A/N: Thanks for the lovely comments, Virtute, "Anonymous" and Leya! I love reading them. And, if everyone's summer is as crazy busy as mine, I understand why people don't have time to comment. I'm just happy if I can squeeze in time to read some stories here. Of course, I love feedback, so other readers...feel free to chime in. LOL This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, so it'll be a quick read today. Heather was a fun character to write...and she's actually based on someone I knew in college. Shhh...;-) Thanks for reading everyone!

Chapter 14

After dropping Callie off at her house, Joe pulled up in front of Heather's dormitory. He got out and jogged around to her side of the car to open her door and help her out. As he walked her up to the main door, she paused and turned to him.

"Can you come inside for a drink? My roommate is away for the weekend." Her eyes were seductive and Joe knew exactly what her invitation included...and it went way beyond a drink.

He smiled at her. "I'm sorry. I really can't. Not tonight."

She pouted. "Why not? Surely that mean old police guy can't really make you work on a Friday night?"

"Yeah, actually he can," Joe said with a grin. "Besides, it's what I do. It's what I love."

Heather sidled up to him and pressed her body flush against his as she slowly slid her arms around his neck. "Do you love it more than me?" She placed her lips just below his ear and kissed him gently. "Remember how good it was between us?"

Joe reached back and took her hands, moving them as he stepped backwards. "I remember, Heather." He smiled. "It was good. But, that was then, not now."

"It can be now," she whispered. "It can be right now."

He shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mislead you or anything. I really hoped we could be good friends."

She laughed. "Friends? That's all you want, Joe? Friendship? Are you kidding me?"

"No, I'm not."

Her eyes narrowed. "There's someone else."

Joe didn't say anything.

"Why did you ask me out?"

"I just thought you might enjoy the banquet. We haven't seen each other in a long time. I thought it would fun."

She laughed. "You thought it would be fun. For us to be friends."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Who is she?"

He didn't say anything.

Heather nodded. "Never mind. I already know. It's that girl from the museum. The one who was at the hospital tonight. Erica or whatever her name is."

"Her name is Emily."

Heather snorted and pulled open the door to her dorm. "Whatever. Listen, Joe, do me a favor? When you want to make another girl jealous, use someone else to do it, okay?"

His eyes widened. "I wasn't trying to use you. Honest."

She let go of the door and turned back to him. "You know, I admit, I'm not smart about a lot of things in life, but there is one thing I am smart about. Men. And whether you want to think so or not, you were using me to get back at Erin."

"Emily. And I didn't do it on purpose, Heather. You've got to believe me."

She stared at him silently for a moment. "I believe you." She opened the door again. "I don't know what's holding you back. She's got feelings for you. They're written all over her face."

Joe looked up at Heather, startled.

"Yeah. She does. Have a nice life, Joe. Thanks for the...interesting...evening." She disappeared inside her dorm and let the door slam behind her before he could get in another word.

Joe sighed heavily as he walked down the stairs and back to the van. He slammed his hand against the door before he opened it. How in the hell did this evening turn into such a nightmare?

OOOOOoooooOOOOO

"So, you didn't see or hear anyone before you were hit on the head?" Collig asked Frank as he scribbled in his notebook.

"No." Frank took another sip of water. "Nothing. I flipped the breaker switch for the lights and that's all I remember until I woke up in that file room or whatever it was."

Collig paused and surveyed Frank. "Someone had to drag you there. How much do you weigh?"

"About one-ninety or so." He grinned. "Depends on how much dessert Aunt Gertrude has made during the week."

"Okay, so you're about six-one, six-two, one hundred ninety pounds, dead weight." Collig shook his head. "Had to be someone fairly strong. The file room isn't that close to the breaker."

"I guess that means Emily is officially off your suspect list, huh?" he said with a grin.

Collig snorted. "She was never on it. Pretty obvious your brother is interested in her, so I just questioned her the other day to get a rise out of him." He grabbed the extra glass on Frank's table and poured some water for himself. "Well, and to ask if she knew anything. But she was never a suspect."

"So who is?"

Collig shook his head. "I don't have anything concrete enough to name names. We're still missing too many facts on the Ayres murder. Nothing to determine motive at all."

"You do think everything that's been happening at the museum is related though, don't you?"

Collig tapped his pen on his notepad. "Yeah, just don't know how."

Frank leaned back against his pillow. "Then that's the million dollar question."

"We figure out motive, I think we get all the answers." Collig sighed. "I'm not looking forward to the publicity this robbery and fire is going to get for the department." He stared at Frank. "I need you and your brother to step up your efforts on this case. Go where we can't go."

Collig pointed his finger at Frank. "Where people will clam up if an officer shows his face, I want you and Joe there asking questions. I'm going to give you two a lot of leeway with this. Just don't do anything I can't overlook. Otherwise, you have free rein and my permission to do what you need to in order to solve this."

"You might want to repeat that to my brother. I'm sure he'd like to hear it straight from you."

Collig shook his head. "I don't need to see the smirk on his face in person. You tell him for me." He stood up. "You'd better get some rest. I need you back on the job in the morning."

"Will do."

"And, listen. Someone obviously tried to kill you tonight, so I'm leaving an officer outside your room." Collig moved to the door. "If anything happened to you...your father would kill me."

"I'm overwhelmed by your concern," Frank chuckled.

Collig waved his hand and smiled as he opened the door. "Save it, Hardy. Just watch yourself, okay?"