Pretties in Pink

20. Ford

20

FORD

“How was your day, ristretto?”

Better for hearing your voice.

“Could’ve gone more smoothly than it did,” Ford admitted.

“Want to talk about it?”

In his old life, Ford would have been in the bar by now, but he didn’t have the same relationship with his colleagues in Richmond as he’d enjoyed in NOLA. Yes, he’d been out a time or two at Duncan’s invitation when he first moved to Virginia, but the drinking-s***h-bragging sessions weren’t his thing, and he hadn’t much liked himself when he woke up in the mornings afterward. Especially the times there’d been a cop groupie lying beside him.

So he’d stopped going out, and damned if he hadn’t gotten lonely.

Until now.

“Yeah, it’d be good to talk.”

“In person?” Hallie asked. “It’s my turn to buy dinner, and don’t start with some bullshit about corruption because we both know I’m interested in more than your case notes.”

Suddenly, the evening was looking up.

“Want to come over? Or I can come to you?”

“Mercy still gets nervous around men she doesn’t know, so I think it’s better if I come over. Is that okay?”

It was more than okay. Ford liked that Hallie was comfortable enough on the Shore Thing to visit two days running.

“I’ve already stocked up on peanut M&Ms.”

“I love you!” There was a sudden gasp. “I mean, I don’t, not in that way, not yet…” Hallie cursed under her breath. “I’m making this worse, aren’t I? What I meant is that I really like peanut M&Ms, and I quite like you too.”

Ford had to smile. How could he not? With Hallie, what he saw and heard was what he got. She didn’t play games the way Eliette had, and even though her past had left her fragile, she faced her fears head-on. He wanted to help her conquer every last one of them.

“And I quite like you, plum. Come whenever you’re ready.”

“Are you still at work?”

“Just left.”

When he’d walked out of the building, it had felt as if there were a target painted on his back. Today had been the day when Ford’s differences of opinion with Duncan had finally come to a head. Until this afternoon, Duncan had encouraged Ford to pursue links to other abductions, to hunt for patterns and evidence. But that was because he thought he could pin those crimes on Micah Ganaway.

First thing this morning, Ford had laid out the details of the five cases he and Hallie suspected might be linked, and Duncan had agreed the theory had merit. Then the phone company had finally come through with Micah Ganaway’s call records. During the Carmody, Thomas, Metgood, and Feinstein abductions, his phone had been quiet. No calls made or received, no pings on cell towers. But in the middle of the time period when Araceli Suarez had been snatched, the phone registered to Ganaway had made a one-hour-and-forty-seven-minute call to a lady named Latasha Daynes.

When Ford had contacted Latasha, she’d remembered the conversation, although it had taken some convincing for her to explain why. August sixth, the day Araceli had disappeared, was Latasha’s birthday, and a year ago, Micah Ganaway, an old friend and occasional booty call, had taken her out for dinner. Always responsible, he’d left after dessert to go home to Fenika, but the night hadn’t ended there. No, he’d engaged in a little late-night phone s*x with Ms. Daynes, and judging by her coy giggles, she’d be up for a repeat. Incidentally, she’d also scoffed at the idea of Micah being involved with any abduction and not-so-politely told Ford that all cops were assholes.

Right now, he had to agree with that sentiment.

Latasha’s evidence had sealed the deal.

Ganaway wasn’t their man.

But Detective Duncan? Well, he’d twisted himself into a pretzel as he tried to break apart the links he’d agreed had merit earlier, and then he’d accused Ford of trying to sabotage the case.

Out of the bullpen and into the doghouse…

But Hallie was coming over, so the day could only improve.

“Italian?” she suggested. “Should I bring Italian, or will that jinx things?”

“That depends—are you gonna threaten me with hygiene products again?”

“Shut up.”

Ford just laughed. “See you later, plum.”

Hallie messaged when she left the office and again when she arrived in the parking lot at River Bend, and when Ford climbed onto the swim platform, she was already striding along the dock with a large paper carrier bag in her hand and a giant purse slung over one shoulder. When he offered her a hand to cross the gangplank, she didn’t hesitate. Another step in the right direction.

“We might need to reheat this. I picked it up from Il Tramonto half an hour ago.”

“I’ll turn on the oven. The drive over was okay?”

“There’s rain headed in this direction.”

“Then it’s a good thing we’re not having a cookout.”

“Do you know how to grill?”

“I’m a man. Of course I know how to grill.”

“My ex said that, and then he set fire to the fence.”

Ford ran a fingertip down Hallie’s cheek. “Then it’s a good thing I’m not your ex.”

No, he was her future.

She leaned into his touch for a second, then shimmied past him into the saloon. “Did you bring me gifts?” Her eyes lit up when she spotted the papers on the table. “Ooh, you did.”

“You only want me for my files,” he grumbled, and she spun to face him, grinning, and pressed one hand to his chest. It was the first time she’d touched his body that way, and heat radiated through his torso.

“But, honey, you have such big files.”

