make the fire?” Jeff asked, ignoring her.
“They used the fat ass’s glasses like a magnifying glass,” Manny answered. “The fat kid gets it in the end.” He grinned. “Boulder smashes his head open. Brains everywhere.” He looked over at Brooke with a leer. “I read ahead, Teacher.”
“I used a magnifying glass to kill a bug once,” Mike offered. “I didn’t think it would work, but it really does.”
Jeff’s smile flashed, wolfish. “They say that sticking a hamster in the microwave is a myth, but they’re wrong. Cats are even better, but you need a really big microwave.”
“That’s enough,” Brooke snapped. “Manny, Jeff, Mike, stop it.”
Jeff slid back down in his chair, smirking as his eyes slid back to her breasts, slowly so that she would know he stared. “Teacher likes pussy... cats,” he murmured just loud enough for her to hear. Brooke decided it was best to ignore him.
Manny just shrugged. “You asked,” he said. “The fire was cool.”
“The fire is a symbol,” she said firmly. “Of common sense and morality.” She frowned at the class. “And stay away from the microwave. Now let’s talk about the symbolism of the signal fire. You have a quiz on Wednesday.”
Every set of eyes dropped to her breasts and Brooke knew she’d be talking to herself. Three months ago she’d arrived at Hope Center, the ink barely dry on her diploma, fresh-faced and eager to teach. Now she just prayed she’d get through the day. And that somehow, someway she’d get through to these kids.
Please. Just one.
Chapter Three
Monday, November 27, 9:15 A.M.
R eed Solliday drew a careful breath and let it out. For a split second the woman had looked angrily stunned. Well, that made two of them, because Reed wasn’t thrilled about his new “partner” either. Marc Spinnelli insisted that Mia Mitchell was one of the best, but he’d seen the woman staring at the precinct door like a deer caught in the headlights. He’d stood behind her for a full minute before she’d detected his presence.
Not the highest recommendation for her skills. Plus, with her battered leather jacket, worn-out hat, and scuffed boots she’d looked...well, not like a detective he’d want watching his back. Still, he extended his hand. “Detective Mitchell.”
Her grip was solid. “Lieutenant Solliday.” She turned to her boss, her face calm, but her spine rigid. “What’s this all about, Marc? Abe’s coming back.”
“Of course he is, Mia. OFI discovered a homicide in one of their arson scenes. Abe will be out for a few weeks. -Consider yourself on loan. Sit down and let Reed explain.”
They sat and Mitchell gave him her full attention. Her eyes were clear and alert now. And blue, like Christine’s china they used only on holidays. The scruffy hat she’d worn kept her short blond hair dry except for the edges that curled around her face. She’d stowed the ratty jacket and fortunately now looked more professional in a black blazer. Unfortunately the thin, clingy shirt she wore under the blazer didn’t do a thing to hide her curves. For a small woman, Detective Mia Mitchell had a hell of a lot of curves.
Reed enjoyed staring at a nice set of curves as much as the next guy, but what he needed was a partner, not a pinup and certainly not a distraction. However, he sensed no flirtation in her, no softness, so he wouldn’t hold the curves against her.
“On Saturday night there was a fire in Oak Park,” he began. “We found a body in the kitchen. This morning the ME called. The X-ray showed a bullet hole in her skull.”
“Carbon monoxide in the lungs?” Mitchell asked.
“Barrington was going back to check. He wanted me to know about the bullet since it changes the nature of the investigation.”
“And the jurisdiction,” she murmured. “You’ve seen the body?”
“I was going to the morgue after I finished here.”
“You have an ID on the victim?”
“Tentative. The house is owned by Joe and
“They used the fat ass’s glasses like a magnifying glass,” Manny answered. “The fat kid gets it in the end.” He grinned. “Boulder smashes his head open. Brains everywhere.” He looked over at Brooke with a leer. “I read ahead, Teacher.”
“I used a magnifying glass to kill a bug once,” Mike offered. “I didn’t think it would work, but it really does.”
Jeff’s smile flashed, wolfish. “They say that sticking a hamster in the microwave is a myth, but they’re wrong. Cats are even better, but you need a really big microwave.”
“That’s enough,” Brooke snapped. “Manny, Jeff, Mike, stop it.”
Jeff slid back down in his chair, smirking as his eyes slid back to her breasts, slowly so that she would know he stared. “Teacher likes pussy... cats,” he murmured just loud enough for her to hear. Brooke decided it was best to ignore him.
Manny just shrugged. “You asked,” he said. “The fire was cool.”
“The fire is a symbol,” she said firmly. “Of common sense and morality.” She frowned at the class. “And stay away from the microwave. Now let’s talk about the symbolism of the signal fire. You have a quiz on Wednesday.”
Every set of eyes dropped to her breasts and Brooke knew she’d be talking to herself. Three months ago she’d arrived at Hope Center, the ink barely dry on her diploma, fresh-faced and eager to teach. Now she just prayed she’d get through the day. And that somehow, someway she’d get through to these kids.
Please. Just one.
Chapter Three
Monday, November 27, 9:15 A.M.
R eed Solliday drew a careful breath and let it out. For a split second the woman had looked angrily stunned. Well, that made two of them, because Reed wasn’t thrilled about his new “partner” either. Marc Spinnelli insisted that Mia Mitchell was one of the best, but he’d seen the woman staring at the precinct door like a deer caught in the headlights. He’d stood behind her for a full minute before she’d detected his presence.
Not the highest recommendation for her skills. Plus, with her battered leather jacket, worn-out hat, and scuffed boots she’d looked...well, not like a detective he’d want watching his back. Still, he extended his hand. “Detective Mitchell.”
Her grip was solid. “Lieutenant Solliday.” She turned to her boss, her face calm, but her spine rigid. “What’s this all about, Marc? Abe’s coming back.”
“Of course he is, Mia. OFI discovered a homicide in one of their arson scenes. Abe will be out for a few weeks. -Consider yourself on loan. Sit down and let Reed explain.”
They sat and Mitchell gave him her full attention. Her eyes were clear and alert now. And blue, like Christine’s china they used only on holidays. The scruffy hat she’d worn kept her short blond hair dry except for the edges that curled around her face. She’d stowed the ratty jacket and fortunately now looked more professional in a black blazer. Unfortunately the thin, clingy shirt she wore under the blazer didn’t do a thing to hide her curves. For a small woman, Detective Mia Mitchell had a hell of a lot of curves.
Reed enjoyed staring at a nice set of curves as much as the next guy, but what he needed was a partner, not a pinup and certainly not a distraction. However, he sensed no flirtation in her, no softness, so he wouldn’t hold the curves against her.
“On Saturday night there was a fire in Oak Park,” he began. “We found a body in the kitchen. This morning the ME called. The X-ray showed a bullet hole in her skull.”
“Carbon monoxide in the lungs?” Mitchell asked.
“Barrington was going back to check. He wanted me to know about the bullet since it changes the nature of the investigation.”
“And the jurisdiction,” she murmured. “You’ve seen the body?”
“I was going to the morgue after I finished here.”
“You have an ID on the victim?”
“Tentative. The house is owned by Joe and
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