“He certainly went for a type. The porcelain blonde. No way Tara is strong enough to get a knife through him on one stroke.”

“I was thinking that very same thing.” He paused and seemed to be pondering something. “So you know how we always joke that we spend more time together than we do with our own families?”

“You’re the joker. I’m the serious law enforcement professional.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Your point?”

“I’ve known you a long time. Partnered with you over a year.”

“Do you have a point? ’Cause if you could get to it in this decade, I’d like to get back to work.”

“I have a point,” he huffed. “It’s just when she mentioned Cappuano in there, your face got all red and you had to take your coat off.”

“I was hot! So what?”

“You were flustered. And you’re never flustered.”

Her stomach picked that moment to make its presence known. Never flustered? Ha! She spent half her life flustered but apparently did a good job of hiding it.

Freddie stopped on the sidewalk and turned to her. “Tell me the truth, Sam. Are you into him?”

She chose her words carefully. “The job, it takes almost everything I have. I work, I take care of my father, I help my sisters with their kids whenever I can. That’s my life.”

“Do you think I’d begrudge you wanting more?” His warm brown eyes flashed with emotion. “You think that?”

“He’s off limits. There’s no point talking about something I can’t have.”

“Why can’t you have him?”

“He’s a witness! He found O’Connor. He’ll be wrapped up in this until sentencing.”

“He didn’t kill anyone. He’s on our side.”

She shook her head. “It’s a murky ethical pit, and you know it.”

“You’re right. It’s not clean. Few things in life ever are. But he wants this closed as much as we do, if not more. He flusters you, Sam. That’s an amazing thing, if you ask me.”

“I’d say unsettling is a better word.” Glancing up at him, she added, “You won’t say anything about this at HQ, will you?”

“Give me some credit, and while you’re at it, ask your friend Cappuano if there’s any chance the senator was gay.”

“He’ll say no.”

“Humor me, and before you drag me into another interview that includes questions about peculiar sexual appetites, you’re going to have to do something about mine.”

She turned up her nose. “Your sexual appetite?”

“Nope.” He chuckled and rubbed his belly. “The other one.”

Sam pulled rank, insisted they have lunch at a vegetarian sandwich shop and was treated to Freddie’s vociferous complaints about the lack of grease.