“Only for you, sugar pie.” Ford took the bag of food and arranged the foil containers in the oven. “I picked up a bottle of wine, just in case.”

“In case of what? Is there something bad in those files?”

“In case you don’t plan on driving home. Plus I stocked your bathroom with shampoo and shit.”

“My bathroom?”

“You’re welcome to stay here any night, plum. The front stateroom’s yours, but I won’t object if you want to try out my bed sometime.”

“I…”

Ford brushed her hair away from her face. “Whatever happens between us, it happens on your terms. I’m not gonna push you. But I’m not gonna leave you under any doubt as to how I feel either.”

Hallie bit her lip and shrank back an inch, and not for the first time, Ford wondered if he’d gone too far. But he meant what he’d said—he didn’t play around. And once Hallie had taken a moment to consider, she managed a small smile.

“I like you, Ford. I really like you, maybe even more than peanut M&Ms. But I need time. Until we met, the thought of going to bed with a man again left me physically sick, but now… Now, I’m coming around to the idea.”

“We’ve got all the time in the world. I’ll take my cues from you, okay? And I swear I won’t let anyone else hurt you, not ever again.”

Ford spoke the truth, or so he thought. At that moment, he didn’t know just how hard his promise would be to keep. No, he simply uncorked the wine and poured a glass for each of them. Ignorance was bliss, so the old saying went, and that evening, he was happier than he’d been in a year, despite the problems at work.

“I have an overnight bag in my trunk. Just in case.”

“Are we on the same page here, plum?”

She glanced away. Blushed. “Yes.”

Thank f**k for that. Ford wanted Hallie more than he’d wanted any other woman in his life, but only in the right way. She had to be comfortable with anything they did together. And her smiles… They were better than a damn orgasm anyway.

“How was your trip to West Virginia?”

“It was…interesting. Do you want me to go over the details while the food heats?”

“Take a seat and spill. Can I tempt you with candy?”

“And ruin my appetite?”

Ford leaned forward. “You have a big mouth.”

“By rights, I should slap you for that.”

He waggled his eyebrows. “Who knows, maybe I’d enjoy it? Do you want the candy or not?”

“Of course I want the candy.”

Ford poured peanut M&Ms into a bowl and added a handful of the regular variety for good measure. Then he settled onto the seat opposite Hallie and waited while she opened her laptop. The news about the Metgoods’ unhappy marriage surprised him because that hadn’t been mentioned in the file, and the AC company used by the family was different from the repair guy used by the Feinsteins—he came from Premiair Cooling. Neither revelation took the case further forward. His heart went out to Fenika Ganaway, but at least he could offer some good news there.

“If we can establish a firmer link between Suarez and Feinstein, then Ganaway’s in the clear.”

“Are you serious?”

“Duncan doesn’t like it, but he can’t argue with the facts.”

“But how…?”

“Phone records. The night Suarez disappeared, Ganaway spent nearly two hours engaging in coitus telephonicus with a young lady named Latasha.”

“Two hours? That’s…that’s…”

“A hell of a lot of dirty talk?”

“I was going to say ‘impressive,’ but your way works too. And you’re certain it rules him out?”

“According to the file, Suarez’s mom checked on her just after midnight when she got back from her evening job, and her dad found her missing when he went to kiss her goodbye at five a.m.”

“That early?”

“He worked as a short-order cook at the local diner. Had to catch the before-work crowd. I’m planning on visiting them tomorrow, which will also have the added bonus of keeping me away from Duncan.”

“He’s that bad?”

“I’ve spent months wishing I’d stayed in New Orleans.” Ford reached out for Hallie’s hand and gave it a light squeeze. “But it turns out Richmond isn’t so bad after all.”

“Seriously, is he going to cause you problems?”

“Maybe.” Ford sighed. “Probably. But I can’t avoid doing what’s right just because my partner’s a prejudiced, short-sighted prick.”

“Why don’t you tell me how you really feel?”

Hallie had a way of lightening the mood and the weight on his shoulders too. Ford got up and grabbed a kitchen towel to take the food out of the oven, pleased his appetite had come back after the run-in with Duncan earlier.

“If I speak with the Suarez family, would you be able to take the Thomases?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” Once, he’d have wanted her to wait, but now that he’d seen the way she worked, he trusted her to speak with them first. Trusted her more than half the detectives in the squad. “They’re still near Lynchburg, in the same home. I’ve got a number.”

“If they’ll see me, I can go, probably with Kellan.”

“He’s experienced?”

“He was a cop in Maine for eight years before he joined Blackwood.” Ford slid a plate in front of Hallie, and she picked up a dough ball. “Why did you become a cop? Did you always want to be a detective?”

“Nah, I wanted to play football. Being a cop was my backup career.”

“So what happened?”

“A ruptured Achilles tendon when I was in college.”

“Ouch.”

“It healed pretty well after the surgery, but I missed most of the season, and I never managed to get back to the level I was playing at before.”

“What position did you play?”

“Cornerback.”

Hallie grinned. “Got pictures?”

“Possibly.”

