Chapter Seven
~~~~~*~~~~~
Gary rose to his feet and made his way around the
desk over to the office door. He could hear soft
music coming from out in the bar as he opened the
door and peeked his head out.

The crowd that evening was sparse due possibly
to the rain. He could see Brigatti standing at
the bar her cold black hair much shorter
than when he last saw her. Although petite,
she still carried an attitude that made the men
at the bar steer clear.

It had been a while since Gary was cleared in the
Scanlon murder case thanks to Brigatti's stubborn
persistence. He and Brigatti had talked since then, but
their conversation had consisted of nothing more than
that of the case. Any feelings there may have been
between either of them had been put on hold. It wasn't
his doing but hers.

She was still cold.

"Hob-son. " Brigatti greeted him, enunciating each
syllable of his name the way she usually did. Her
dark eyes held his as he approached her. She
still managed to stir an uneasiness in him. Brigatti
puzzled him, made him antsey and uncomfortable.
He didn't know if it was because she
represented the law, something he was constantly
trying to avoid because of his record on file or simply
because she just did not like him. He wasn't sure if
Brigatti even knew his first name.

"Brigatti." He greeted hesitantly. "Wh-What can I do for you?
If you're here about that unpaid fax, I-I already paid it." He
let out a nervous chuckle sliding a hand through his
hair.

"Well, thats one less thing for me to have to worry about
today Hob-son." Brigatti replied casually looking around.
She turned back to face him, her gaze meeting his.
"Thank God for small favors."

Deep down inside, Brigatti knew that this was a
good man. He had saved her life not only once but
twice. She was relieved he had been cleared in the
Scanlon case but still felt a bit remorse for not having
fully believed him when he came to her for help. Still
she had gone against her professional duty allowing
him to escape instead of turning him in. Her heart got in
the way that night. There was no way she could have
turned him in let alone shoot him. She was in love with
him.

Still, Brigatti couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding
something. He was secretive. Always in the right place
at the right time. Or was it the wrong place at the wrong
time which was why he had gotten mixed up in the
Scanlon murder in the first place. She could
never get a concrete story out of him and it frustrated
her to no end making her tolerance for him next to nil.
She didn't have time for hide and seek, but if he wanted
to play games, then so be it. Besides, she liked to make
him sweat. It was one of the qualities about him that
appealed to her. She thought it was cute.

Cute?

Surprise by her own secret admission, Brigatti
grimaced, shuddering at the thought. Now
there was a word that hadn't graced her vocabulary
in a while-actually quite awhile. You're gettin soft
Brigatti, she muttered inwardly.

"So," she said, "Keeping your nose clean Hob-son?"

Ruffling the back of his hair, Gary nodded. "Yeah...yeah
I'm... ah, doing m-my best Brigatti." He had noticed her
facial grimace and shudder and it confirmed his suspicion.
The woman did *not* like him.

"Keeping up on current events?"

"Howzat?"

Brigatti rolled her eyes. "The *news* Hobson," she said
emphasizing the word news.

"Oh. Oh...you mean about the murders?" Gary glanced
around the bar looking for a private place for them to talk
and motioned her towards a quiet corner close to the office.
"Yeah, it's been in the paper." he said in a low voice. He
couldn't help but notice that Brigatti kept looking around too
as if looking for someone and it made him feel a bit uneasy.

"C-Can I get you something?" he asked, hoping she
hadn't come there to tie him into the murders.
"Coffee..or..."

"No." She simply answered turning back to
look at him. "I know how you're always out and
about Hobson, just wanted to warn you to watch
yourself that's all."

"Me?" Gary pointed to himself. After a while he
glanced off rubbing the back of his neck."Thanks...but
I'm fine...I'm--"

"Two things Hobson and I'll be out of your hair." She
said cutting him off quickly. "Do you know how the
victims were killed?"

Gary blinked. The atmosphere had suddenly
changed to serious and from the look in Brigatti's
eyes, he was almost afraid to ask. He knew that the
news reports hadn't given any specific details about
the murders saying only that the victims had all died
of gun shot wounds to the back of the head. And the
Paper lately had been of no help.

"Gun shot?" He finally answered as he fidgeting with
a pretzel bowl that was on the counter.

Irritated by the spinning bowl Brigatti reached over
quickly and grabbed it. Holding it steady she blew out
an impatient breath. "Not just any old gun Hobson."
she snapped, " A miniature handgun that was specially
made."

Gary blinked. This was certainly news to him. "M-Miniature?"
he stammered, "specially made?"

"Umhum." Brigatti nodded. "A weapon so small Hobson, it
could fit into the palm of the murder's hand and the victim
not even see it comin."

Confused, Gary ran a hand through his hair and glanced
off thinking about the information Brigatti had just revealed.
After a moment he glanced back down at her. "But...the news
reports never mentioned anything about--"

"That's right." Brigatti cut in sharply. " And it won't.
You got me?"

Coal black eyes burned into hazel ones as they stared
quietly at one another. Gary finally getting her meaning,
nodded. "Oh. Yeah, sure."

Remembering Brigatti had mentioned that there
were two things, Gary was almost afraid to ask. But
he needed to know."W-What was the other thing?"
he whispered.

Brigatti stared at him a minute longer before her gaze
dropped to his hand. "All of them were married."

Gary frowned scratching his head. "Howzat?"

Brigatti blew out an impatient breath. "You know Hobson.
Rice, flowers and tin cans. That sort of thing..." She
paused giving him the once over. "Got anything to
worry about?"

"Me!?" Gary was surprised by the question. He shook
his head. "No..I-I never, I mean--"

"I didn't think so!" Brigatti replied curtly cutting him off. She
paused for a moment to survey the bar again. "I don't see
that little blondie around anywhere. What'd she do? Get smart
and leeev?"

