Michael laughed, though Matt didn’t see the humor. Maybe that’s why Andy had sounded off when he was talking to him earlier.

Michael said, “Quinn was telling us how Maddox arrested her when she was a teenager, then convinced her she’d make a better cop than criminal.”

Matt wished he’d heard that story.

“Did you really catch a pickpocket at the press conference?” Ryder asked. “I heard Jim and Miles talking about it earlier. Someone pickpocketed a cop?”

“A punk, couldn’t have been more than fifteen,” she said. “I only saw him grab two wallets—but when they processed him, he had three on him. Of course, I was a bit busy determining that the killer wasn’t on-site watching your boss speak.” She winked at Matt.

He didn’t know whether to laugh or continue to be irritated with her.

“We’re starting early tomorrow,” Matt said. “Oh-six-hundred. It’s going to be a long weekend.”

“And that’s my cue to leave,” Kara said.

“I’ll walk you out,” Matt offered.

“I’m a big girl with a gun.”

“I want to pick your brain about something. Do you have ten minutes?”

“I have as much time as you need. I’m on vacation after all.”

Right, Matt thought. As if Kara Quinn would ever take a real vacation.

They took the stairs to the lobby. “I’m getting a drink,” Matt said. “Join me? After today—I can’t shut it off. I asked Andy to send me names, but he says they have it covered.”

“Then they do,” Kara said. “I know how you think, Matt—you want to do everything. A case like this, you have to trust your team.”

“Would you?”

“No, but that’s why I work undercover. I’m more like the I have to do everything myself kind of cop.” She paused. “Though, I have a good handler. Lex has never let me down when I’ve needed him, but he gives me enough room to do my job.”

They sat in the hotel bar, in a corner booth where they both had a visual on the entrance. Matt was still hungry and there was bar food, so he ordered an assortment of appetizers and a double Scotch for him; Kara ordered a tequila shot and beer. He watched her salt the rim, then down the shot.

“Better,” she said with a wink. She was going to have to stop winking at him—it was distracting. “So.” Kara leaned back into the booth and sipped her beer. “Pick my brain, Agent Costa.”

Suddenly, he didn’t want to talk shop. He wanted to find out what she’d told Michael Harris about her recruitment into the police academy. But he didn’t ask. Because that would be going down a path he desperately wanted to be on, a path he shouldn’t be on, a path that would lead directly to bed, a path that would cause numerous problems.

“I’ve always been good at delegating and using my team’s individual strengths. You have uncanny observation skills. And honestly? I was looking for you this afternoon, at the press briefing in the crowd and became angry that I didn’t see you. There were only forty-five people there, and I didn’t see you.”