The Birthday List(19)

She spun around, her eyes wide as her breath hitched. Damn, I liked that.

Simmons stopped staring at her chest and looked up. “Hiyah, Cole. What can we do ya for?”

I ignored Simmons and focused on Poppy.

Her tawny-red hair was down today, something I’d never seen. It flowed down her back in loose waves, highlighted by a few strands of gold that framed her oval face.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”

She nodded. “I’m just here checking in on Jamie’s case.”

My eyebrows came together. “Jamie’s case?”

“His, um . . . murder.” Her shoulders fell and she turned back to Simmons.

Simmons had Poppy’s husband’s murder case? I knew that they’d never found the person responsible for Jamie’s death, but after all this time, they should have marked it cold and notified his family. Hadn’t that been closed?

I didn’t need to ask. Poppy’s visit here answered my questions.

A rush of anger heated my chest. Had Simmons been leading Poppy on that he might actually find the killer?

I glared at my coworker as his eyes went back to Poppy’s perfect breasts. She was wearing a simple black tank top with wide straps. It wasn’t low-cut or indecent, but with the way Simmons was drooling, you’d think she was in a bikini.

And those breasts were not his to ogle.

“You and I are going to talk.” I pointed at Simmons, then reached down and took Poppy by the elbow, pulling her from the chair.

“Cole!” she protested but stood.

“Come on.”

“But I need to get an update on—”

“Do you have an update?” I barked at Simmons.

He shook his head and his splotchy skin reddened. “Uh, no.”

“Okay. Update delivered. Let’s go.”

“Go where?” she asked as I dragged her over to my desk.

“To lunch.”

I let her go and opened up my drawer to get out my keys and wallet.

“Taking off?” Matt asked.

“Yeah.” I shoved the drawer closed and then did introductions. “Poppy, this is Detective Matt Hernandez. Matt, this is Poppy Maysen. She owns that new restaurant on Seventh Street.”

Matt stood and extended a hand. “Nice to meet you, Poppy.”

She dropped the shocked look on her face and stepped past me to shake hands with Matt.

“My wife was telling me she wanted to head in for dinner there this week,” Matt continued.

She smiled. “That would be great. Thank you. I’ll look forward to seeing you.”

“Be back after lunch.” I grabbed my sunglasses off my desk and jammed them on my head. Then I slipped my hand around Poppy’s elbow again, propelling her forward.

Her feet fell in step with mine. “Cole, what are you doing?”

“Taking you to lunch. I’m hungry.” I led her out of the detective’s office and toward the stairs that led outside. When we crossed into the marble-tiled foyer, I dropped her elbow.

She looked over her shoulder before we started down the steps. “But I needed to check in with Detective Simmons.”

“Don’t worry. He’ll be right there at his desk when we get back.”

The bastard was probably stuck in his chair. Usually he’d order in lunch and ask one of the receptionists in the lobby to bring it up. The man took the elevator up two flights of stairs and couldn’t pass our physical to save his life.

Fucking tenure.

Five minutes ago, Simmons was an annoyance. Now, he was a major fucking problem. I wasn’t sure why he was stringing Poppy along, but I was going to find out.

“Where do you feel like eating?” I asked as we turned the corner down one flight of steps. “Your restaurant?”

“No. I can’t go in there today.”

My feet slowed. “Say that again?”

“I can’t go to the restaurant today.” Her hands fluttered in the air. “Molly is an evil dictator and is making me take one day off a month. Since June is almost over, she declared this was my day.”

I chuckled. Later, I’d have to thank Molly for keeping Poppy from burning herself out.

“Besides that,” Poppy said as she skipped down the stairs, “if I went in there, I’d be tempted to check the sales and I am not allowed to use technology today.”

My feet slowed again. “No technology? Molly won’t let you watch TV or make phone calls on your day off either? She’s gone mad with power.”

Poppy laughed. “No, the technology isn’t Molly. It’s an item on Jamie’s list. No technology for a day.”

“Ah. That makes more sense.”

We hit the landing on the first floor and I nodded toward a hallway that led to the back of the police station. “This way.”

“But my car.” She pointed toward the visitors’ parking lot.

“I’ll drive and bring you back.”

Her hair swung across her back as she looked between me and the main exit.

“We’re at a police station, Poppy. I’m sure your car will be fine.”

I teased but I knew she wasn’t worried about her car. She was debating whether or not she wanted to be in a confined space with me.