Suzie’s House 157: A Beautiful Spanish Hussy

Maria Sanchez lay in wait for him in the hall. As Drew came out of the Special Agent in Charge’s office after an upbraiding, Maria fell in step beside him.

“He was completely unreasonable, right? I told you he wouldn’t have anything good to say.”

Drew refrained from agreeing. It didn’t matter if the SAC was reasonable or not, only that he complete the current assignment and get back to Suzie as quickly as he could. Hopefully long before Suzie found out that a beautiful woman like Maria had taken an interest in him.

“So. What are you going to do about it?” She pushed the long, silky fall of ink black hair over her shoulder, and glanced at him with a shy smile. Her dark, almond shaped eyes spoke entirely too much, about the kinds of things he really, really did not want to know.

“My job,” he said bluntly, then glanced at his watch. “Right after lunch.”

“I haven’t had lunch either. I’ll join you.” Lush, red lips pulled into a cat like smile.

“Aren’t you eating with Toby?”

She made a rude, dismissive noise and gestured with one hand, making it clear what she thought of their other partner. Having already observed Toby’s serious interest in Maria, Drew could expect the next few weeks to be a royal pain. Since they were assigned to work the Ramirez case together, the three of them would be spending a lot of time together. It put him into a pathetic and needless lover’s triangle.

They turned the corner into the break room, and there Toby sat. Nestled among the vending machines, he’d commandeered one end of a table. When Drew and Maria walked in, Toby’s eyes brightened and a smile turned his face love-stupid. Then he saw Drew, and deflated.

Drew dithered over a burrito and a ham sandwich in the refrigerated vending machine while Maria hovered over the coffee maker with it’s little tin can for donations. What he wouldn’t give for one of Suzie’s spaghetti dinners right now. He closed his eyes, stabbed a button with his finger, and ended up with the ham and cheese in a white plastic triangle.

Maria made a little moue of disappointment as Drew settled next to Toby, but sat across from them without actually complaining.

“So, what’s the plan?” Drew said to Toby. “You’re in charge of the investigation. What do you want to do?”

“Oh, ho, the mighty specialist finally admits…”

“I never claimed to be anything other than I am,” Drew interrupted Toby. The snot-nosed kid had probably never lead an investigation before. He took every opportunity to assert himself.

“Is that how you managed to apprehend the most wanted of most wanteds in New Mexico?”

“That was an accident.” Drew eyed the triangle of bread, cheese, and ham dubiously before taking a bite. “I’d much rather get this case closed and move on.”

Toby eyed him curiously. Maria looked like she might move on to simple hero worship. Drew bit into his sandwich.

“All right. I’ll take you at your word. Off hand I’d say we should have you go back in the chat room and explain that you couldn’t make it to the drop because some cop on lover’s lane got in the way. Do what you did before and maybe we can still make the connection.”

Drew nodded. This was what he was here for.

“Why are you in such a hurry to close this case,” Maria asked.

Drew thought about shrugging it off, but she might as well know up front. He choked down his food, then leveled with her.

“I left my heart in Wisconsin. I have to finish up here and get back before I die from the pain.”

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