Nobody Does It Better

Chapter Six

'I had no idea you were sleeping over last night.' Lucas grinned.

June Mbogo glared sharp daggers at him. 'I wasn't. I was working.' She raised a damning eyebrow. 'Let me guess ---the little reporter?'

Lucas smiled. June didn't. 'You're disgusting.'

Lucas eyed the filled ice bucket she held. 'Drinking on the job?' he asked.

She bristled. 'Unlike you, Mr Mutuma, some of us don't mix business with pleasure.'

Lucas chuckled. 'Too bad. If you did, I might be persuaded to give you a few lessons on how to relieve work stress. Getting rid of all that tension might help erase those frown lines on your forehead ---' he pointed at her forehead, his index finger only inches away from her face.

'Hell will freeze ten times over before I'll ever let you give me lessons of any kind,' June told him adamantly. 'But I'm sure Ms reporter can't wait for another lesson. You shouldn't keep her waiting.'

'She'll be okay for a few more minutes.'

Why didn't he just walk past her and go about his business? Why couldn't he pass up this opportunity to ruffle June's feathers?

Because it was so damn easy and fun. All he had to do was look at her to piss her off.

Lucas moved in closer until his ice bucket clinked against hers, neither of them moving aside to accommodate the other.

'Your intimidation tactics don't work with me,' June told him.

He shrugged. 'So tell me, June---' he lowered his voice to a whisper when he said her name, and leaned down just enough so that they were almost nose to nose ---'what does work with you?'

Taking a deep breath, she stepped back, putting a little distance between them. 'Respect works with me.'

'I respect you,' Lucas said.

'I could care less how you feel about me personally. I'm talking about respect for the law, respect for me as a detective.'

'Respect works both ways you know. If you'd stop thinking of me as the enemy and start thinking of me as a friend---'

'If you wouldn't interfere with my investigation every time there is a new murder, I might see you in a different light.'

'If you'd cooperate with me just a little, I wouldn't have to make a pest of myself. We're on the same side, you know.'

'No, we're not,' she said. 'I'm a detective. You're an annoying prick.'

Lucas focused his gaze on her. 'We work better together, and you know it. How many cases have you solved with my help? Why can't we do it again?'

'No.'

'Is your pride that much more important than your beloved job?'

Just as June opened her mouth to respond, they heard a woman's voice calling in a loud whisper, 'Luke, babe, where are you?'

Glancing around the corner, he saw Brenda--- in one of his old T-shirts---peeping out the doorway.

'Luke, babe, you're being summoned. Apparently she couldn't do without you for another minute.'

'Apparently.' Lucas grinned.

As June clutched her ice bucket and walked past him, Lucas whispered in her ear, 'Think about it.'

He watched as she hurriedly walked down the corridor and entered the room at the furthest end, where Phoebe Njuguna had been sleeping.

When he went back to his room, he found Brenda eagerly waiting for him on the bed.