Black Tie Event

Chapter Fifteen

I was experiencing a pounding headache induced by a lack of sleep, but I swallowed the pain and got myself out of bed. "Dear God," I muttered. "It's fucking early."

Beckett swung her legs around the side of her bed and just looked down at the floor. "This sucks."

"Do you know what's happening to us?"

She looked back up at me. "What?"

"We're becoming reliant on sleep."

"Well, we are human."

"No, we're not human. We're police officers. I never used to get this tired."

She put a hand on her head, leaning back against the wall, but not back on her pillow because she knew that if she did, it would be game over. "Me either."

"But no more late night investigations, no more two in the morning calls...we're developing circadian rhythms that actually resemble those of normal functioning human beings."

"And it sucks."

I stood up and stretched. "No kidding. Hey, I'm going to be gone for the day."

"Excuse me?"

"Ana's car's in the shop and she needs a ride upstate. To pick up a dress, or a floral arrangement, or a big wad of cash, or something socialite-y."

"Oh God."

"What?" I asked, opening my closet and searching for something to wear that would look attractive, but not like I was trying too hard.

"The two of you alone all day?"

I just smiled. There was no use denying my crush any further, but I could deny until the grave that anything could happen between us. "She's married, Allison."

"I have the feeling that doesn't stop you."

"Well, that feeling is rational. What's it like out?"

"Cold," she said. "Fifties."

"Fucking bipolar weather," I muttered.

"Kim," she said, refocusing me. "This is important, okay? We've been here a week and all we have is some undocumented bruises. We're going to get pulled if we don't start getting evidence. Even eyewitness, witness statements, something petty. I'd even settle for he-said-she-said at this point."

"I'll try to get Ana to open up," I pledged. "I've been taking my time because the situation's volatile. But I think she's starting to get comfortable with me, and I also think there's something she's not telling us about her marriage. I'll see what I can get her to admit about Shaw."

"Good," she said. "And while you're gone, I'm going in."

"In for...?"

"Shaw is home today," Beckett said. "He's not going to the office. Which means I get to be in the same zip code as him for twenty four consecutive hours, and I'll be damned if I don't have something by the end of them."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I'm calling you at least once today, so when I do, try to get away. And if you can't, pick up, say you can't talk now, and I'll hang up."

"Okay," I said. "Got it."

"So you work on Ana, I'll work on Shaw. I'll try to wring Lucy and Cora if I can, too. By the end of the day, we have to have started a case."

"Mission accepted," I said, taking my clothes into the bathroom to change. "I'll see you tonight."

***