she'd either be able to hear them, or at the very least smell them. Her senses were top notch again. She took a long breath to quell the feeling of disaster that seemed to be always looming these days, and continued on her way to her meeting with her boss.
She knocked on the door.
"Come.” The baritone voice suited Chief Vance Brown. The huge man barely fit his ultra-wide leather chair. His neatly clipped goatee flowed like waves over three chins.
"You wanted to see me, sir?"
He waved pudgy fingers at a chair. “Have a seat, Vandermire."
She'd rather stand, but Vance liked his people to do what he told them to. She sat.
"The mayor called to ask how things went at the Dragon's Lair Club."
She stared at him. “Fine."
His girth expanded and he hoisted himself forward. “I think the Mayor will want a little bit more than that, Vandermire."
"Why didn't the Mayor go and find out for himself?"
"Apparently, he's a regular. But it seems Drago Vaslov is interested in you, Jess. Besides the fact that we want to keep up good relations, I'm rather curious about Vaslov's interest myself.” He held up his hands. “Not that I don't think you warrant the attention of a philanthropic millionaire, you realize, it's just that your specialization makes me a little nervous. If Vaslov knows about you, it's a concern."
"I didn't get the impression he knew about my “specialization” as you put it."
Vance sucked in heavily through his nostrils. “Nevertheless, Drago is still putting pressure on the Mayor. Apparently, you don't stick around as long as he would like. He wants to see you, again."
She frowned. “Tough."
He cleared his throat. “I know I can't ask you to do this, Jess. In fact it goes against my own ethics, but I want you to become a bit of a regular on your off-time."
She started to protest, but he held up a hand the size of a ham and she closed her mouth.
"There's more. I don't want you to hang around to give Mr. Vaslov his jollies. Quite the reverse. This is our chance to find out just what he's up to.” He looked around the room. “Just don't tell the Mayor I said that. I'm taking the initiative on this one. Something's not quite right, and I want you to find out what the hell it is."
She gave him her coldest, undead look and watched the sweat break out on his forehead. “Fine! But remember, I don't do regular police work, nor do I allow myself to be pimped out."
He actually had the gall to laugh at that. “I'm very well aware of your standards, Vandermire. That's why you're perfect for this. And who said you can't do regular police work too? You're a full-fledged cop. A fine one at that.” He moved again, and settled back into his chair. “I'm assuming you have no problems with this assignment."
She took her time and thought it out. The Chief never gave compliments. He must be desperate. Since he put it that way she had little choice. “I have no problem with it."
"I'd like you to have backup on this, though. You're not going to poke around there without someone to watch your back."
Jess listened to him. His suggestion was valid, but she had no intention of bringing someone else along. Drago Vaslov gave her the impression his interest was personal. She didn't believe it for a minute. She'd never get the whole truth
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