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"Gyth! Brooks!" The whiplash of Captain Danny McNeal’s voice cut through the fire of Todd’s anger He glanced up, realizing too late that he and Colin hadn’t exactly been having a quiet conversation Most of the eyes in the station were on theray stare of the captain

Shit

"Inas he inclined his head toward the open door "Now "

Todd straightened This wasn’t going to be pretty

The wheels of Colin’s chair rattled as he shot to his feet

They didn’t speak as they crossed the room to the captain’s office Not really much to say at that point

McNeal slammed the door shut behind thelared at them, tension evident in the thick muscles of his body

Todd knew that Captain Danny McNeal had been with the Atlanta PD for over twenty years The guy was in his early forties and in better shape than most of the men in the precinct He ran every day, and could be routinely found in the PD’s gy cops over his shoulder and onto the cushioned blue uy was a real hardass S to the rumors, he’d also been heavily involved with Smith at one time

But, of course, those were just rueous doctor pairing up with the asshole cop

Just didn’t fit for hi stare atto tellat each other like telve-year-old girls in the middle of my bull pen?"

Oh, damn Todd winced The first tiirl "I lost ers at Colin Not his style

McNeal grunted "Well, learn to keep your dah McNeal really needed to learn the saot the shit-for-brains ht now, yelling about another serial killer being on our streets--I don’t need this crap frorowl fro?" He asked bluntly "Do I need to reassign--"

"No," Todd answered ihtly froaze shot to Colin "What do you say?"

"There’s no problem with us, sir"

"Just stupidity," McNeal snapped, then finally dropped into his chair "All right, screw it You’ve been warned Stop acting like fucking idiots and tell ht the curve of his lips McNeal was a tough bastard, but he respected the guy, and in other circumstances, he would have even called him a friend

Instead, he called him boss

And asshole--behind his back, anyway

Colin cleared his throat "Sy screen--"

"And?"

"I just got the results" A pause "Negative The guy’s systeether "So what’s the cause of death, then? How’s S him?"

Now Colin looked real uncomfortable "Uh, S on this and--"

"How’s she calling it?"

A light tap sounded on the captain’s door "I’m busy!" McNeal yelled instantly "What the hell? Does a closed door look like I want company?"

The closed door opened S "I know you did not just yell at me"

McNeal jumped to his feet "Smith, I-I didn’t knoas you" His voice seerowl So softer More intimate

Well, I’ll be damned Todd studied the captain with barely contained curiosity Maybe there was a bit of truth to those ruuy and the ME

Smith’s dark stare flashed to Colin Held for just a few seconds as she said, "I told you I needed to be here for thisto be cut out of another case"

"Neither am I," Todd added at once, h his e and basically sidelined Todd while his partner worked day and night with Dr Drake

No Definitely not happening again This time, the killer was his

McNeal’s chin lifted "It’s not ayou out--either of you It’s awhat’s best for the department"

Bullshit

Smith closed the door behind her The two chairs in front of McNeal’s desk were empty Todd stood just to the left of the chairs, while Colin was positioned near the back of the captain’s office, right beside an oversized green plant A plant Todd wasn’t entirely convinced was real

Smith crossed the room Sat in the chair next to Todd "What did I ht?" He asked suddenly

Todd saw her shoulders tighten "Fine"

He almost snorted He had no idea the lady was such a lousy liar

He could tell by the doubt on McNeal’s face that the captain knew she was lying, too

But he didn’t push her, just sat back down in his chair, and said, "You didn’tthe tox screen"

The tension in her shoulders eased a bit as she said, "Michael House wasn’t given any drugs At least, not as far as I can tell" She held up one hand, the fingers steady "Now, I didn’t screen for everything--would have been da But I hit thelike this" A shake of her head "He was clean"

"So what’s the cause of death going to be?"

Her hand dropped "At this point, the COD is going down as undeteroes down like that--"

"Then you’re off the case," McNeal finished "Because as far as the mayor and DA are concerned, there will be no case"

"I didn’t say the victim died of natural causes," Sht as well have" Daut "What about the hand, Smith? That print on his chest?"

McNeal’s fist slammed down on the desk, hard "What print?"

"It’s not a print" Slowered at hierprints" She looked back at McNeal "It’s just…an outline Of a hand"

"Right in the middle of Michael House’s chest," Colin said quietly

"It’s a bruise," McNeal dis now on the desktop "Has to be The assailant applied pressure to his chest and--"<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>