„With no monthly car payment. Go in out of the cold, Owen. You’ll get sick.“

Thursday, February 19,

7:00 p.m.

„Where’s Spinnelli?“ Mia tossed her jacket onto a chair at the same table they’d used the night before. Abe saw that someone had set up a whiteboard for their use as they cataloged evidence. A young woman in a white lab coat already sat at the table, and Jack’s coat hung on the back of the chair next to her although Jack was nowhere to be seen. The woman rose and extended her hand.

„I’m Julia VanderBeck,“ she said as she shook his hand. „I’m the ME.“

She was thirty-five or so with wide brown eyes and hair the color of coffee with heavy cream. She was pretty, he thought. He should be interested, he thought But all he could think about was ivory skin and green eyes and wild, curling hair.

„I’m Abe Reagan,“ he said. „Do you have all five bodies in your office?“

„Yes, I do, but if you don’t mind, let’s wait until everyone gets here so I don’t have to say it twice.“ The request was made politely, but wearily.

Mia dropped into her chair. „Where’s Spinnelli?“ she repeated. „And Jack?“

„We’re here,“ Spinnelli said, coming through the door, holding a casserole dish. „We have a visitor.“ His eyes were amused.

„Who’s welcome anytime,“ Jack added, his arms laden with Tupperware bowls.

Abe recognized the dishes and bowls even before he heard his mother’s voice, before she bustled into the room.

„Abe!“ She pulled his head down for a loud smacking kiss on his cheek and ignoring the grins of his co-workers, he let her do it.

„Mom.“ She smiled up at him, so happily that he didn’t have the heart to tell her she shouldn’t have. He smiled back. He’d wondered when she was going to show up. Sean said their father had told her not to come, but Becca Reagan generally followed her own mind. „What have you done?“

„Now don’t you be telling me I shouldn’t have,“ she clucked. „I called your Lieutenant Spinnelli to get your telephone extension and he kindly informed me that you all would be working late tonight so that I wouldn’t worry.“

Spinnelli lifted the cover from the casserole dish and Abe could smell his mother’s cabbage casserole from across the room. It was one of his favorites.

Spinnelli took a deep breath of appreciation. „Your mother offered to bring supper.“ He grinned. „How could I refuse?“

Abe leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. „Thanks, Mom.“ Her cheeks blushed, and he thought she looked as beautiful today as she had when he was a first-grader and she’d arrived at school with chocolate cupcakes on his birthday. „This is so sweet of you.“

„Sweet, my eye.“ She swept away to retrieve paper plates and plastic cutlery from the enormous handbag she was never without. „Couldn’t let you go hungry, now could I?“

Mia was leaning over the dish, sniffing. „Does it have meat?“

His mother looked affronted, then concerned. „Of course it does. You’re not a vegetarian are you, dear?“

Mia laughed. „No, ma’am. I’m Detective Mia Mitchell, Abe’s new partner.“

His mother looked even more worried. „You’re his partner?“

Mia chuckled, apparently taking no offense. „Don’t worry. He’s safe with me.“

Spinnelli nodded his reassurance. „Mia takes care of her own.“

Still doubtful, she moved to the door. „Well, then, I’ll leave you to your meeting, now.“

Abe watched Mia heaping casserole on a dangerously full paper plate and growling at Jack, who backed away, hands held up in surrender. „I’ll walk you downstairs, Mom.“

His mother waited until she got to the bottom of the stairs. „So who was the other one, the one with the white coat?“

„She’s the medical examiner.“ Abe had to chuckle at the look on his mother’s face. „I’m sure she washed her hands before she left the morgue.“

„Oh, my.“ She shrugged. „Well, I suppose someone has to do it. So what about your new partner?“ She looked up at him through her lashes. „She’s cute.“

Abe laughed. „Cut it out, Mom. You don’t want her thinking about me that way. She’ll get all befuddled and won’t be watching for the bad guys.“

His mom grinned. „You’ve got a point there. You’ll bring back all the dishes?“

„On Sunday when I come for ham, if not sooner.“

„Ah, you’ve talked to Sean.“ Her smile dimmed. „Then you know.“

He knew. He’d managed to push it to the back of his mind, but the thought had nagged him all day. Now the thought of seeing Jim and Sharon slid to the front of his mind and his stomach twisted. He and Debra’s parents had never been on friendly terms, but their relationship had deteriorated to litigiously hostile by the end of his wife’s life. He squeezed his mom’s arm. „Don’t worry. I promise I won’t ruin the christening for Sean and Ruth.“

„I didn’t think you would, Abe. I just didn’t want you blindsided.“

No, she wouldn’t. Faithful to her children to the bitter end was his mother. And he loved her for it. „Consider me warned.“ He dropped a kiss on her cheek. „Thanks for dinner, Mom. I’ll drop by as soon as I can.“

She pressed her palms against his face, keeping him in the slight bow that put him in her reach. „I’m so glad you’re in a new job,“ she whispered fiercely.

„I know.“

„I worried about you every day.“

She was the wife of a career cop, the mother of two cops. She knew the danger and lived with it, but the undercover work had taken a toll on his family, and he knew it. Early in his undercover career, he’d chanced visits home once a month, but the deeper under he went, the further apart his visits became. The last time he’d risked a trip home had been the night Debra died. A full year ago. In secret, under cover of darkness. But all that was over now. As of this week, he could go home whenever he chose. „I know, Mom. But I’m fine. Really.“

Her hands didn’t budge, and his neck started to develop a cramp from bending so awkwardly, but he made no move to straighten. „I hope I didn’t embarrass you too much by coming down tonight. I just couldn’t seem to help myself.“

„I love you, Mom. You did a wonderful thing.“ Her eyes glinted and he grinned to break the solemnity. „But you probably don’t want to make it a habit. It’ll be like feeding a stray – you’ll never get rid of them.“

She laughed shakily and released him, then pointed at the window to the street. „Abe, help that woman. She’s too small to be carrying such a load.“

Kristen was trying to open the door with one hand, the other grasping at a large paper bag, and he remembered her errand. Dinner from the diner. He hoped she wouldn’t mind refrigerating it. He doubted anyone would be hungry after finishing his mother’s food. That anyone would choose diner food over his mom’s home cooking never even entered his mind. Quickly opening the door, he plucked the bag from her hands. „I’ll take that.“

Kristen rolled her shoulders. „Thanks. It didn’t seem that heavy when Owen was carrying it out to my car.“ She glanced over to where his mother waited expectantly for an introduction, then glanced back, her brows lifted in question.

„Kristen, this is my mother, Becca Reagan. Mom, this is Kristen Mayhew. She works in the prosecutor’s office.“

His mother eyed Kristen up and down. „You look taller on television,“ she said.

Kristen smiled politely. „You’re the first person to ever say that. Thank you.“

„Some days I’d like to smack that woman reporter, teach her some manners.“

Kristen’s smile wanned from polite to sincere. „What a kind thing to say, Mrs. Reagan. Most days I want to do the same.“

„My daughter wants to be a lawyer,“ she said thoughtfully.

„Annie?“ Abe asked in surprise.

„No, not Annie,“ his mother returned with a frown. „Annie’s got a career. Rachel. Keep up, Abe.“