“Aw, are you gonna make me hunt them out on the internet?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t already.”

“Perhaps I just prefer the real thing.”

Ford couldn’t hold back his groan. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“At least it’ll be a pleasurable death. Lasagne and M&Ms—what more could a man want?”

“That’s an inappropriate conversation for the dinner table, but it does involve eating.”

Ford waited for Hallie to blanch at the innuendo, but she covered her momentary choke well. This was getting easier for her.

“You never did answer my question. Why did you become a cop?”

“When I was sixteen, I saw a woman get mugged in the French Quarter. I was too far away to step in, but these two cops suddenly appeared out of nowhere, chased the guy down, and tackled him. Everyone on the street started applauding, and I thought, ‘Yeah, that looks like fun.’ Plus cops get handcuffs and a uniform, and I heard the ladies get excited about that.”

“Don’t you ever stop?”

“Trust me, I can go all night.”

The dough ball hit him square in the chest, but thankfully, Hallie hadn’t dipped it in butter yet. He picked it out of his lap and took a bite.

“You want more wine?” he asked. “Or a glass of water? Or soda?”

“Water, please. Tell me more about New Orleans. Was it hard to leave?”

“It’s got a vibe all of its own. A heartbeat. Jazz on the corner; hot, humid evenings; Creole food made from recipes passed down through the generations. But it’s more than just parties every night. There’s a real sense of community. Folks take care of each other.”

“I bet you miss it a lot, huh?”

Ford nodded. “Especially the people. The NOPD had its fair share of problems, but we were still a team. I could hang out with those guys. In Richmond, not so much. More people lived on boats in NOLA too. The marina was always buzzing. Don’t get me wrong, the neighbours here are friendly, but when I moved in, I brought the average age down by a decade.”

“You’re lonely,” Hallie said, putting into words what Ford had been reluctant to admit.

“I guess I am.”

He spent at least one day a week with Sylvie and the kids, and stepped in whenever her ex came over to make a nuisance of himself, which averaged out at three times a month. Less now that he’d realised Ford was around. The rest of the time… Ford had tried going to bars, but they didn’t have the same relaxed atmosphere. Everyone assumed you were there to either drink or hook up, and even if he picked a quiet corner, a stray woman always managed to find him. Go to a restaurant alone, and folks figured he’d been stood up. The pitying glances made him squirm, so now he got takeout or cooked for himself. He’d yet to identify where his kind of people hung out.

“You can share my friends if you want. I think they’d like you, but you might prefer to leave your badge at home.”

What had he done to deserve this woman? He had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could speak.

“So I guess that’s dinner at your place, then?”

“It’s a date.”

“An actual date? Or a figure-of-speech date?”

Those beguiling eyes were going to be his undoing, especially if Hallie kept biting her lip that way.

“An actual date?”

Hallelujah. “Just tell me when, and I’ll be there. Uh, do I need to cook?”

“Can you cook?”

“I’m the official heir to my step-grandma’s recipe collection, so I can make precisely seven dishes. Is there any food you don’t like?”

“Celery.”

Ford rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Okay, I can make precisely one dish. I hope you’re a fan of shrimp casserole.”

“Uh…”

“Should we order in?”

“That might be a good idea. But I’d better warn you that Pinchy loves get-togethers. He never shuts up.”

“I’ll deal. Is he okay tonight? I mean, with you being here?”

“Izzy’s at my place with Mercy, binge-watching TV, so he’s fine. Izzy’s a soft touch when it comes to snacks, plus he’s quite the fan of telenovelas. He’s halfway there with the theme song from Maria la del Barrio.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Hold on to that thought while you can. Is it time for dessert yet?”

“Thought you ate dessert first?”

“You know damn well there was a tiramisu at the bottom of that bag. Dessert and a movie? Or dessert and a TV show? I’m not sure this seat is comfortable enough for a whole movie. How do you not spend half your life at the chiropractor?”

“Simple. I watch movies in bed.”

“Oh.”

“It’d be antisocial of me to do that tonight, though. I never abandon my guests. But if you’d prefer, your room also has a TV.”

“It does?”

“It’s hidden behind the mirror. Use the remote on the nightstand. And stop biting that lip unless you want me to do it for you.”

She released her teeth, but they left tiny dents in the plump flesh. f**k and damn. Ford loved having Hallie on the boat, but it sure wasn’t easy to keep his hands to himself.

“So the choices are we watch a movie here together, or I watch a movie in my room?”

“Yes.”

“But earlier, you said that you wouldn’t object if I tried out your bed, so couldn’t we both watch a movie in your room?”

“You are trying to kill me.”

“I’m talking fully clothed here. On top of the covers, not under them. Think of it as a more elongated version of a couch.”

How could he say no? Hadn’t he wanted this? For her to feel comfortable enough around him to inch herself closer? The answer was yes, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to focus on the damn movie.

“Sure, plum, we can share the bed. Just make sure you keep your hands to yourself, okay?”

And Ford would have to take a cold shower in the morning.