“No, Lieutenant,” he said with a tight smile. “Forget I said that.”

They both were quiet as Lynch pulled into the parking lot. As they were about to get out, Smithson spoke up.

“You’re right about Coletti having blemishes, you know. We all have them, but at least his are right out front.”

“Yeah, with him, it’s take it or leave it,” Lynch said wistfully. “Most men I know tend to respect him and take it, but over the years every woman he’s known eventually decided to leave it.”

“Sounds like you’re trying to talk me out of spending time with him.”

“No, that’s not it at all. I figure you’re, what, thirty-nine years old?”

“I’m forty-two, but thanks for the compliment.”

“I just figure you’re a lot younger than him and you’ve got options. If you’re going to do the older-man thing, you should know what you’re getting into. Not for your sake, but for Mike’s.”

“Why do you care?” she asked. “From what I can see, there’s no love lost between the two of you.”

“You’re right,” Lynch admitted. “We’re not friends in the traditional sense of the word, but as much as he irks me, Mike’s taught me a lot. Over the years I’ve kinda returned the favor by protecting him from himself. I won’t be able to do that as much when he retires.” He paused to look sternly in her eyes. “But I’ll still be around if anybody tries to hurt him.”

Mary reared back as if she’d been slapped. “I hardly know him. How could I hurt him?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Lynch said, his tone nonchalant. “But I know what I heard about you. I heard you’re one of the top minds in the state police. They say you showed up five years ago with a Stanford doctorate and changed the way they investigate murders. I figure a woman as smart as you could have some fun with a guy like Coletti, but you just don’t seem like his type.”

“And what type would that be?”

“The type with an hourly rate.”

There was a moment of silence as Smithson tried to control her outrage long enough to digest what Lynch meant.

“So you think I’m too good for him,” she said, staring into space. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“No,” Lynch said while opening the car door. “I think he’s too good for you.”

Mary’s jaw dropped as Lynch slammed the door and walked away. She got out and caught up with him as he entered headquarters.