Gary was surprised yet again by her question, only this time
he was a slightly annoyed.

"You mean Erica!?" he asked. "I-I'm sorry Brigatti," he
stammered shaking his head, "but are these questions
part of police investigation or are you here to investigate
my er, ah...life?"

For what seemed like hours Brigatti stood glaring up into his
face both-their frustration evident.

" I was talking about the *cat*!" She snapped. "You *know*
I'm allergic!"

Gary thought he had gotten use to Brigatti's bullying
tone and mannerisms. He didn't really know what her
intentions were. But, her line of questionings this time
were a bit misleading to him. Red faced, he ruffled the
back of his hair in frustration.

Brigatti's pager vibrated in her pocket and she took it
out to look at it.

"Winslow." She glanced back up at him. "Phone?"

"It's in the office th...." Gary voice trailed off suddenly when
the opening door to the bar caught his attention. A woman
resembling the one who had helped him collect his paper
in the parking lot at the department store stepped in.

Noting his hesitation, Brigatti followed his gaze.
"You know her?" she asked.

Gary glanced back over at Brigatti. "Yeah...I-I think we met
once before." He turned back to look at the woman and
was almost certain this was the girl at the mall. "Wonder
what she's doing here," he murmured softly to himself.

The girl looked about nervously searching for a place to sit.
The men at the bar doing double takes as she took a seat
at the end of the bar. One guy walked over offering to buy her
a drink to which she murmured a soft, "No thank you."

"You're dooling Hobson!" Brigatti's voice cut into
thoughts.

"Huh?" Gary spun around suddenly and just barely
caught the back of Brigatti as she stalked off towards his
office, her shiny black hair bouncing in quick jerks as she
went in shutting the door firmly behind her.

Gary stood staring blankly at the closed office door,
resigned to the fact that he would probably never figure
Brigatti out. He let out a tired breath then turned back
and quietly made his way over to the woman seated
at the bar.

He cleared his throat as he approached her. "Excuse me,"
he said gently."Y-You all right?"

The woman glanced up at him. Looking relieved when she
saw his face and Gary knew for sure that this
was the woman he had met.

"Haven't met before?" he asked adding quickly,
"th-that's not...a line, I just thought that well, y-you
look familiar."

"No..no." She smiled shaking her head. " I wasn't thinking
that at all. You look familiar too."

Gary extended a hand. "Gary. We met in the department
store lobby the other day. You dropped your ah...package."

April shook his hand and laughed, remembering his discomfort.
"Yes..I remember now. You were chasing after your paper."

Gary glanced off and smiled. He had forgotten all
about chasing that damned paper. She probably thought
he was nuts.

"Oh...I'm April." She said.

"I know," Gary replied, "I..I mean, I remember.
Are you all right?" he inquired, remembering
how disturbed she looked when she first walked in.

She blew out a nervous breath, "I am now." She said
dabbing at her forehead with the back of her hand.
"Do you work here?"

He reached behind the bar for a box of tissues and held it out
to her. "I...ah..live here," he said taking a seat beside her.

She smiled taking a tissue. "Thanks. You...live here?" She
asked again looking around not sure she had heard him
correctly the first time.

"Right upstairs there," he motioned his chin towards the ceiling.
"Actually, I-I own this place-well part of it anyway. My partners
in the office there." He nodded towards the office.

She nodded, glancing around again before her eyes settled
on him. "Nice place."

Gary was curious how she managed to find his place.
He remember she said that she was new to Chicago.
"You seem lost." He said.

"Actually? I am." She admitted slightly embarrassed.
"It's silly I know." She drew in a long breath then let
it out. "I just came in here to get my nerve. Driving in
the rain at night makes me all jittery."

Gary sat, watching as she dabbed her forehead and
face with the tissue.

"I must look a mess" she said running a shaky hand through
her wet hair.

He closed his eyes, embarrassed that he hadn't
been more hospitable. "I'm sorry." He apologized
rising quickly from the bar stool. "W-Would you like
to freshen up?"

"Yes. I'd like that" She said gathering her purse and
umbrella.

Gary showed April to the ladies room just as Brigatti
emerged from his office. He noticed the disturbed look
on her face leaving him to suspect that another body
had been found.

"Some woman just reported her husband missing." Brigatti
informed him she removed her gloves from her coat pocket.
"I want to check it out. Could be nothing," she
shrugged, " but, you never know."

Gary touched the paper in his back pocket. It was all he could
do to keep from taking a peek. Maybe it had something by
now that he could go on. It had been a while since his last
glance.

"How long has he been missing?" he asked.

"Couple of days now." Brigatti answered as she checked
should holster. "Where's your girlfriend?" she asked
scanning the bar again.

"My what!?" Gary scowled.

Brigatt didn't answer but simply stared at him while she
prepared to leave. She buttoned up her coat then yanked
on her gloves, her icy stare making Gary very uncomfortable
leaving him to wonder what he had done.

"What now!?" He asked, in defense of her relentless glare

Silent, Brigatti made her over to the door and pulled it open.
She paused abruptly to turn back to look at him.
"Cassanova," she called out getting his attention.

Cassanova??!! Gary scowled.

"Just--.'" Brigatti hesitated as if searching for the right words
to use. *Be*.. careful." She ordered sharply. With that she turned
on her heel and stalked out into the night.

Casanova! He frowned at the mere connotation of
the name. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced
around the bar to see if anyone had heard. What was
the matter with Brigatti anyway!

Despite the rain outside, it was suddenly hot in
there. He needed a cold beer!

To be continued..................