14th Deadly Sin

CHAPTER 6

I LEFT THE girls and found a niche where I could take the call in private.

“What’s wrong?” I said to Lieutenant Brady.

“A dead body at Twenty-Fourth and Balmy Alley,” he said. “I need you and Conklin to do a preliminary workup. Lock down the scene and sit tight until replacements arrive. Jacobi wants you and Conklin on the check-cashing heist, nothing else.”

I rejoined my friends.

I said, “Sorry, guys. That was the boss. I’ve got to go.”

Yuki tossed her napkin a few inches into the air in exasperation.

Cindy said, “What can you tell me?”

You can take the reporter out of the Chronicle, but you can’t take the reporter out of Cindy.

“Nothing,” I said. “I can’t tell you even one little thing.”

“How many times do I have to prove I’m trustworthy?” said Cindy. “Plus, you owe me.”

Actually, Cindy was right. On both counts. I trusted her. And a few months ago, she’d saved my life.

“I still can’t tell you anything. Not a word.”

I grabbed for my jacket and had just about secured it when Claire said, “I cannot believe this is happening again.”

The expression on her face stopped me. She was pissed. Highly.

“What’s happening again?” I asked her.

“This is almost exactly what happened last year on my birthday,” said Claire. “And the year before that.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m damned sure. Although as I recall, last year we actually ate most of our lunch before you bolted from the table. Check your memory, Lindsay. When was the last time you saw me blow out the candles?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t get out of this. I’ll make it up to you, Claire. To everyone. Including myself. That’s an iron-clad promise.”

I apologized some more, blew kisses, and fled the restaurant. I called Rich Conklin from the street, and while I walked to my car, I said, “I’m ten minutes away.”

“Same here.”

The engine started right up. I peeled out and pointed the Explorer toward a busy intersection in the Mission.