“Mickey, I appreciate the heads up.  Look, I know Lane and I know she’s not involved in this thing. No matter how it might appear.  No matter what the rest of the evidence might turn up.”

“I haven’t known her long, but I tend to believe that too.  Besides, it makes no sense that she’d wipe the prints from the murder weapon and leave it under her own bed where it could be so easily discovered.  Trust me; I’ll get the guy who did it.  Listen I have to run.  See you at the gym later.”

Mick closed his phone and headed back toward the table and thought about the fact that he’d forgotten to mention to Ben that he was having lunch with Lane.  There was no question about why he’d taken the call out of Lane’s earshot.  He didn’t want her to worry.  He’d been the cause of too many headaches this week already.

Lane closed her eyes as she placed her tea glass on the table.  She could feel that nagging headache humming in her head.   She blindly began searching in her purse for a BC powder.

Mick quietly sat in the round booth opposite Lane.  After Lane had chased the powder with a drink of iced tea, she opened her eyes and gave a half smile to Mick.

“It’s just stress.  Believe me.”  Their waitress came by with their Irish stew.

Lane flashed that smile again.  “Did I tell you I’m taking a few days away from the office?  Maybe as long as a couple of weeks.”

“Yes, you did mention taking some time off, but I had the impression it was only a couple of days.  Why so long?”

“My daughter’s going to be home for a few days starting this weekend. So, I’m going to take some time with her and the boys.”

Mick watched Lane carefully as she spoke.  The detective in him said there was something she wasn’t telling him.  Both the man and the detective wondered what it was.

“All three kids?  Jess is coming in from L.A., what’s the occasion?”

Lane rubbed her temple.  Why on earth had she broached the subject of her birthday?

“It’s for a birthday.  Mine actually.  Ben’s throwing the party.  Although, I think it’s supposed to be a surprise, I’m inviting you.”

Mick had been a cop for a long time.  He knew better than to get personally involved with a murder suspect and yet he heard himself saying, “Sure, I’d like that.  When and where?”

Lane smiled again.  “Officially, you have to check with Ben, but I’m pretty sure it’s this Saturday, at eight o’clock, at Ben’s house,” she said as she reached into her purse for her cell phone.  She knew by the ring, that it was Ben.

“Hey, how was your morning,” she said as she clicked the talk button.

“My morning brightened when I got your message.  How was your meeting with Al? Is he forcing you to take time off?”

Lane smiled.  “Well, he did suggest it.  He said he knows I’m innocent.”  At that, she looked up and smiled at Mick.  “And that he knows how my mind works, and that I’ll be obsessed by this thing until it’s over.  I’m going back this afternoon to wrap up some things.  But I’ll be out of there by five.”

“So, maybe we could grab a quick bite to eat.  You have book club and I have hoops but that’s at seven.  How about I pick you up at five-thirty?”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Bye, Red.  You be careful out there today.”

“Bye.”

Lane looked across the table at Mick and smiled.  “Ben.”

Mick couldn’t help but notice that her whole face lit up when she said his name.  He thought he might sell his soul to have her light up like that because of him.

While Lane was on the phone, the waitress had retrieved their empty stew bowls and left the little tray that held the check.  Mick put some cash on the tray.  Moments later, the waitress stopped and picked it up.  Mick told her he didn’t need change.

Lane reached for her purse.  “Thanks for lunch, Mick.  I know it’s not polite to eat and run, yet, duty calls.  I really do need to get back to the office.”

Mick stood and helped her out of the booth.  “Lunch was my pleasure.  Maybe when this is all over, we could do it again.”  She might be dating Bellini, but he didn’t see a ring on her finger.  And, he knew Bellini to be a player of the first degree.  It was just a matter of time until she was available.

Chapter 8

Where did the day go?

It was almost four-thirty and the truth was she hadn’t meant to stay this long.  But, Craig Turner had cancelled again and she had spent time trying to work with his admin to set up a meeting.  Lane had just glanced at the clock on her office wall when Meg rushed in, closely followed by Kyle Paulson, the evening security guard for the executive building.

“Mrs. Parker, I’m afraid I have some bad news.  Seems there’s been a fire in the parking garage.”

Lane looked from one to the other of them not understanding what a fire in the parking garage had to do with the Chief Privacy Officer.

“Is everyone all right?”   Lane asked as she looked at each of their faces.

Meg nodded. Kyle stood there erect, hands behind his back in a stance that might pass for the military “at ease” stance.

“I see, and what does a fire have to do with privacy?  Isn’t this a matter for property management?”

“The head of Property Management has been notified, Mrs. Parker.  I thought you should be made aware too.”

Kyle paused and Meg continued.

“Lane, the only thing on fire was your car.”

It took a few seconds for this new information to sink in.  “My car?  On fire?  In the parking garage?  And, no one and nothing else was hurt or damaged?  Is that right?”

“Yes Ma’am, that’s pretty much it.  Property Management will no doubt notify the authorities,” Kyle said somberly.

Lane was a bit flabbergasted, but ever the executive, she thanked Kyle for his diligence and thoughtfulness in telling her of the discovery himself. She added that he should no doubt return to his post and await the authorities.

Kyle gave a slight nod and left the office.

Meg sat down across from Lane.  “Well, if you want my opinion, I think this is a little too coincidental.  I think someone should be on the phone to tall dark and handsome.”

God bless her, Lane thought as she smiled at Meg.  “You’re right of course.  I imagine Ben should be notified as well.”

Now Meg was smiling – or was it more of a grin?  “Ben and Mick in the same place at the same time?  I’ll make those phone calls for you,” Meg said as she walked out of Lane’s office.

It was only seconds later when Meg buzzed to say she had Detective McGuire on the line and he was insisting on talking to Lane.   Lane told Meg she’d take the call.  She had just picked up the receiver and pushed line one when Meg stuck her head through the doorway.

“Ben on line two.”

Lane covered the mouthpiece.  “Ask if he wants to hold or if I should call him back.” She put the receiver to her ear to the sounds of Mick McGuire practically yelling.

“Lane, are you okay?  Answer me. What’s going on over there?”

Lane took a calming breath.  “Well, Mick I’m as well as you might expect having just learned there was a fire in the parking garage and that the only thing damaged was my car,” she said as she began massaging her right temple.

“I’m almost there.  Just sit tight.”

Lane pushed the blinking light for line two and went through nearly the same conversation with Ben only without the yelling.  Meg had caught Ben on his cell and he was on his way.

Lane got a Diet Dr. Pepper from the mini fridge and sat rolling it over her forehead.  Stomp was back and warming up for the concert of a lifetime with the Blue Man Group doing back-up percussion.  Meg appeared with a glass of ice and quietly placed it on Lane’s desk.

Lane opened one eye and smiled.  “So, now you’ve got ESP?”

“Not really.” Meg took the soda can from Lane and opened it.  “I just planned to force a Diet Dr. Pepper on you.  I just got off the phone with Kyle, twice.  He called first to ask if Mick could come up and five seconds later to ask about Ben.  They’re both on their way up.”