Night Shield by Nora Roberts

to study his daughter’s back as she passed through. “I seem to detect a few ruffled feathers on yours.”
    “Okay, good eye. We put each other’s backs up.”
    “I figured you would. You both like to do things your own way.”
    “Why would I want to do them someone else’s way?”
    “Exactly.” Boyd skimmed a hand down the long, sleek tail of her hair. His little girl had always had a mind of her own, and a very hard head around it. “Speaking of ruffled feathers, I have a meeting with the mayor in an hour.”
    “Better you than me,” Ally said cheerfully as she jogged down the stairs.
    “What can you tell me about last night’s break-in?”
    “Same M.O. They hit a real treasure trove with the Chamberses. Mrs. Chambers got me the loss list this morning. The woman’s efficient. They were fully insured—value of stolen items comes to a solid two hundred and twenty-five thousand.”
    “That’s the biggest haul so far.”
    “Yeah. I’m hoping it makes them cocky. They took some art this time. I don’t know if it was dumb luck or if somebody knew what they had when they saw it. They have to have somewhere to keep the goods before they turn them. Big enough for a car.”
    “A decent chop shop could have a car dismantled and turned in a couple hours.”
    “Yeah, but …” She started to push open the next door herself, but her father beat her to it. It reminded her oddly, and not entirely happily, of Jonah.
    “But?” he prompted as they crossed the lobby.
    “I don’t think that’s the route. Somebody likes nice things. Somebody has really good taste. At the second hit, they took a collection of rare books, but they left an antique clock. It was appraised at five thousand, but it was dead ugly. It’s like they said, Please, don’t insult us. There’ve been other cars at other scenes, but they’ve only taken two. Cool cars.”
    “Burglars with standards.”
    “Yeah, I think so.” When they stepped outside she blinked against the brilliant sunlight until she pulled out her shaded glasses. “And a kind of arrogance. Arrogance is a mistake. That’s going to turn it my way.”
    “I hope so. The pressure’s on, Ally.” He walked her to her car, opened the door for her in a way that made her frown and think of Jonah again. “We’re getting press, the kind that makes the mayor uncomfortable.”
    “In my best judgment, they won’t wait more than a week. They’re rolling now. They’ll come back to Blackhawk’s.”
    “They got a bigger slice of pie from the new place.”
    “Blackhawk’s is reliable. Once I spend a few nights under, I’ll start recognizing faces there. I’ll pin him, Dad.”
    “I believe it.” He bent down to kiss her cheek. “And I’ll handle the mayor.”
    “I believe it.” She slid behind the wheel. “Question.”
    “Ask it.”
    “You’ve known Jonah Blackhawk for, what, like fifteen years?”
    “Seventeen.”
    “How come you never had him over to the house? You know, for dinner or football afternoons or one of your world-famous cookouts?”
    “He wouldn’t come. Always acknowledged the invitation, thanked me and said he was busy.”
    “Seventeen years.” Idly she tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “That’s a lot of busy. Well, some people don’t like socializing with cops.”
    “Some people,” Boyd told her, “draw lines and never believe they have the right to cross them. He’d meet me at the station house.” The memory made Boyd grin. “He didn’t like it, but he’d do it. He’d meet me for coffee or a beer, at the gym. But he’d never come to my home. He’d consider that crossing the line. I’ve never convinced him otherwise.”
    “Funny, he strikes me as being a man who considers himself good enough for anything, or anyone.”
    “There are a lot of twists and pockets in Jonah. And very little about him that’s simple.”

Chapter 4
    She called ahead and had to admit she was surprised when Jonah answered the phone in his