With a furtive look, Peterson ensured no one listened in. “If, until Monday, you choose to do some checking on your own time, keep it to yourself and make sure no one else finds out.” And with that, she marched away.

Now that Peterson was out of the room, Logan asked, “What the hell, Reese? Care to tell me what that was all about?”

Ah, of course Logan had known he had a motive for his gibes. “You got lead last time.” Unrepentant, he shrugged. “I needed her to give this one to me.”

“But you made me sound whipped.”

“If the whip fits...”

“Go screw yourself.”

Reese couldn’t keep a straight face. He grinned as he held the door open for Logan. “Actually, I’m happy for you. You two make a great couple.”

“Jealous, huh? I figured.”

Reese knew Logan was kidding, but still he nodded. “Yeah, sure. I’d like what you have.”

Logan paused. “With Alice?”

“Now, there’s the million dollar question, yes?” Did he want something that powerful, that permanent, with Alice? Despite her eccentric way of keeping secrets? Her off-limits background? Her lack of trust?

Probably.

“I’m thinking of buying a house.”

Logan whistled. “For you and Alice?”

“Cash was the motivation, really. He needs room to run, more room than afforded by an apartment on the second floor.”

“Cash, huh?” Logan idly rubbed the shoulder of his injured arm. “That’s the only reason?”

“Are you taking your pain pills?”

“At night.” Realizing what he was doing, Logan dropped his hand and affected a look of boredom. “The meds muddle me too much during the day.”

Logan should about be done with his antibiotics, and he’d only need the sling a week or so longer. Thank God the bullet hadn’t done more damage.

They’d been friends for a very long time. Reese trusted Logan with his life, so why not trust him with this, as well?

“The thing is,” Reese said, wanting to say it out loud, “I can’t imagine Cash playing in the yard without imagining Alice nearby, as well.”

Staring off at nothing in particular, Logan shifted his stance. “That was awfully fast.”

“Look who’s talking.”

Head down, he nodded. “Yeah, I know.” Finally he looked at Reese. “It wasn’t easy. Still isn’t, really.”

“But all the same, it feels right.”

Logan lifted one shoulder. “That’s about it.”

Both solemn and introspective, they stared toward the women, again ensconced on the bench, their heads together in conversation.

Nearby, Rowdy stood with his arms crossed, his gaze watchful as he contemplated everyone and everything in the station with palpable suspicion. No, for Logan, it wouldn’t be easy. Not until, if ever, Rowdy got settled.

When Alice blushed, Reese felt a stirring deep inside. Lust, but something else, too. Something...more. As Logan said, it wasn’t easy. Hell, sometimes it was damned uncomfortable. “Wonder what they’re talking about.”

“I don’t know about Alice,” Logan murmured, “but Pepper doesn’t do the usual girl talk.”

“Shopping, cooking, makeup?” No, that wasn’t Pepper. “More often than not, I think she’s conspiring something.”

“Probably.” Logan studied her some more, then grinned and sent his good elbow into Reese’s ribs. “Given the look on Pepper’s face, I’d say they’re talking sex.”

Great. Just what he didn’t need to know. Was Pepper sharing advice, or encouragement?

Veering off topic, Reese said, “You think Pepper will give you enough privacy to do some work over the weekend?” He eyed Logan’s arm in the sling. “Off the clock, that is.”

“She understands my job.” Like a man satisfied, Logan had to pull his attention off his fiancée. “What’d you have in mind?”

“Rowdy is going to scope out the area tattoo parlors. If he reports back to you, could you do some background checks on the owners, managers and employees?” Alice noticed them and, with a secretive smile, started toward him. Watching her every step, wondering what she had planned, Reese said low, “See if anything jumps out.”

“Not a problem.” Before she got too close, Logan said, “Since it looks like you’ll be busy, I’ll get hold of Rowdy myself. I’ll call you when I know something.”

“Thanks.”

Color still high in her face, her dark eyes mysterious, Alice stopped before him. “All done?”

“Yes.” She sounded breathless. How soon could he get her alone?

With a mocking salute, Logan went to talk with Rowdy and Pepper.

Reese looked, but he didn’t see Dash anywhere. “Where did Logan’s brother go?”

Leaning into him, Alice whispered, “I think he followed your lieutenant.”

“Why?”

“He’s interested in her.”

Reese snorted in disbelief, but when Alice didn’t smile, didn’t show any sign of jesting, he sobered real quick. “Not possible.”

She chided him with a roll of her eyes. “Did you buy that nonsense about him coming here to see Logan? I don’t know him well, but Dash doesn’t strike me as a dummy. He wouldn’t have forgotten that his brother was shot.”